Most philosophical problems are conceptual in nature
One way for this to happen is for two beliefs to conflict conceptually with one another

1.
“There is evil in the world”
2.
“God exists”
A problem because the
“creator of everything.” of God might include “being all good” and
Thus, it seems
impossible for
God and Evil to exist concurrently.

3.
1.
“There is no God!” (allows for evil)
2.
“There is no evil!” (allows for God)
A redefining of God or Evil that makes the two concepts compatible
One medieval solution: define evil as a and then declare that God creates everything that positively lack exists, whereas
“lacks” do not positively exist.

Note that this is a
issue.
Redefining “evil” to make it compatible with God is to figure out a way for the two concepts to work together, or to be able to apply in the same conditions.

Start with gives
A definition of X
conditions for a given concept to apply in the world (for it to be
“instantiated.”

X is a necessary condition for Y if and only if
If you have Y, then you must have X.
If you don’t have X, then you don’t have Y.

“Being three sided” is a
So, necessary condition for being a triangle.
If you have Y sided).
(a triangle) , then you must have X (being three-
If you don’t have X (three sidedness), then you don’t have Y
(being a triangle).
In other words, “being three sided” is an essential part of what triangle objects are. The concept of triangularity cannot be instantiated without “three-sidedness” also being instantiated.

X is a
only if for Y if and
If you have X, then you must have Y.

“Being scalene” is a sufficient condition being a triangle. So, for
If you have X (being scalene) have Y (being a triangle).
, then you must
In other words, if the property of “being scalene” is instantiated, that is sufficient for us to know that “triangularity” is also instantiated.

To define a concept requires that we give list both necessary and sufficient conditions. So we must
(1) what properties must concept is instantiated be instantiated if that
AND
(1) The properties which, if instantiated, would be
enough for us to instantiated. know that the concept is also

Politician: a person who deceives others for personal gain.

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Is this a necessary condition? (can the concept be instantiated without the condition being instantiated?)
In other words: are there politicians who do
deceive others for gain?

Politician: a person who deceives others for personal gain.


Is this a sufficient condition? (can the condition be instantiated without the concept being instantiated?)
In other words: can one deceive others for gain but still not be a politician?

Understand the concepts people use by attempting to ascertain the exact conditions under which they would apply
(or not apply). So: define concepts.
Socrates asked big questions, like “what is beauty?” or “what is the good?”
He wants to know “what is the essential nature of these things?

The (Dreaded) Euthyphro Problem
What is “the holy”? (what are its necessary and sufficient conditions?)
Pass #1: Prosecuting someone for murder.
What’s wrong with it?

The (Dreaded) Euthyphro Problem
What is “the holy”? (what are its necessary and sufficient conditions?)
Pass #2: What is pleasing to the Gods.
What’s wrong with it? (assuming the Greek mythology Socrates and Euthyphro share).

The (Dreaded) Euthyphro Problem
Pass #3: What is pleasing to the Gods.




What is holy is what is pleasing to the Gods.
The Gods disagree.
So, it is possible for some X, some Gods will be pleased by it, some will hate it.
So, it is possible that some X has and lacks the property “holy.”
Since it is not possible for #4 to be true, some premise in
#1 - #3 must be false.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Conceptual Analysis
Identify a problem. (What is “holiness”?)
Propose a hypothesis (“holiness is what is pleasing to the Gods.”)
Derive a test implication. So, if true, we are committed to the fact that some things will be holy and not holy at the same time.
Perform the test. The concept cannot exist in a world governed by the hypothesis given.
Accept or reject the hypothesis. REJECT, since contradictions cannot exist.