Question 1:
The Socratic Method is a "negative proof" - it can only tell when something is false/wrong, it cannot affirm anything. It's strength is that it can eliminate the false beliefs. The form of the argument is roughly to propose a hypothesis, then check to see if the expected implications of the hypothesis materialize. If these implications do not appear, then the hypothesis is wrong and must be discarded: If hypothesis is true, then expected implications will follow
Expected implications fail to follow
Therefore, one must discard the hypothesis as true.
Socrates initiates the method by saying "If I could only find a man wiser than myself then I might go to the god with a refutation in my hand." However, Socrates found that
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He used this concept towards ethical matters. First, Euthyphro suggests that holiness is persecuting religious offenders. Socrates finds this definition rather unsatisfying. Socrates sets up an elaborate arguments to prove the point of holiness; to say that holiness is gratifying the gods is similar to saying that holiness is what is approved of by the gods, which lands us back in our previous conundrum. Rather than try to find a better definition, Euthyphro leaves in a huff, frustrated by Socrates' …show more content…
The purpose of the philosophical life is to free the soul from the needs of the body. Socrates provides four arguments for believing the soul is immortal; Argument from Opposites, Theory of Recollection, Argument from Affinity and lastly, the Theory of Forms, with his point being that the soul is what animates us: we are alive because we have a soul. Socrates demonstrates his method of questioning and recollection by questioning a slave boy who works in Meno's house. This house slave is ignorant of geometry. The subsequent discussion shows the slave capable of learning a complicated geometry problem. In this way, Socrates shows Meno that learning is possible. Indeed, the dialogue earlier demonstrated Meno's failure to benefit from Socratic
As always happens in Socratic dialog, Socrates is left without an answer to his original question. Socrates wished to know what characteristic all pious actions have in common (that is to say what is both necessary and sufficient for an action to be pious), but Euthyphro, the so-called expert on piety, was shown to not know himself. This is what is common to most other Socratic dialogs. Socrates asks an expert for a practical definition of some virtue, and the supposed expert being asked is shown to not have a coherent and consistent answer.
These questions will help to distinguish the importance of the Socratic method and the role it plays. Firstly, the Socratic method is an argumentative conversation between individuals. It is used by asking and answering numerous questions. This method exposes any presumptions a person has and stimulates one’s critical thinking. Therefore, it will provide clear answers.
The Sophists accepted things before any factual evidence proved or disproved it, then they taught it to people who paid to learn, regardless of the lack of evidence. This is what Socrates wanted to change about how the Athenian people thought. Socrates used to say “To find yourself, think for yourself,” to try to advise people to think logically for themselves before believing what people tell them. Socrates’ accusers and the citizens who voted still accused Socrates of teaching others to follow his example, as seen in the Apology, written by Plato, wherein it states that, “Socrates is committing an injustice, in that he enquires into things below the earth and in the sky, and makes the weaker argument defeat the stronger, and teaches others to follow in his example.” This shows Socrates’ philosophies were seen as teachings and beliefs that challenged the Greek system of that time. Even though Socrates’ ideologies were trying to improve the Ancient Greeks way of life, the Athenian citizens felt disconcerted with his ideas and beliefs because they went against the status quo of the time, which they were comfortable
The third definition for holiness presented by Euthyphro to Socrates is that what is holy is what is loved by the gods and what is hated by the gods is unholy. Socrates uses a linguistic argument to suggest that something in the state of being loved is in that state because something loves it, but that we love things because they possess some quality that makes them worthy of being loved. So the dilemma is whether God loves a thing because holiness is one of the characteristics it possesses or whether it is holy because it is loved by God. Socrates posits that all the gods love a thing because i...
In the Euthyphro, Socrates is making his way into the courthouse; however, prior to entering he had a discussion with a young priest of Athens, Euthyphro. This dialogue relates religion and justice to one another and the manner in which they correlate. Euthyphro feels as though justice necessitates religion and Socrates feels the opposite, religion necessitates justice. Euthyphro claims that religion is everything, justice, habits, traditions, customs, cultures, etc. all are derived from religion. Socrates went on to question what exactly would be the definition of pious. Euthyphro offered Socrates three definitions of pious and in all three Socrates was able to successfully find fault...
Euthyphro in The Last Days of Socrates is based greatly around Socrates’ examining the human mind and digging for the answers to rather obvious questions. A specific instance of rhetoric within this section of the book is when Socrates is talking to Euthyphro and says, “And perhaps, Euthyphro, when asked what the holy is, you don’t want to point out the essence for me, but to tell me of some attribute which attaches to it, saying that holiness has the attribute of being approved by all the gods; what it is, you’ve not said yet” (Eut. 22.11a). In this particular section of Euthyphro, Socrates is examining Euthyphro to figure out what is holy and unholy, what is just and unjust. Euthyphro is incapable of answering Socrates questions because he cannot explain in detail what he is thinking. This specific instance of rhetoric is used to Socrates’ advantage because he shows that he is aware of w...
