Question

I'm current reading one of the first of plato's dialogues, Euthyphro, concerning piety. At one point in their conversation, Euthyphro proposes to Socrates the following definition,

I) What all of the gods love/admire is pious; what all of the gods hate is not pious;

my understanding is that in other for the argument that socrates develops, to show Eutyphro that this definition cannot be correct, to make sense, (I) has to be equivalent to saying,

II) All of the gods love/admire something, because it is pious;

but i cannot see yet how (I) = (II), i dont see how definition (I) implies a specific form of causality... can someone help me understanding this passage?

Note: I know there are somewhat similar questions but they aren't really identical to what i'm asking, plus they are very confusingly written...

Answer 1

An intuitive understanding of language and thought reveals causality. Cause-and-effect reasoning connects actions and outcomes, akin to constructing a proper sentence from scrambled words. It is critical in analyzing narrative flow and individual actions within a text.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding the connection between definition (I) and causality may require analyzing the given context. In literature, as a thought develops, a cause-and-effect structure often emerges, with each idea supporting or refuting the next, mirroring a logical sequence in language and thought. For instance, arranging the words 'that, how, happen, did' into a coherent sentence relies on an intuitive grasp of syntax, without the necessity to consciously sift through every permutation; similarly, causality infers a logical sequence in actions or events.

In the context of analysis, when evaluating the cause-and-effect reasoning in a text, the 'cause' typically explains the actions that trigger an event, while the 'effect' details the outcomes that follow. Careful reading often reveals the subtleties in the author's constructed narrative that tie individual ideas and events together, exemplified in the critique of a character's actions or the narrative sequence of a novel. Highlighting these connections helps clarify the implied causality between different narrative elements, aligning with the intended coherence or pattern the author may aim to establish.