...Takes place between Socrates and Meno, a young aristocrat from Thessaly. Meno asks Socrates whether or not virtue can be taught, or if people are born with virtue. In turn Socrates states that they cannot investigate how one comes to be virtuous if they do not have a definition for virtue. After unsuccessfully finding a definition searching for a virtue, Socrates asks one of Meno’s slaves to figure solve a geometry problem. Though the slave has never studied geometry, Socrates is able to show that the slave simply recollected information to solve the problem. Antony's happens upon Socrates and Meno and fails to persuade Socrates and Meno that virtue can be taught. It is then that Socrates realizes that good men only come to...
Words: 1084 - Pages: 5
...believing in the concept. In his attack on the rhetoric as unreal art, Socrates uses cosmetics as an example of rhetoric that depicts flattery. He argues that cosmetics take the form of gymnastics, and that it works in a deceitful manner through the help of lines, colors, enamels, and garments in order to create a false beauty that tends to neglect the true beauty and fitness, which is provided by the gymnastic. Therefore, he refers to cosmetics as the art of gymnastic cookery, which is the art of medicine sophistry, legislation rhetoric, or jurisprudence (Harold 4). If the body presides over itself without the guidance of the soul, then cookery, health, and medicine will mingle in indiscriminate. Socrates tends to argue that cosmetics are used to create a beauty that does not last. It is not inherent beauty of the human being, but a flattery meant to convince people that cosmetics make people to achieve beauty. In the Gorgias and Socrates discussion with other scholars, the superior nature of...
Words: 1464 - Pages: 6
...In Plato’s “Euthyphro,” Socrates questions a man outside of the courthouse who is turning his father in for illegal activity. Socrates asks him a series of questions that tests Euthyphro’s understanding actions, but moreover Socrates attempts to discover the true meaning of piety, or justice, from what Euthyphro tells him. The line of questioning never really concludes satisfactorily, as Euthyphro excuses himself before Socrates finishes. To many people in this time, this questioning would not only be redundant and ridiculous, but it would also seem ungodly, as if Socrates was questioning the gods themselves when he was dissecting Euthyphro’s understanding of piety. In reality, the reason for Socrates’ questioning was to bring Euthyphro down a peg. Many of the rich, white landowning voters had very self-inflate views of themselves and their understandings of the world. Socrates questioned these inflated men to disrupt their...
Words: 456 - Pages: 2
...1101-002 25 February 2013 Plato’s View on Life and How One Acquires Knowledge Plato is a well-known, intellectual Athenian philosopher that was born into an aristocratic family. Due to his family’s wealth, Plato was able to receive some of best education available to Athenians. When Plato was a pupil, he became infatuated with his Sophist Socrates. Socrates was a Greek philosopher and he was known to preach endlessly about his ideas and theories to anyone that would listen. Plato’s most renowned work comes from his Five Dialogues. In two of Plato’s dialogues, Meno and Phaedo, Socrates is the protagonist and Plato uses his character to portray his philosophical views of life and how one can go about acquiring knowledge. The Meno consists of a discussion between Socrates and his companion, Meno, in which Meno is trying to inquire information on whether “virtue can be taught? Or is it not teachable but the result of practice, or is it neither of these, but men possess it by nature or in some other way” (70a). In the beginning of the dialogue, Socrates asks Meno to define what virtue is and after numerous attempts, Socrates comes to realize that he himself is unclear on whether or not virtue can be taught so he suggests that they can seek out the answer together. Meno is puzzled because he doesn’t know how the two of them will search and acquire knowledge on virtue if they are both unfamiliar with the subject. Socrates’ responds with a debate he once heard from some priests and priestesses...
