Euthyphro †Plato Essay Example for Free

Euthyphro – Plato Essay On his way to his trial, Socrates runs into his friend Euthyphro, there to prosecute his own father for the murder of a slave. From this state of affairs, Socrates engages Euthyphro in a dialogue that begins with questions regarding piousness and ends up unsatisfactorily attempting to come to a true answer. In the course of this discussion, definitions of concept of holiness emerge, only to be picked apart by Socrates. Ultimately, Socrates’ goal is a new definition of piety and subtle rejection of the very idea of gods, paving the way for Plato’s defense of his wrongly accused teacher. Socrates is shocked to learn that Euthyphro is prosecuting his own father. Euthyphro defends his actions, believing that it is just to do so even though his acquaintances maintain that â€Å"it is impious for a son to prosecute his father for murder† (Plato, 8). Quickly, Socrates gets to the heart of the matter. Euthyphro is positive in his belief, therefore Socrates asks him directly: â€Å"what is the pious, and what the impious? † (9). Euthyphro’s first definition of piety is simple: â€Å"the pious is to do what I am doing now, to prosecute the wrongdoer† (9). Socrates is quick to show Euthyphro that such an explanation is but an example. â€Å"I did not bid you tell me on or tow the many pious actions but that form itself that makes all pious actions pious† (10). This lies at the heart of Plato’s philosophy: that all things have an ideal form, and that one can gain knowledge of that form through examination. The argument being refined, Euthyphro delivers his second definition: â€Å"what is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious† (11). Socrates points out that â€Å"different gods consider different things to be just,† noting how in Greek mythology, the gods are as quarrelsome and fickle as human beings. â€Å"Try to show me a clear sign that all the gods definitely believe this action to be right,† Socrates demands (13). Euthyphro cannot, and so Socrates presses him to further refine his definition. Therefore, Euthyphro delivers his third definition: â€Å"the pious is what all the gods love, and the opposite, what all the gods hate, is the impious† (14). Socrates must quickly turn this definition on its head: â€Å"Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods? † (14). There is a circular reason here that Socrates traps Euthyphro in. By seeking to attach piety to the desires of the gods, one cannot separate the effect and cause. Does piety exist in some form, that the gods maintain and uphold, or is piety defined by the agreement of the gods? â€Å"It is not loved by those who love it because it is being loved,† Socrates asks, â€Å"but it is being loved because they love it? † (15). Now Euthyphro must admit that there is a difference between what is â€Å"god-beloved† and what is pious. Since what the gods love and piety are different ideas, Socrates puts for the connection between justice and piety. â€Å"Is then all that is just pious? † he prompts (17). Concerning piety and the gods, Socrates eventually sums Euthyphro’s beliefs as â€Å"piety would be a knowledge of how to give to, and beg from the gods† (20). In establishing this premise, Socrates is driving towards the very notion that got him indicted by Meletus: corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods. Of course, when pressed in a court, Socrates will maintain that he believes in the gods. He later states that his public career was at the behest of the gods, who challenged him to find one wiser than he. However, Socrates’ line of reasoning suggests that he does not actually believe in the gods. â€Å"What benefit do the gods derive from the gifts they receive from us? † he asks (21). Socrates is constantly pointing out to Euthyphro that piety and the notion of the gods are two separate notions. For example, when he asks: â€Å"Would you agree that when you do something pious you make some one of the gods better? † it appears that he is reducing the notion of what a god supposedly is to that of a changing and corruptible being (19). If the gods are what they are supposed to be, how can they be improved by a pious action of a mortal? It would seem only that some god-delivered idea of piety would transform the mortals, and not the other way around. Piety, then, my dear Socrates, is that which finds universal approval as a good among human beings. If we remove the gods from the equation, then piety becomes an idealized notion of goodwill between human beings. If we are to seek out a form of piety, then there cannot be infallible gods who change their minds and respond differently to different situation. Socrates: Yes, my friend, perhaps there is indeed a form of piety, as we have been seeking. However, by what measure do you define universal approval? Simple majority? Are we to vote on a common definition? If a majority of people go to war, and sanction the killing of others, is it pious to do so? If the cause is just, one must say yes. Socrates: If war can be pious, then what cannot fall under this definition? What is just and what are pious must be two different notions, as we have already discussed. Indeed you are correct, Socrates. Piety is fidelity to the truth. Perhaps if there is indeed a form of it somewhere, then we have instinctive knowledge of piety without being able to define it in human language. If Euthyphro has â€Å"no clear knowledge of piety and impiety† despite his convictions, is it possible that each one of us defines such morality on our own (22)? Perhaps, then, there is no form in the universe, and each one of grasps at straws attempting to satisfy an inner desire to make sense out of the chaos that is life. References Plato. Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo. Translated by G. M. A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1981.