In the defense speech given by Socrates at the beginning of his trial, he hints at a definition of holiness. “..I live in great poverty because of my service to the god” (23C). Piety, according to Socrates, is defined by one who sacrifices his own necessities and luxuries in order to better service the gods; it is the willingness of one to please the god by way of a disservice to himself; a general forfeit of life-excesses as well as life requirements.
Although Socrates method of inquiry may have first appeared to be a malicious attempt for Socrates to earn power, his intentions were pure from the beginning. The people of Athens were unable to admit their ignorance. They allowed their egos to blind them from the truths behind Socrates’ teachings. Had the people of Athens given Socrates a chance, they would have realized he was not trying to prove anyone wrong, on the contrary, Socrates was pushing for people to thrive for knowledge to create a better community within the city of Athens.
After acquiring this knowledge, Socrates goes off and begins questioning people who are considered wise so he can examine the meaning of knowledge. It is after this, and in Plato’s Euthyphro that we see the Socratic Method first being used. Socrates goes about investigating truths using a method called the method of elenchus. This is defined by Webster as, “refutation; especially: one in syllogistic form.” Elenchus is the Socratic method of investigating truths through question and answer. Socrates starts this method of elenchus by questioning a supposedly wise person about the definition of certain virtues. For example, in Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates asks Euthyphro what piety is. After this, the person gives their definition of that virtue. In Plato’s Euthyphro, Euthyphro’s answer is “ I say that the pious is to do what I am doing now, to prosecute the wrongdoer, be it about murder or temple robbery or anything else, whether the wrongdoer is your father or your mother or anyone else; not to prosecute is impious” (Plato). After this, Socrates proves the persons definition wrong through the use of examples, and then another definition is given, and the process
Socrates focuses his philosophy on life entirely on the discovery of knowledge and wisdom, ethics, and the soul. He was obsessed with seeking of knowledge and wisdom: he believed that they are the key to a good life. He went on to state that, “an unexamined life, is a life not worth living.” According to him, knowledge and wisdom correlate to ethical actions, ultimately resulting in a life of happiness, by
In The Euthyphro, Socrates uses his Socratic Method to disprove the Divine Command theory to his friend, Euthyphro. According to the textbook, the Socratic Method is a method that Socrates would use to get to the foundation of his students beliefs. He would ask continual questions about a student’s belief or assumption until a contradiction was raised. By doing so, Socrates would force his students to question their own beliefs and truly discern why they believed them. Socrates applied this method to Euthyphro when Socrates and Euthyphro had a conversation in regards to the definition of holiness. During this conversation, Euthyphro states that holiness is what is agreeable to the gods. However, Socrates disputes this idea by stating that gods quarrel just as humans quarrel in regards to issues such as right and wrong, holy and unholy, and justice and injustice. With this reasoning, Socrates argues that what one god may view as right or moral, another god may view as wrong or immoral. Thus, an action may be acceptable and moral to one god and unacceptable and immoral to another, and what is considered to
A horse trainer has been instructed in how to raise horses. A person walking on the road would not be able to train horses properly, because the person would have no previous knowledge or experience with training horses.... ... middle of paper ... ... This system was called the Socratic Method, in which Socrates would ask a question, propose an idea, and then ask more questions.
Peter Geach’s essay on the Socratic fallacy poses a large problem for the Socratic method of obtaining answers to the What-is-F? question. He claims that Socrates makes an error when he refuses to accept examples as knowledge, primarily citing the Euthyphro as the source. In my last essay, I examined whether or not Socrates commits the Socratic fallacy in two of the early dialogues, namely, the Euthyphro and the Laches. So, I shall begin by giving a brief recapitulation of my previous essay as well as outlining Geach’s Socratic fallacy. Additionally, I will bring up an objection that Beversluis raises to my view. Then I shall explain the importance of the fallacy and the theory of the fallacy within the Socratic dialogues as it relates to
Term limits not only could benefit our country with new political officers brining in new ideas but it would also give women a better chance of becoming elected. With new members having to become elected after so many years this would give a women a higher chance of becoming elected then if there were not term limits. Term limits allow the same people to stay in office but with having to elect new people the group of people that would have to pick from to become elected would become smaller. “Due to term limits in many local and state offices, more women need to be ready to run when vacancies occur” (Rose 2016). While many people argue that women cannot do a man’s job term limits would allow that statement to wrong.
Socrates felt that if he was unable to examine life, he would not be really living. To Socrates, living meant being able to question the world around him. Examining life gives one freedom. Once one examines himself and understands who he is, he can take control of his life. Socrates believed that the ability to ask, to examine, and to understand would make a life whole. He believed that the purpose of life was to grow, both physically and spiritually. Being able to explore and understand would lead to a deeper understanding of the world around us as well as a deeper understanding of ourselves. (Plato 46)