Words: 881 - Pages: 4
...particular circumstances. Ethics may be divided into three major areas of study: * Meta-ethics, about the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions and how their truth values (if any) may be determined * Normative ethics, about the practical means of determining a moral course of action * Applied ethics draws upon ethical theory in order to ask what a person is obligated to do in some very specific situation, or within some particular domain of action (such as business) Related fields are moral psychology, descriptive ethics, and value theory. Ethics seeks to resolve questions dealing with human morality—concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime. II. PHILOSOPHIES A. SOCRATES Socratic method Perhaps his most important contribution to Western thought is his dialectic method of inquiry, known as the Socratic method or method of "elenchus", which he largely applied to the examination of key moral concepts such as the Good and Justice. It was first described by Plato in the...
Words: 4459 - Pages: 18
...Apology, Socrates, an Athenian philosopher, is accused of not believing in the gods by corrupting the youth with his philosophical beliefs. Socrates uses the forces of logos and ethos to build the trust of his audience over his accusers, Meletus and Anytus, who have created prejudices against him in trial. Socrates uses a grand mixture of socratic irony and rhetorical devices to make his claim and prove his point in efforts to hopefully help find his innocence. However, in doing so, he reveals to the audience what kind of a person he is: a haughty, gadfly kind of man with an undesirable temperament. Although Socrates is indeed arrogant and comes off as egotistical, he is in fact quite admirable. “Let the judge decide justly and...
Words: 1056 - Pages: 5
...OCTOBER 28, 2013 Protagoras and Socrates have different views in life. Protagoras was a Sophist. Protagoras believed that man could determine right and wrong, depending on their culture. He felt everyone had their own opinions based on their own experiences ; therefore everybody’s opinions were true. Protagoras felt that each person was their own measure of truth. He did not necessarily believe in knowledge, he only cared that the reasoning made sense. Socrates believed that understanding and knowledge were key to happiness. If one was sure of the facts, then he could believe it, and therefore then he could argue it. Socrates felt that Protagoras was looking at the right questions, but in the wrong way. Socrates was himself a very decent, good man. He felt if man was aware of goodness, he was incapable of being evil. Socrates thought if people just looked for the answer that would be “good”, he would know the facts: otherwise his eyes did not see the truth. Both Socrates and Protagoras agreed on their love of truth. They both just got their knowledge from different philosophies in life. Socrates felt that Protagoras believed any life could be good, based on that person’s perspective. But Socrates wanted there to be universal guidelines to things marked as good, otherwise you could not tell the difference between good and bad. Protagoras felt that knowledge along with certainty was impossible. Socrates felt that knowledge and certainty were possible. In today’s...
Words: 278 - Pages: 2
...responses is similar to the concerns of the threat of open to interpretation. The Apology, written by Plato, illustrates the argument Socrates gives at his trial in Athens. Socrates is giving his defense of not in favor of believing in the gods and corrupting the youth. In making his defense, Socrates will respond to two kinds of accusations. The first one is referred to as the older or more ancient accusation and the second one is the current charge being made by Meletus, and other civilians who are currently at the trial. They accused him of being a sophist, someone that provides wisdom for a fee. Socrates advises the jurors that the statement is false; he enlightens others for the sole purpose to make everyone aware of their lack of knowledge. Socrates informs the jurors how he achieved this reputation. He claims that his childhood friend, Chaerophon, went to an Oracle of Delphi and inquired if there was someone wiser than Socrates and the oracle said “there is no man wiser” (561). Socrates couldn't accept Wu 2 the Oracle's words since he knows for a fact that he doesn't own this wisdom. Socrates then went on a mission to decipher the paradox and to clarify the meaning of the Oracles words by interrogating others that were wise. By questioning others, this earned him a reputation of being a "busybody" and caused many people to dislike him. Socrates opening move was to call on...