Capital Punishment Essay - Death Penalty as a Deterrent to Crime :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The Death Penalty as a Deterrent to Crime Brutally murdered by a man no one would have suspected, an innocent twelve-year old girl was taken from her mother. Although, this poor girl's mother was stricken with grief and anger, she did not wish for this murderer to die for her own sake, but to protect other innocent girls like her own. She sat and watched, staring into the eyes of the man who had killed her daughter. She watched as they inserted the needle containing the fluid that would take his life. Is it morally unjust to execute criminals after they have committed a certain horrific crime upon another innocent victim? Until mid-twentieth century, this had been the tradition of practice, dating back to ancient times. In the United States especially, capital punishment is a hot topic of discussion and controversy. It is a difficult issue with many different points of view. Some are pro death penalty, others against the death penalty, and yet others with mixed feelings. So many different questions originate when the topic of the death penalty arises. Some of these are cost, sentencing equality, religious beliefs, the possibility of executing the innocent, and deterrence. These are just a few of the heated issues to consider. The death penalty is deterring crime, showing that individuals in the United States will be held responsible for their actions. Some of the first death penalty laws can be dated as far back as the Eighteenth Century. This was a time when death was the only punishment for all crimes. These death sentences were done by means of beheading, drowning, beating to death, and burning alive, among others. From 1823 to 1837, the death penalty was eliminated, in Britain, for over 100 of the 222 crimes punishable by death. In 1967, after many legal challenges through the courts, executions were stopped in the United States. Finally, the Supreme Court placed a suspension on capital punishment in 1972, although later allowed it in 1977, under certain conditions (Changes). Cost plays a major role in the death penalty. Opposing views say that it is far more expensive to execute someone than to give them life without parole. On the other hand, many others disagree. It has been estimated that life without parole cases will cost 1.2 million to 3.6 million dollars more than that equivalent to using the death penalty. On average, a life without parole sentence lasts thirty to forty years, while the annual cost of imprisonment is 40,000 to 50,000 dollars for each prisoner or more, each year (Lowe).

Cold War Essay

How was the Cold War fought? †¢ Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying documents in Part A. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of the document and the author’s point of view. Be sure to: 1. Carefully read the document-based question. Consider what you already know about this topic. How would you answer the question if you had no documents to examine? 2. Now, read each document carefully, underlining key phrases and words that address the document-based question. You may also wish to use the margin to make brief notes. Answer the questions which follow each document. 3. Based on your own knowledge and on the information found in the documents, formulate a thesis that directly answers the question. 4. Organize supportive and relevant information into a brief outline. 5. Write a well-organized essay proving your thesis. The essay should be logically presented and should include information both from the documents and from your own knowledge outside of the documents. Question: How did the Cold War begin and what â€Å"weapons† were used to fight this war? Part A:–The following documents provide information about the Cold War. The offensive missiles could destroy most cities in the Western Hemisphere. Consequently, he demanded that the Soviet Union remove these missiles from Cuba and â€Å"end this dangerous arms race. † Document 9 Premier Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles because he said they were only put there to defend and protect Cuba from an attack. Since the U. S. had promised that Cuba will not be attacked by any country in the Western Hemisphere, the missiles were no longer needed. The threat of nuclear was lifted and the world stepped back from the brink of war. 127 Additional Information Beyond the Documents

