1 2 PHIL 115 Lecture #7: The Apologia Socrates Apologia & The Nature of Philosophy 3 4 The Oracle at Delphi Socrates Mission! The Oracle was an ancient oracle at which Apollo was believed to give answers to various political & personal questions. The answers given were often ambiguous, or at least not clear. Lydia & Delphi About 560, it told King Croesus of Lydia that if he attacked Persia, he would destroy a great kingdom. He attacked, & lost his kingdom. 5 6 Athens & Delphi Socrates Mission!! About 480, it told the Athenians in defending themselves against the Persians a wall of wood alone shall be uncaptured. Athens was captured & burnt, but the Athenian navy which Themistocles had built defeated the Persians decisively at Salamis ( the battle that saved Greece & Western civilization Barry Strauss) What the Oracle told Chaerephon No one is wiser than Socrates. Socrates Interpretation The oracle s comment must be a riddle Socrates is perhaps not really attempting to refute the oracle Perhaps rather, he is attempting to show that a superficial understanding of what the oracle said is wrong Partly because he thinks that he is not wise Partly because the Oracle always speaks in riddles.
7 8 Socrates Activity Socrates to Gorgias on Being Refuted Socrates Method "#$%&'( (elenchus) cross-examining, testing, scrutiny, especially for purposes of refutation a practice Socrates shared with the Sophists For the Sophists, it was inherently competitive Refuting someone was the whole point For Socrates, it was a means to attaining the truth. See his comment about his readiness to be refuted (next slide). Consider an analogy to the adversarial system in American courts. )*'+,- (aporia) (< - without + *.+'( a way of achieving, accomplishing, discovering ) The result of conversation with Socrates was perplexity, not knowing what to say next. This was progress over being confident about what is not so. Socrates Bad Arguments: Why does he make them? Socrates the Sophist (or the hypocrite)? That s what Callicles (in the Gorgias) & Thrasymachus (in the Republic) say Socrates the Imperfect? But these are not transcripts They are Plato s literary products [See Socrates three metaphors] I am one of those who are very willing to be refuted if I say anything which is not true, and very willing to refute any one else who says what is not true, and quite as ready to be refuted as to refute. I for one hold that this is the greater gain of the two, just as the gain is greater of being cured of a very great evil than of curing another. For I imagine that there is no evil which a man can endure so great as an erroneous opinion about the matters of which we are speaking and if you claim to be one of my sort, let us have the discussion out, but if you would rather have done, no matter let us make an end of it. Gorgias 458 Socrates on Himself: Three Metaphors 9 Socrates as Gadfly 10 Socrates as Gadfly (Apology 30e-31c) Socrates as Torpedo Fish (Meno 80c) from Latin torpere, to be stiffened or paralyzed they can deliver a strong electric shock that can stun their prey Socrates as Midwife of Ideas (Theaetetus) If you kill me you will not easily find another like me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by the God; and the state is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has given the state and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. And as you will not easily find another like me, I would advise you to spare me. I dare say that you may feel irritated at being suddenly awakened when you are caught napping; and you may think that if you were to strike me dead, as Anytus advises, which you easily might, then you would sleep on for the remainder of your lives, unless God in his care of you gives you another gadfly. Socrates in Plato s Apology 30e-31c Socrates as Torpedo Fish 11 Socrates as Midwife of Ideas 12 Meno: Socrates, I used to be told, before I knew you, that you were always doubting yourself and making others doubt; and now you are casting your spells over me, and I am simply getting bewitched and enchanted, and am at my wits end. And if I may venture to make a jest upon you, you seem to me both in your appearance and in your power over others to be very like the flat torpedo fish, who torpifies those who come near him and touch him, as you have now torpified me, I think. For my soul and my tongue are really torpid, and I do not know how to answer you; and though I have been delivered of an infinite variety of speeches about virtue before now, and to many persons and very good ones they were, as I thought at this moment I cannot even say what virtue is. Meno 80 a-c Socrates: And have you never heard, simpleton, that I am the son of a midwife, brave and burly, whose name was Phaenarete? Theaetetus: Yes, I have. Socrates: And that I myself practise midwifery? Theaetetus: No, never. Socrates: Let me tell you that I do though, my friend: but you must not reveal the secret, as the world in general have not found me out; and therefore they only say of me, that I am the strangest of mortals and drive men to their wits end. Did you ever hear that too? Theaetetus: Yes. Socrates: Well, my art of midwifery is in most respects like theirs; but differs, in that I attend men and not women; and look after their souls when they are in labour, and not after their bodies: and the triumph of my art is in thoroughly examining whether the thought which the mind of the young man brings forth is a false idol or a noble and true birth. And like the midwives, I am barren, and the reproach which is often made against me, that I ask questions of others and have not the wit to answer them myself, is very just the reason is, that the god compels me to be a midwife, but does not allow me to bring forth. And therefore I am not myself at all wise, nor have I anything to show which is the invention or birth of my own soul, but those who converse with me profit.