Words: 1912 - Pages: 8
...An Analysis of Concepts for the Origins of Our Knowledge Set Forth by Socrates and Locke In Socrates' discussion with Meno, he puts forth the idea that knowledge is innate. He is of the opinion that each of us has all the knowledge of the world because we have been reborn over and over again. In each life, we have gained knowledge and now the only thing we have to do is recall that knowledge. To prove his point, he takes one of Meno's slaves and puts forth a mathematical problem that the boy must solve. He uses the slave boy because he was not educated and would not know how to solve the problem through methods learned in a school setting. Socrates, through a series of questions, gets the boy to arrive at the correct answer. Because he never actually taught the boy the basic mathematical principles that he would have needed to solve the problem, Socrates says that this proves that the boy must have had that knowledge inside of him all along. I am going to be quite honest and say that I was not the least bit convinced by Socrates’ argument or example and I take great pleasure in poking holes in this theory. Firstly, the boy does not live in a box. Yes it is true that he did not have access to a formal education like Meno or Socrates did but evidently he had basic mathematical skills. He knows numbers and in his day to day tasks, it is very likely that he would have, at some point, been exposed to the concept of basic mathematical operations such as adding, subtracting, etc. Perhaps...
Words: 764 - Pages: 4
...these premises is that Socrates is not the one who is corrupting the youth because he is a specialist in this field. In addition, the real corruptors of the youth are the greater population of Athens because they are not specialist on teaching wisdom. What important about this conclusion is that even though Socrates uses horses as an example he manages to apply his example to all beings and prove his case that he is innocent of the charges.The second example that Socrates makes is that people that don't care about the youth are the ones who are really corrupting them. "It is quite clear that by now, gentlemen, that Meletus, as I said before, has never paid the slightest attention to this subjects. However I invite you to tell us, Meletus, in what sense you make out that I corrupt the minds of the young." 3 The premises of this quote are:1. Meletus has no concern for the youth.2. Meletus who shows no concern for the youth cannot charge another person of corrupting the youth 3. Since Meletus, charges Socrates with corruption of the youth, though he cannot charge him. The conclusion from these premises is that Meletus is contradicting himself, and Socrates is innocent. The last point that Socrates makes to prove that he is not guilty is he says that even if he was corrupting the youth he was doing it unwillingly. "Either I have not a bad influence, or it is unintentional; so in either case what you claim is false." 4 The premises for this argument are: 1. Socrates either corrupts the...
Words: 625 - Pages: 3
...Anthony Charpentier Due Date: 10/7/14 PHI 307 – Ancient Philosophy First Essay Assignment Xenophanes, Socrates, Plato on the possibility of knowledge Skepticism – A skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something. In ordinary skepticism this would mean someone who would doubt the existence of something. A difference between the two is normal skepticism is you try to get it clear in your head. Ordinary doubt - or local skepticism - can usually be tested - and even when it can't, there may well come a time when it can. Many philosophers have had their own version and interpretation of skepticism. Skeptics only denies we have knowledge but does not deny our belief or opinion. Most of which our true belief is just luck and lucky guesses are not knowledge. An example of this can be found in a reading from Humes which he explained that he does not perceive anything else besides his perceptions such as immaterial substance. From different philosophers and readings we can understand there are many different meanings and interpretations of skepticism. According to Philonous presents an argument against Hylas stating that only ideas are perceived, nothing else and thus that we are aware only of the mind. Philonous proceeds to use the same arguments as John Locke to prove things are independent of the mind. Philonous uses a similar example to that of John Locke in which he states, “suppose now one of your hands hot, and the other cold, and that they are both at once put...
Words: 1675 - Pages: 7
...Euthyphro’s Real Knowledge PHI 200 Mind and Machine Instructor: Euthyphro’s Real Knowledge What is piety? What is holiness? Euthyphro thought he had all the answers. Socrates soon shows him that he does not. By definition impiety is a lack of piety; a lack of reverence for God, ungodliness (Credo, Impiety, 2005). Piety would then be the exact opposite. Piety by definition is irreverence for God, or regard for religious obligations (Credo, Piety, 2005). Holiness by definition is the state or character of being holy (Credo, Holiness, 2005). If you ask me Euthyphro gets it all wrong. Socrates and Euthyphro meet on the porch of King Archon. Both men are headed to court. Socrates has been charged with impiety. These charges against Socrates were brought by a man named Meletus (Plato, 2008). Meletus charges that Socrates invents new gods and denies the existence of the old ones (Plato, 2008). Euthyphro is bringing charges of murder against his father (Plato, 2008). Euthyphro’s father had a man bound and thrown in a ditch, after this man had supposedly killed one of the family’s domestic slaves. The father sends a messenger to Athens to find out what he should do with this man. The man ultimately dies of hunger and exposure before the messenger returns. Socrates believing Euthyphro would not bring such charges against his father unless he was very knowledgeable in the nature of piety and impiety (Plato, 2008). Since Socrates was being charged...