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( 1719-1787 ) - 1542 Words

Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart better known as, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, Austria to Leopold and Anne Marie Mozart. Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) was a violinist, composer and the Vice-Kapellmeister to the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg. His elder sister Marie Anne also nicknamed â€Å"Nannerl†, and are the only two to survive out of seven children. He and his sister were both child prodigies in music. At the age of three, Mozart would watch and mimic his elder sister as she played the harpsichord. Mozart’s father gives up composing and eventually becomes a teacher when he recognizes his children’s talents, he spent a lot of time with them on music and othe subject at which they also exceeded in these areas as well. Leopold teaches Mozart how to play the clavier, organ, and violin. At the age of four, he had already mastered some of the works his father had him play and by the time he was five, he had already composed a small andante and an allegro. In 1762, Mozart and his family traveled across Europe on a long tour that took three years to the courts of Paris, London, Munich, Mannheim, The Hague, and back to Paris, home and then Zurich, and Donaueschingen were they performed for the imperial court and nobles. In some of the cities they visited on tour Mozart would play, and sometimes his sister would improvise or play in courts, public, or church. In Paris, Mozart’s first music was published, sonatas for violin andShow MoreRelated Mozart Essay examples2056 Words   |  9 Pageswealth of serious and comic operas as well as vocal religious music also appeared during this time†(Ferris, 231). One of the best composer of this time was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In this paper I will go through his childhood, his friends and family, and of course his music. Enjoy!!! Child of the Enlightenment The world that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart entered ceremoniously in 1756 was brimming in change. Historians refer to this era as the Ag e of Enlightenment, one of unparalleled scientific, philosophicalRead MoreWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Essay1335 Words   |  6 Pagesof Leopold Mozart and Anna Maria Pertl, Wolfgang Amadeus was born in Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Considered by many to be one of the greatest musical prodigies in history, by the age of three he was already a keyboard-player and violinist. By five he was composing symphonies. Leopold Mozart (1719-1787), his father, undertook complete responsibility for the tutoring of Wolfgang and his elder sister Maria Anna (Nannerl), an extremely gifted keyboard player in her own right. Mozart spent fromRead MoreThe SUmmer of a Jupiter Symphony Essay2410 Words   |  10 PagesThe Summer of a Jupiter Symphony The year is 1788 as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began to work on his last three symphonies during a time of strife for musicians as the Austro-Turkish War continues to war on in Austria. Tired from moving his family from central Vienna to the suburbs of Alsergrund all while in debt to his ears as he continued to borrow money from friends including a fellow mason, Michael Puchberg, Mozart finished his final symphony on August 10, 1788. This piece, nicknamed the â€Å"JupiterRead MoreWolfgang Amadeus Mozart4740 Words   |  19 PagesWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German: [ˈvÉ”lfÉ ¡Ã‰â€˜Ã…‹ amaˈdeus ˈmoË tsaÊ t], English see fn.[1]), baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart[2] (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music. He is among the most enduringly popular o f classical composers. Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhoodRead MoreGeorge Frederick Handel Essay967 Words   |  4 PagesRiver Thames in 1715, during which the F major suite from Handels Water Music was probably played. Under the sponsorship of the duke of Chandos, he composed his oratorio Esther and the 11 Chandos anthems for choir and string orchestra (1717-20). By 1719 Handel had won the support of the king to start the Royal Academy of Music for performances of opera, which presented some of Handels greatest operas: Radamisto (1720), Giulio Cesare (1724), Tamerlano (1724), and Rodelinda (1725). In 1727 Handel became

Peace and Granduer in The Romantic Temper - 775 Words

Seeing past the flawed, faith in possibilities and insistence on equal opportunities for all defined the Romantic’s outlook and attitude. With sights firmly set on the wonders of another dimension, The Romantic Temper is filled with thoughts of peace and grandeur. The ability to imagine and fantasize is what allowed for the Romantic man to flourish, even the most turbulent times. In the mid-century the Romantic artists in America experienced their nation’s capital burned to the ground, the panic and depression, but instead of giving way to the pressure, they created some of the greatest literary pieces ever produced in the America’s history. Their passionate conceptions boldly challenged, enlightened and inspired Americans and Europeans alike. Romantics broke down barriers and created new social norms increasing national pride and getting people to stand up for what was right. Look beyond what is understood as perfect. The Romantic saw beauty in the unique, what stood out or caught the eye. Taking Poe’s quote from Bacon , â€Å"there is no excellent beauty,†--, â€Å"without some strangeness in the proportion,† they saw beauty and then pondered on why it was so, the findings showed that the exquisite in its differences, draws more attention towards it. In Poe’s Ligeia, Ligeia is just like any other attractive looking woman, except for her distinctive eyes , â€Å"[her] shining, [her] divine orbs†! Seeing as that the eyes are commonly referred to as the window to the soul, it does seem

Friendship Essay The Consequences of Having Friends

Having friends is a natural occurrence in most lives. The majority of people do not think of going anywhere without their friends, especially teenagers. Where these ordinary teens find their acquaintances is in high school. It is where friends are made and hold a substantial role in the students’ lives. High school students choose their friends for various reasons, and some of their choices may result in positive and negative effects. One effect of friends in high school is general influence. For example, peer pressure is an unfortunate, but predominant result of having companions. Several teens look for acceptance in the eyes of their peers. Consequently, they will go to great lengths in order to win their favor, allowing those they†¦show more content†¦Nevertheless, a positive effect of friends is help in making decisions. Although no one should allow others to make decisions for them, it helps to have friends to look to for advice. Another outcome of having friends is being able to connect with those of the same interests and/or hobbies. This is extremely fortunate, for a hobby is how the majority of teens find their friends. When people know others who enjoy partaking in common activities, they are able to grow in their talents and hobbies. Also, this can create a strong connection and allows friends to have topics to talk about and things to do together. Having friends with common interest is a valid explanation of groups and clubs, which is one way friends can be made. Though influence and common interests are significant effects of friendships, there is something even more important. Having company and the lack of loneliness is vital as well. Although many teens look for some alone time every once in a while, very few of them enjoy being alone all the time. This is why friends are important. 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System Integrity and Validation free essay sample