13 14 Socrates Doctrines On Definition See the Euthypho On Ethics - Doing injustice is the greatest of evils - See the Apologia and the Crito - See also the Gorgias - Wrongdoing is always due to ignorance. But not - The Theory of Forms (coming in the Phaedo) Finding Arguments in the Apologia Is Socrates Eloquent? they certainly did appear to be most shameless in saying that you jurors should not let yourselves be deceived by the force of my eloquence, unless by the force of eloquence they mean the force of truth; for then I do indeed admit that I am eloquent. (17b) So, Socrates admits that (in one sense) he is eloquent Make his conclusion: Socrates is eloquent What is his argument? Anyone who (is) is eloquent Socrates (is). So, Socrates is eloquent Categorical Syllogism: Barbara (AAA-1) What is the middle term? a person who speaks the truth 15 The Old Accusation Socrates is an evil-doer,/and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven,/and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid/doctrines to others. (19b) The charge: Socrates is an evil-doer The argument form: Anyone who (is) is an evil-doer Socrates (is). So, Socrates is an evil-doer. Categorical Syllogism: Barbara (AAA-1) The middle term: a person who searches into things under the earth and in heaven,/and makes the worse appear the better cause; and teaches the aforesaid/doctrines to others. Question Which is the major premise? Anyone who does all those things is an evil-doer? Anyone who does any of those things is an evil-doer? Alternate formulation using Stoic logic ((S! M! T ) " E) ( If Socrates does this & that & the other, then he is evil ) ((S # M # T ) " E) ( If Socrates does this or that or the other, then he is evil ) Modus ponens 16 Someone among you will reply, Why is this, Socrates, and what is the origin of these accusations of you: for there must have been something strange which you have been doing? All this great fame and talk about you would never have arisen if you had been like other men. (20c) Why must there have been something strange that Socrates had been doing? Because: if Socrates had not been doing something strange [wrong?], great fame and talk about him would never have arisen but it has Form: ~S " ~T T $ S Modus tollens (S = you have been doing something strange) (T = you are [or would be] the subject of great fame & talk) 17 Interpreting the Oracle What can the god mean? and what is the interpretation of this riddle? for I know that I have no wisdom, small or great. What can he mean when he says that I am the wisest of men? And yet he is a god and cannot lie; that would be against his nature. (21b) Three possible understandings of what the oracle said: it s true or it s false or it s a riddle Why does Socrates think it s a riddle? if I have no wisdom, then it s not true & I have no wisdom if it was said by a god, it s not false & it was said by a god. ~W " ~T ~W $ ~T T # F # R T # F # R ~T! ~F $ R G " ~F G $ ~F 18
19 20 At 24d-e, Socrates says Accusations against the New Accusers Meletus never really had the smallest interest in the improvement of the youth What reason does he have for thinking that? Meletus does not seem to be able to answer Socrates questions (e.g., about who improves the youth) Anyone who cannot answer questions about who improves the youth does not have the smallest interest in the improvement of the youth. Meletus cannot answer questions about who improves the youth. So, Meletus does not have the smallest interest in the improvement of the youth. Aqi Amq $ Ami Meletus is Lying How does Socrates prove that Meletus is lying? Meletus had said Socrates intentionally corrupts the youth. Socrates replies: Either I do not corrupt the youth, or I corrupt them unintentionally, so that on either view of the case you lie. (26a) What is the argument form here? Symbolization ~C # U ~C " ~M U " ~M $ ~M Dilemma 21 22 Socrates says (at 27c): Socrates Denies that He is an Atheist you [Meletus] say that I believe in spiritual things and teach about them and to this you have sworn in your deposition. But if I believe in spiritual things, I must believe in spirits. Is not that so? Do we not believe spirits to be either gods or the children of gods? if Socrates believes in spiritual things, he must believe in gods. Socrates does believe in spiritual things. So, Socrates must believe in gods Symbolization S/" G S $ G Modus ponens (G = Socrates believes in gods) (S = Socrates believes in spiritual things) The text (28d) Achilles When Achilles goddess-mother said to him, in his eagerness to slay Hector, that if he avenged his companion Patroclus, and slew Hector, he would die himself. Fate, as she said, waits upon you next after Hector. Let me die next, he replied, and be avenged of my enemy, rather than abide here by the beaked ships, a scorn and a burden of the earth. Had Achilles any thought of death and danger? Obviously, a rhetorical question. Socrates view: Achilles had no thought of death and danger. Socrates argument? Form Anyone who gives no thought to death and danger. Achilles was. Content Anyone who was willing to avenge his friend s death even if it would cost him his own life gives no thought to death and danger. Achilles was willing to avenge his friend s death even if it would cost him his own life. 23 24 Is Socrates Responsible for the Conduct of the Youth? I cannot justly be held responsible for the good or bad conduct of [the people who listen to what I have to say], for I never promised to teach them anything and have not done so. (33b) I cannot justly be held responsible for the good or bad conduct of the people who listen to what I have to say Why not? Form Anyone who does cannot justly be held responsible for the good or bad conduct of his listeners Socrates does. Content Anyone who does not promise to teach and does not do so cannot justly be held responsible for the good or bad conduct of his listeners Socrates does not promise to teach and does not do so Socrates Argument that He does not Corrupt the Youth If I am really corrupting the youth, and have corrupted some of them already, those of them who have grown up and have become sensible that I gave them bad advice in the days of their youth should come forward as accusers and take their revenge; and if they do not like to come themselves, some of their relatives, fathers, brothers, or other kinsmen, should say what evil their families suffered at my hands. Now is their time. Many of them I see in the court. There is Crito, who is of the same age and of the same deme with myself; and there is Critobulus his son, whom I also see. Then again there is Lysanias of Sphettus, who is the father of Aeschines - he is present; and also there is Antiphon of Cephisus, who is the father of Epignes; and there are the brothers of several who have associated with me. There is Nicostratus the son of Theosdotides, and the brother of Theodotus (now Theodotus himself is dead, and therefore he, at any rate, will not seek to stop him); and there is Paralus the son of Demodocus, who had a brother Theages; and Adeimantus the son of Ariston, whose brother Plato is present; and Aeantodorus, who is the brother of Apollodorus, whom I also see. I might mention a great many others, any of whom Meletus should have produced as witnesses in the course of his speech. (33d-34a) I did not corrupt those who listened to me. His argument If I had, their relatives would be in court testify against me But they are not in court testifying against him
25 26 Why Socrates Rejects Exile Into whatever place I go, as here so also there, the young men will come to me; and if I drive them away, their elders will drive me out at their desire: and if I let them come, their fathers and friends will drive me out for their sakes. (37 d-e) He will be driven out of any city to which he goes Socrates argument: if he drives the young men of that city away, then their elders will drive him out of the city (at the request of the young men) if he lets the young men listen to him, their fathers and friends will drive me out for their sakes. Dilemma How Socrates knows that he is doing the right thing (at court) My divine sign has not opposed me, either when I left home at dawn, or when I came into court, or at any time when I was about to say something during my speech. It is impossible that my familiar sign did not oppose me if I was not about to do what was right. (40c) Socrates conclusion He conducted his defense rightly Socrates argument If he had been about to do it wrong, his divine sign would have corrected him. It did not. Modus tollens 27 Socrates on Death There is great reason to hope that death is a good, for one of two things: Either death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness, or, as men say, there is a change and migration of the soul from this world to another. Now if you suppose that there is no consciousness, but a sleep like the sleep of him who is undisturbed even by the sight of dreams, death will be an unspeakable gain. For if a person were to select the night in which his sleep was undisturbed even by dreams, and were to compare with this the other days and nights of his life, and then were to tell us how many days and nights he had passed in the course of his life better and more pleasantly than this one, I think that any man, I will not say a private man, but even the great king, will not find many such days or nights, when compared with the others. Now if death is like this, I say that to die is gain; for eternity is then only a single night. But if death is the journey to another place, and there, as men say, all the dead are, what good, O my friends and judges, can be greater than this? (40 c-e) Conclusion: Death is a good Either death is unconsciousness or it is a journey to where all the dead are. If the former, then death is a good. If the latter, then death is a good.