Euthyphro - Philosophy Essay?

Question

I am taking Phil of Religion. I love the class & find much to take in. For our first exam we have to write two essays. The first: Answer the question: "is the holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved?" The second I haven't decided yet as we get to choose from 3 diff. subjects. I am pretty good at writing and doing essays, but when it comes to one in philosophy, I find myself caught up in that I have so much to say and yet nothin to say. I stare at the blank page endlessly. I have tried the outlining, the thought bubbles, the just start writing and edit later, etc, etc. but still end up with a blank page.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can answer this in an essay consisting of at least 5 pages? I think my main problem is: how do I begin? What do I start the essay with? The question itself? So much is swirling and twirling in me brain :)

Answer 1

First answer to YOURSELF what was the point of Euthyphro? Is the question ""is the holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved?" even ANSWERABLE? Or was Socrates just trying to confuse Euthyphro? Maybe Holiness(piety) should be defined INDEPENDENTLY of Gods?
Once you make up your OWN mind as to what is the case -- answer to yourself WHY do you think that way. Then write it down.

Another good way to write a philosophy paper - is to first SUMMARIZE the argument as given in the dialog that you read, then ANALYZE it, and then maybe make your own suggestions.

Answer 2

writing philosophy is different from other kinds of writing. to be very general, being good at non-philosophical writing doesn't make you good at philosophical writing, and can even make it harder. I came to uni having never writen philosophy before, only fiction and essays. now i can write philosophy easily, but find that i have the damndest time if i try to write fiction or a non-evaluative essay.

since my viewpoint now seems to be different from where you are coming from, i don't know how much help my advice will be, but i'll try my best. I would say start by summarizing the claims made by the various sides in the question. Even though I assume you're gonna decide which claim is stronger, writing about the opposing view is always beneficial and you can still use that writing in your final paper. Any good philosophy paper considers the objections of the other side. For euthyphro, for example, evaluate the claim that the holy is holy independent of the gods (is loved because it is holy), the claim that holiness is decided by the gods (is holy because it is loved), and the claim that both of these possiblities undermine the idea that good can be determined by gods who are themselves called good (which i think was socrates' point).

With a summary of those basic positions, you already will have a few pages, and will be in a better position to decide the strengths and weaknesses of each, since each claim is plainly laid out. Then write about any problems that you see with adopting any of these claims. If you're having trouble thinking, look over you notes, or look online for details about the dilemma.

Don't worry so much about your intro paragraph. A lot of times I get hung up on that myself. just start writing about the positions and before you know it you'll have a paper. Then you can just go back and write in your intro what it is your paper is about. Think of the intro as a brief summary of your whole paper. If you're coming from a background in literature or something, you might be used to writing a different type of intro. In philosophy clairty is the main virtue. Any philosophy prof will always prefer a clear and direct, if boring, intro over a flowery, cute, but indirect intro.

PS: good luck!

Answer 3

You would need to ask the lecture from which text is the statement coming from? I haven’t ever heard this phrase in my readings. It could be a supposition based on a variety of other statements say from two or more texts.
The statement may come from Greek philosophy as the question asks “the gods” plural meaning Zeus and all the gods in Olympus or some other possible Hindus or Buddhist.
Once you know the text from which the statement comes then you will need to argue your position on the idea. The question you’re being asked to explain is quite rhetorical as it seems to answer itself.
I would have trouble arguing this question in the argumentative style (for and against) I would write the essay in a exploitative style looking to explain what this question means?. You could look at questions surrounding the statement such as definitions of love, examples of what is holy, why and how something is seen as holy, It this love both secular and spiritual. Through out your essay address the central statement as the key to your explanations.

Answer 4

in the first part of the question the answer is the first answer.

the next is the black hole of writers block.research is everything in it self,(you weave this fabric of how it comes to gether by how you make other things come together, each has it own resolutions that you've already conquered and it's made of allot of little things that fail together, that don't have to be forced together. first journey is to try and not procrastinate the failure to death before you even start, this will drain your whole thing, so look at your way of successes for the woven little things to get started and then it takes on a life of it own,you have no proof with out research, it is the sounding board of facts and possibilities, your black hole is writers block, study books, its perceived medical reflections in herbs for good health vitamins, minerals,your attitudes and beliefs and research will drive you to new heigths and you won't know you raised the bar and the essay is found in retrospectives of best scenario possibilities, see your self in your mind as it is already over and you don't feel stressed and you are relieved, in that spirit you find your work and good herbs,vitamins, minerals books good research books, and good attitudes

Answer 5

as they used to say....start at the beginning...
that is....early myths/cults/ancestor worship/shamanistic practices....

some references
Campbell's works on mythology
Frazer's "The Golden Bough" ....
The Gilgamesh epic
The Avesta
The Enuma Elish
The OT

Then

Greek philosophers/Gnostics

the transition from a person/hero/priest/shaman
....being loved because they were holy...
morphs into the Judeo-Christian thesis that people are holy because of god's love...

look at the earliest references...the gods were propitiated/appeased by the devotion and sacrifice of holy ones

it was only MUCH later that existence was viewed as an expression of god's love...
and that such love ["agape'"] somehow allowed/permitted human piety/holiness...

get started....
you might want to use the actual religious rituals/rites/sacrificial offerings as the framework to show this transition...

in other words, you could show that the changing self view of man and his relationship with the godhead could be demonstrated by the concomitant change in his religious service

or did I just write your paper for you????
just kidding....get started!!!! and good luck

Answer 6

you can argue both ways, that is the beauty of Philosophy, there is no "correct" answer.

It is loved b/c it is holy and it is holy b/c it is loved but it is both b/c of what it REPRESENTS. The loved and the holy