1. In Plato’s dialogue named after him, Euthyphro asserts, in response to Socrates’s request that he explain what the pious is, that “what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious” (7a). Explain what this claim amounts to and give a careful account of the exchange between Euthyphro and Socrates from this point on in the dialogue up until 11b (i.e., up until p. 14, where one reads: “Euthyphro: But Socrates, I have no way of telling you…”). Note that, after Socrates identifies a possible problem with Euthyphro’s claim, Euthyphro modifies it somewhat at 9d.
(a) Focus on the part of the text that you’re being asked to focus on. You do not need to give a summary of what occurs prior to this part of the text. If you want to give a summary of what transpires beforehand, make it brief – no more than a sentence or two.
(b) In writing this paper, it would be silly of you not to consult the reading notes on Euthyphro or Laches on Sakai.
(c) You are being asked to give an account of a certain portion of Plato’s Euthyphro or Laches. You are not being asked to present and argue for a particular thesis (although you are, in a sense, making a claim – i.e., that this is how things go in the relevant portion of the text). Your aim is to give a clear and careful exegesis or exposition of a certain part of a Platonic dialogue.
(d) Be clear. Clarity is very important. You might understand what you mean, but ask yourself whether your reader will be able to understand what you mean.
(e) Maintain a formal writing style. Avoid contractions. First person pronouns are okay, but don’t overdo it. Avoid colloquialisms.
(f) You want to write your paper in such a way that an intelligent person who knows little about Plato’s Euthyphro or Laches could learn something about it by reading your paper. You might try imagining that you’re writing your paper for a friend or roommate, and you might even test the paper out by asking a friend to read it, to see if he or she finds it clear and informative.
(g) Avoid florid prose and lengthy anecdotes or illustrations. And do not begin your paper with something like, “Since the dawn of time, man has struggled to understand the cosmos and his place within it.” Leave uplifting exordia to the speech-makers. Something like the following is a perfectly reasonable way to begin your paper: “In this paper I will give an account of Socrates’s examination of Euthyphro’s claim that the pious is what is dear to the gods.”
(h) Be concise, while displaying your mastery of basic concepts. You may not be able to make explicit mention of absolutely everything that happens in the relevant portion of the Euthyphro or Laches. You must identify what is most important (philosophically speaking) and be concise. A good paper will be one that says quite a lot in a fairly brief way, while yet being intelligible to someone who knows little about your subject.
(i) Keep quotations to a minimum—which is not to say that you shouldn’t make regular appeals to the texts and paraphrase portions of the dialogues as needed. If you do use quotations, do so sparingly, when there is some good reason to do so, and be sure not to let quotations do the talking for you. There’s simply no way for me to judge whether you’ve understood something unless you explain it in your own words. Also, cite Stephanus numbers (the ones that appear in the margin).
