从《游叙弗伦》看苏格拉底的两项罪名

An Analysis of Two Charges against Socrates based upon the Text of Euthyphro

在《游叙弗伦》中,"什么是虔敬"这一表层问题背后隐含着一个更重要却被普遍忽视的主题,即对苏格拉底两项罪名的回应。通过对话中所展现出来的虔敬观及其对游叙弗伦的教育,可以看出苏格拉底是否"不虔敬"和"败坏青年"。苏格拉底持有一种哲学式的虔敬观,其有反传统的一面,但并不必然导致传统的毁坏;所以苏格拉底并非不虔敬。通过与年轻人游叙弗伦讨论何为虔敬,苏格拉底使他放弃离经叛道的观点,并将其引回到传统和常识之中。可见苏格拉底并未败坏青年。与《申辩》中的哲学辩护不同,《游叙弗伦》展现了对苏格拉底的政治辩护。

Piety is commonly considered the key subject of Euthyphro, while in fact, there is another subject more important, namely, the response of Socrates to the two well-known charges imposed upon him. This article claims that we can disconfirm Socrates' impiety and his corruption of the youth by looking at his ideas about piety and education on Euthyphro. Socrates is in favor of a kind of philosophical piety other than the traditional style ones. This kind of piety doesn't necessarily undermine the tradition. Socrates succeeds in keeping Euthyphro away from his primarily platitudinous ideas and leading him back to the tradition and common sense by discussing piety with him. Therefore, this article argues that Euthyphro is a political justification for Socrates' deed, which is different from the philosophical justification in Apology.