Words: 666 - Pages: 3
...discussion of the Form of Beauty, but it also gives us a number of varying perspectives on love. One more important thing to consider is that Diotima is not known to be a historical figure, and the way in which she is introduced suggests that she is almost certainly just a literary device developed by Plato to express his own ideas. In this theory, we see Plato rejecting the romanticization of sexual love, valuing above all an asexual and all-consuming passion for wisdom and beauty. Plato clearly regards actual physical or sexual contact between lovers as degraded and wasteful forms of erotic expression. Because the true goal of eros is real beauty and real beauty is the Form of Beauty, what Plato calls Beauty Itself, eros finds its fulfillment only in Platonic philosophy. Unless it channels its power of love into “higher pursuits,” which culminate in the knowledge of the Form of Beauty, eros is doomed to frustration. For this reason, Plato thinks that most people sadly squander the real power of love by limiting themselves to the mere pleasures of...
Words: 1142 - Pages: 5
...Defense of Socrates The Defense of Socrates, written by Plato in the year of 400a.c, narrates how Socrates defended in a court of charges of different men. He is accused of corrupting the youth mind and not believing in the god of the state, but in other new divinities. His accusers are Meletus, Anytus and Lycon. Throughout this first part, Socrates explains his innocence through various examples given during his apology. During his defense speech, Socrates insists that he clearly speaks the truth. For him, the truth is a virtue of wisdom, and there is no effect without cause. Therefore, according to him, every effect has its own cause. According to Socrates, his bad reputation is due to the wisdom he possesses. Their god assured him that there was a wiser man than he worldwide. That bad name originated because Socrates was put to test people believed wise, without actually being, and letting them know their true image of ignorance. Socrates explained to the judges that he had no knowledge of any kind with respect to cosmological issues. Instead, it was considered wiser than those who boasted of it, because he recognized their ignorance to know the issues, that is, cosmological, which did not confess presumptuous. Socrates denies that he has corrupted the youth. Notes that according Meletus, he corrupts the youth, who then Meletus explain the reason why people enjoy watching Socrates interrogates those who believe without being wise, and if that were true the accusation...
Words: 693 - Pages: 3
...Lesson 3: Greek Wisdom of Man The Greek Triumvirate The Greek Triumvirate of philosophy is known for having a chain of teacher-student relationship. Socrates was the teacher of Plato; Plato was the teacher of Aristotle; and Aristotle was the teacher of one of history’s greatest conqueror – Alexander, the Great. The Greek Triumvirate & the Three Oriental Sages * Although the teachings of the Three Oriental Sages and the Greek Triumvirate are dissimilar, they however, have a resembling view on the soul of man. * The Oriental sages and the Greek triumvirate believed that man’s soul pre-existed his body. * The Greek triumvirate believes that man, in his original and ideal existence as a soul or a « pure mind », knew all things by direct intuition and had all knowledge stored in his mind. However, when man was banished into his world of sense, man blurred out and forgot almost everything he ever knew. * The Greek triumvirate posited that the present problems of man was caused by ignorance or lack of knowledge and that the only way for man to solve these problems is by recalling all his previous knowledge. * However, while they believe in the vitalityt of looking into one’s self as a method to resolve man’s problem, there are still major differences when it comes to the ‘specifics’ of their ideologies. Socrates * He was born in Athens circa 469 B.C. and died in 399 B.C. * He is known as one of mankind’s greatest teachers. * During his times,...
Words: 1611 - Pages: 7
