Euthyphro, Apology
What is the central Dilemma of Euthyphro?
"Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods.”
What is a soul
That which gives life to a body
What is determinism?
The philosophical belief that everything is predetermined and that free will does not exist.
the Advantage of the Stronger
Thrasymachus's definition of justice.
the mean between what is best and what is worse- suffering injustice without getting revenge, and committing injustice without their being any punishment
Glaucon/Society's definition of justice
In the Apology, how does Socrates respond to Meletus’s argument that he does not believe in the gods?
He says that he believes in spiritual things, so therefore he must believe in spiritual beings like gods and demons.
What are 2 reasons Socrates is unwilling to flee Athens as his friend Crito is recommending to him?
1. He owes his life to Athens as he has freely chosen to live there and to subject himself to its laws, and he has hardly ever left the city.
2. He would be undermining the city's justice by fleeing from it only when he disagrees with it.
3. He is not willing to flee because those who are telling him to do not actually understand what justice is.
Why does Chesterton insult the logician in chapter II- The Maniac?
The logician believes he can make calculations to explain everything in the world, but in doing so he abandons common sense and denies the mysteries of life.
"They all have exactly that combination we have noted: the combination of an expansive and exhaustive reasons with a contracted common sense." (p.15)
This is an attribute they share with lunatics.
What are the 3 parts of the tripartite soul? Which creatures represent them?
Calculating- the man
Spirited- the lion
Appetitive-the beast
What are 2 of the main attributes the guardians of the city must possess? (there are many)
1. They must be lovers of learning
2. They must be spirited/know how to be angry, but also how to be gently
What were two of the definitions Euthyphro gave for piety? Why did each of them fail?
1. Piety is prosecuting the wrongdoer- this is an example
2. Piety is that which is loved by the gods- not all of the gods love the same things
3. Piety is the part of justice concerned with the care of the gods- but the gods love different things.
What is the theory of recollection
It claims that all learning is remembering of things that were known in a past life of our soul.
What is one thing Chesterton indicates that he intends to do throughout the rest of Orthodoxy in Chapter 1?
-he intends to explain the philosophy which made him.
-he wants to establish the things that are presumed and not disputed (p.3)
-he will explain how he thought he was discovering an entirely new philosophy, but realized it was just Christianity. (p.4)
Why does Socrates begin describing the city?
He is trying to show where justice resides in the soul, and as the city is much bigger, it will be easier to find where justice resides in the city
What is the basic story of the rings of Gyges? What is the point Glaucon is trying to make?
1. There is a man watching sheep, a hole opens up in the ground and he goes in
2. inside there is a hollow horse with a naked 'larger than life' body wearing only a ring.
3. he takes the ring, realizes later it makes you invisible when gem is turned inside.
4. He seduces the kings wife, kills the king and takes over the kingdom.
5. According to Glaucon, this is what everyone would do if the ring were given to them.
In 28c how does Socrates compare himself Achilles in the Trojan War? What is the point he is trying to make?
In the Trojan War, Achilles preferred having an honorable death rather than staying alive and being thought a coward and staying alive.
Similarly, Socrates would rather die honorably for what he is convicted is true than to be thought a coward and disgrace himself to spare his life.
What is Simmias's objection to the immortality of the soul?
What is Cebes's objection to the immortality of the soul?
Simmias: thinks the soul is like a harmony arising from a healthy relationship of the parts of the body, but that disappears when the harmony is seriously interrupted.
Cebes: thinks the soul exists before the body, but like a weave who has made many cloaks, the last cloak(which represents the weaver) outlasts that weaver(which represents the soul).
Chapter VIII is called “The Romance of Orthodoxy”. What are two reasons Chesterton considers Orthodoxy a romance when compared to atheism or determinism?
1. Christianity allows for miracles and surprises, rather than everything being predetermined.
2. Christianity claims and defends the truth that the human person exists, is inherently worthy of love, is created for eternity and community. (these could be one or many)
What is are the 4 cardinal virtues? What do they mean in the Republic?
Wisdom/Prudence- he gives good counsel to himself as a whol
Temperance- he has mastery over certain desires/pleasures to be oriented to the good.
Fortitude/Courage- he perseveres in the opinion of what is truly terrible in the midst of pains, pleasures and fears
Justice- each part of the soul minding its own business
What is the Noble Lie that all of the citizens of Socrates city will be told? Why do the 2 parts of this lie have such great significance?
1. While they were being educated all of the guardians were actually in the womb of the earth, but now that they are born they are all brother/sisters.
2. Each person has a different type of metal in their soul determining their skills and what their role will be in the city.
3. It binds the city together but also gives them distinct roles.
What does the oracle at Delphi reveal about Socrates? How does Socrates investigate to discover if this is true? What does he conclude about himself and those he investigates?
- Socrates is the wisest man in Athens
- Socrates goes and speaks to those who are thought to be wisest and discovers that they know nothing, while those who are lower (like the craftsmen) know aleast how to build their crafts rather but they falsely conclude that they have knowledge about other things as a result about him
-He concludes that no one is very smart, but that he is the wisest man because he knows that he knows nothing.
What are misology and misanthropy. How is someone becoming a misologue similar to someone becoming a misanthrope, according to Socrates in the Phaedo?
What is another name for the misologue?
Misology- the hatred of rational discourse (reasoning and arguing)
Misanthropy- the Hatred/ total distrust of other people as a result of being deceived in the past.
The person who is deceived many times by others becomes a misanthrope, and then eventually becomes a misologue and concludes that rational discourse is impossible.
The misologue is a relativist
Chapter IX: How does Chesterton compare the Church to a Mother/Father? Why does this allow him to say “I have come into my second childhood” (p.154)?
1. Chesterton's parents explained to him what was harmful in their garden. Although they weren't perfect, he trusted in what they said and it kept him safe. In the same way, the Church has rules for what will be legitimately good and lead to life, and what will be self destructive of man. Although there have been many sinners in the Church these rules are still true and are meant for man genuine flourishing!
2. because he now has another parent who is caring not for his well being in his backyard, but in life as a whole, Chesterton can say “I have come into my second childhood”.
What are the 4 stages of people being enslaved or released inside of the cave? What is the philosopher called to do and be in this story?
1.bound in chair- thinks the shadow are the most real thing and make noises
2. Is released- sees puppets but thinks that shadows are more real
3. Is dragged up by force out of the cave.-sees real things but thinks they are fake because he is so blinded and he can only look at reflections.
4.Has allowed his eyes to adjust to the daylight and now sees real things and the Sun and knows what they are.
5. The philosopher is the one who has been freed but now is called to descend back into the cave to free the others and risk his life!
What are 3 symbolic points about the Ring of Gyges that reveal the ring is not actually leading to happiness
Shepherd or hireling
hollow horse-trojan horse
naked and larger than life body
ring makes man invisible when turned inwards
wonder v. curiosity