Kudler Fine Food is a specialty food store that caters their service to a variety of special clients. Providing great service has been a calling card for Kudler Fine Food. Since their first store was open back in 1998, they have enjoyed great success. This has also allowed them to open a few more locations. Having the ability to have a strong accounting information system and great business structure in place was vital to the growth and development of Kudler Find Food. Even though their current system has allowed them to have success, there are improvements that are needed that would allow them to operate effectively. This will lead to a more profitable company. Throughout the process we have developed several recommendations that have been offered to Kudler management staff that would help improve their current systems. Offering the improvement and implementation to Kudler accounts receivable, account payable, inventory system and how payroll is completed is vital to future success. Last week, the team offered suggestions that would improve production, reduce possible threats and increase profits. Along with improving how they process items that have been sold. In addition, the increased accuracy has reduced human error and better consistent communication has all been in relation with the new developed automation systems. Using the flow chart and the ER diagram, we have helped Kudler define their existing database. In addition, using pivot tables has allowed Kudler to move away from using spreadsheet which helped Kudler management make better decisions. When comparing the SAS70 to the SAS94 we learned that the SAS No. 94 was issued to provide guidelines to auditors; SAS No. 94 states that auditing through a computer can only take place â€Å"if the processing programs are soundly developed and incorporate adequate edit routines and programmed checks, then errors and irregularities are not likely to slip by undetected. We reviewed both external and internal risk and as Kudler developed their internal control and monitored them consistency, they were able to safeguard assets, ensure reliability, ensure compliance, and have an efficient and effective operation (Internal Controls (2014). Below, the brief will discuss and display how Kudler Fine Food can benefit from using the advancement in technology such audit software and (CAAT’s) or computer assisted auditing techniques. Introduction To allow themselves to be competitive in the market Kudler Fine Food had to improve and upgrade their system software. With the advancement in technology, more companies have become dependent upon computers to be the foundation of the business. Management must understand that all accounting information from computers must be valid, reliable, and most importantly accurate. The main objective of this brief is to discuss how CAAT can validate data and provide explanations to how it works. Finally, how this software can benefit and be used in Kudler AIS system. Validate Data and System Integrity The computer assist auditing techniques can help Kudler improve the effectiveness of an audit. The CAAT’s allows accountants and auditors to run tests and monitor financial data through automation. When using the software, auditors will see an increase in accuracy and production. The auditors will run tests to check if the data is valid by using test data. Test data is a set of fake tests that the auditors run through the application and compare the results with what he or she expects (Hunton 2004). The objective of the test is to determine if the technique check data validation controls and error detection and arithmetic calculation. The test is also done to verify the integrity of the data. Usually auditors would use a CAAT called extract and analyze where they would take samples of data and test them. But now more auditors are using computers which allows them to test 100% of data. For example, if an auditor was auditing Kudler payroll the auditors can look over the payroll and look for discrepancies that may be discovered. Data query is a CAAT that can detect fraud. A data query is a search to determine if the results fit within the context of evidence of the audits. The test includes tests of controls, substantive testing, and interviews with client personnel, risk assessment performed during audit planning, and the environment in which the business operates. The auditor should consider, for example:  ¦ Does the evidence make sense when other relevant trends are considered?  ¦ Does the evidence support assertions made by management or employees?  ¦ Does the CAAT pertain to an area identified as high risk? Functions of Audit Productivity Software If an auditor uses audit production software, they should notice and increase in effectiveness and productivity. Automation of data can save an auditor time and effort. Also, the CAAT can mismatch items and regulatory issues. Another advantage an auditor gains are electronic working papers, groupware, time and billing, reference libraries and document management. Electronic paper increases productivity because the auditor no longer is spending time on manually auditing work papers (Hunton 2004). Groupware allows sharing of information across firms and between the auditor and the clients (Hunton 2004). Time and billing software can ease the formerly erroneous process of accounting for chargeable hours and compiling and preparing bills accordingly (Hunton 2004). Reference libraries have two main reasons: to locate company-specific policies and procedures, and to search for authority when researching a particularly thorny problem (Hunton 2004). Document management software that has made online document storage readily available and practical has greatly enhanced the auditor’s productivity (Hunton 2004). Audit Productivity Software Kudler could use audit productivity software to assist with auditing their AR, AP, inventory and payroll. Kudler management should keep and update records of all policies and procedures. Having the ability to access groupware software employees can share information and best practices when preparing for an audit. Kudler could use document management to have online access to documents which should increase productivity. Finally time and billing can save money by automatically updating billing information. Conclusion One of the most important aspects is system integrity and providing valid data. If Kudler uses both productivity software and CAAT, it can be within their reach. For Kudler’s continued success it would be in their best interest to take advantage of these options.