Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (the three great Greek philosophers of antiquity) investigated life’s big questions: What is real? (Metaphysics) How do we know what we know? (Epistemology) And how should we live? (Ethics)
They believed in the objectivity of truth and sought to understand how to live the good life.
In The Dialogues, Plato, Socrates’ student, recorded Socrates’ thinking and beliefs. They are quite entertaining and thought-provoking, and they increase understanding of ideas through intensive questioning, which became known as Socratic questioning.
One dialogue is titled Euthyphro. In it, Socrates and his friend Euthyphro strike up a conversation (while on their way to court) about the nature of piety (i.e., holiness or the good). Socrates asked what it is and how it relates to justice.
After much back and forth, Socrates asked a famous question, known as Euthyphro’s dilemma: Do the gods love something because it is good, or is something good because the gods love it?
The question deals with the nature of God and what it means to live the good life.
I recommend the translation by Benjamin Jowett. (A high school student can read it in one hour. Skip the introduction.)
Finally, while thought-provoking, the dilemma is false. These Christian philosophers explain why:
