1. Who wrote the dialogue? Who are the two main characters in the dialogue?

2. 2a-3e Why is Socrates being indicted? Who does he say is bringing the indictment?

3. 4a-4e Who is Euthyphro prosecuting? Why?

4. 3c, 5a-5b In his initial exchange with Socrates, Euthyphro seems to be a "know it all", especially regarding knowledge of religious and moral matters. Why do you think Euthyphro is so sure of himself?

5. Throughout the dialogue, Socrates questions Euthyphro. Judging from the way in which Socrates ask his questions, do you think that Socrates already knows the answer he's says he's looking for? Or do you think that Socrates is genuinely interested in arriving at the answer?

6. 5d-5e Socrates begins by asking Euthyphro what question?

7. 5d Socrates immediately refines the question asking whether the pious isn't "the same and alike in every action." What does Socrates mean? What would the opposite view be?

8. 5d, 8a To which position does Euthyphro agree? Looking ahead, Euthyphro's acceptance of this position will cause what difficulty for him later?

9. 5e What is Euthyphro's first answer?

10. 5e-6a To what does Euthyphro appeal as proof that he is correct?

11. 6a Why is Euthyphro upset at the way he's been perceived by the public?

12. 6b-6c Euthyphro and Socrates have radically different views about the religion. What are those views?

13. 6d-6e Socrates complains that Euthyphro has not answered his question? Why is Socrates unhappy with Euthyphro's response? Socrates says that he wants to"look upon" what? What distinction is Socrates making is between what two things? Come up with examples of your own that make that same distinction Socrates is making.

14. 7a Euthyphro accepts Socrates' redirection of the questioning by offering what model or form of piety?

15. 7a-8a Socrates performs an elenchus (7a-8a). Try your hand at reconstructing Socrates' counter-argument ending with Euthyphro's admission that his definition doesn't work.

16. Upon what fact about the gods' behavior does Euthyphro's position begin to fall apart?

17. Euthyphro says that whatever the gods love is the model of what is pious. Are there those in our society who would make the same sort of argument? Do religious leaders always agree about what "the gods" love or hate? Give a few examples of issues that evoke the same level of "discord" in our society.

18. Do you think that Euthyphro's definition is deficient? Is the definition necessarily wrong? Why or why not? Do you think that the argument Socrates produces from Euthyphro is a good one?

19. While the gods may have mixed feelings about Euthyphro's action, Euthyphro is sure of what moral obligation? (8b)

20. What is moral relativism? What is moral absolutism? To which (if either) do you subscribe?

21. If people from different religious traditions and culture disagree about issues of morality, does this mean that there is no one indisputably "right" response to a moral question? Does it say something about the nature of "truth" or does it just say something about the nature of human beings?

22. Euthyphro maintains that whoever kills anyone ought to pay the penalty. As usual, he's very sure of himself. But from 8c to 8d Socrates points out some inaccuracies in the way Euthyphro responds to his questions. What does Socrates ask Euthyphro? Euthyphro does not answer Socrates' question. What question is it instead that Euthyphro answers at 8c?

23. Euthyphro now realizes that people do not agree on what?

24. Socrates points out two options at 8d. What are they?

(a) People either believe that ________________________________________

(b) or people believe that ___________________________________________

Do you agree with his analysis?

25. 8d-e Socrates now argues by analogy about the behavior of what two groups?

26. Always note the irony is Socrates' exchanges with his interlocutor. We see a bit of it at 9a-9b.

27. Socrates says he was thinking to himself while Euthyphro was speaking. What is the difficulty he still sees with Euthyphro's position? Socrates makes a significant concession to Euthyphro at 9d. What is it?