Logical Understanding

While Socrates and Euthyphro are speaking it becomes clear the Plato cares about logical understanding of the truth. When Euthyphro is speaking Socrates listens to his opinion of what makes some things pious and others impious – “What is dear to the gods is pious, and what is not dear is impious.” (48). This explanation makes perfect sense to Euthyphro, until Socrates questions him. Socrates uses logic to try and find the truth by saying that what is dear to one god may not be dear to another, which would make it both pious and impious. He follows this reasoning to its logical conclusion, making Euthyphro’s view seem like it hasn’t been thought out. Socrates is trying to come to a logical understanding of the truth by coming up with scenarios that will not fit Euthyphro’s view and seeing if Euthyphro has an answer. This continues when Socrates asks about those who have committed an injustice. “Do they in fact agree, Euthyphro, that they have done injustices, and having agreed, do they nevertheless assert that they need not pay the penalty?” (50). With this question Socrates is once again trying to use logic to find the truth about those who have committed injustices. Euthyphro’s answer that the people do not think they have committed an injustice leads right into Socrates logical argument that makes Euthyphro’s argument seem weak and not at all thought out. The fact that they do not think they have committed an injustice means they do not think they should be punished, and unless they are convinced they have in fact committed an injustice they will continue to think that. Plato uses Socrates as a tool too show how important logical understanding of the truth is to him. If logic can ruin someone’s version of truth than it was never truth to begin with.