User:Thomasclark5

The Way in Confucius and Piety in Euthyphro
The way or Dao in Confucius is about behaving and acting kindly to all as well as yourself. You must be humble with what you have as well as helping out others, expecting nothing in return. The way is also about being religious and following family and others traditions. As long as you have the way you will prosper, and if you are dissatisfied with what you have and try to use the way to your advantage then you aren't truly following the way. This is similar to piety in Euthyphro because being pious as he describes it later in the book; “Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is that which is not dear to them”, and what pleases the gods is doing what is right in each situation you find yourself in. Euthyphro begins with him taking his father to trial for the murder of one of his slaves, where he says to Socrates “Piety is doing as I am doing; that is to say, prosecuting any one who is guilty of murder, sacrilege, or of any similar crime”. This can be related to the way because Euthyphro is following what must be done and not faltering even though it is his father, or else he wouldn’t truly be pious. Another similarity seen later in the book is when Euthyphro is telling Socrates that it would take forever to describe everything that is pious he follows it up by saying “Let me simply say that piety or holiness is learning how to please the gods in word and deed, by prayers and sacrifices. Such Piety is the salvation of families and states, just as the impious, which is unpleasing to the gods, is their ruin and destruction. When following the way in Confucius you must think of the well being of others before yourself, which being pious according to Euthyphro is essential to the well being of any civilization, and in doing so you would be following the way. Towards the end Socrates asks Euthyphro “In like manner holiness or piety is the art of attending to the gods?” in which he replies “Yes” and explains that attending means to always be faithful and giving to the gods. This is similar to the way where it is your duty to be religious and giving to others. Although piety is more religious duty and the way is more of a moral duty, there are still a bunch of similarities between the two of them.