Plato's Socrates
I am intrigued by how beautiful Plato made Socrates. Plato did say that the Socrates in his dialogues was made out to be young and beautiful. Why does Plato create an opposite of his historically ugly and elderly mentor? I think that Plato understood societies shallow misconception of true beauty. Plato used a rhetoric that painted an ideal picture for his audience which captured their attention. This image gave Plato an opportunity to educate on some of Socrates most complex philosophical theories. The arguments throughout the dialogues thus far, both the good and the bad, have nevertheless given Socrates a God-like image. If only everyone could be as calm about drinking Hemlock as Socrates...
Socrates was indeed calm (and not merely putting on a face for his friends, as he insists), but I'm still fairly uneasy with the image of Socrates facing such an immense injustice so calmly. He reasons well in not placing too much value on his own life, but if we were all to follow Socrates' example then we would all be prepared to submit to the injustice of the state, and although Socrates expresses a desire to persuade the forces which have condemned him, I have to wonder how seriously Plato intended us to take his commitment to radical pacifism.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Brett's comment. I feel as though Plato did not intend for us to take everything he wrote about Socrates as true and impossible to argue. I feel like Plato made Socrates into more of a nuanced character with many contradictions that we often overlook.
ReplyDeleteRose's point is well taken. Plato's character is 'young and beautiful' in certain respects (unflappable, tireless, kind, relentless...) but quite human in most ways. This is what makes him appealing.
ReplyDeleteI would demure at Brett's suggestion that Socrates' example is counsel to 'submit to the injustice of the state.' Principled civil disobedience (as I have argued in print) affirms the civic order of one's community, leaving the state alone accountable for its crimes.