Socrates and Plato Socrates • ca. 470 – 399 BC. • Son of Sophroniscus and Phaenarete • Not an aristocrat: mother was a midwife, father a stone mason • Potidaea (432); Delium (424) • Self taught • Sought wisdom through examination • Cross-examined those who claimed wisdom • Already well known by 423 (Arist. Clouds) Doctrines

• Knowledge is innate • Learning is remembering • Aletheia • The soul is the true self: • Nourish the soul not the body • The path to knowledge is the acceptance of ignorance • The unexamined life is not worth living • It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong The Trial of Socrates

• 399: • Meletus and Anytus • Corrupting the youth of Athens • Introducing new gods • “Men of Athens, either do as Anytus tells you, or not, and either acquit me, or not, knowing that I shall not change my conduct even if I am to die many times over.” (Plat.Apol.30.b) • 280 to convict; 221 to acquit Suicide by Jury?

• “Since I am convinced that I never wronged anyone, I am certainly not going to wrong myself and say of myself that I deserve anything bad.” • “What then does such a man as I deserve? Some good thing, men of Athens.” • Second vote: 360 to 140

• “... human beings for whom it is better to die cannot, without impiety, do good to themselves, but must wait for some other benefactor.” (Plat.Phaed.62.a) Death of Socrates Plato

• 429(?) – 347 BC • Aristocrat • Student of Socrates • Socrates never wrote • Plato reproduced the ‘Dialogues’ • Demonstrating principles through refutation, the dissoi logoi. • Founded the Academy ca. 386 BC • Aristotle studied under Plato Dialogues

• Euthyphro • Menexenus • Apology • Statesman • Crito • Republic • Phaedo • Laws • Theataetus • Timaeus • Sophist • Critias • Protagoras • Symposium • Gorgias • To name but a few… Doctrines

• The empirical is illusion • Only the ‘idea’ (Form) is real and unchanging • Good • Beauty • Truth (materialist presupposition?) • Soul • The job of the philosopher is to distinguish the one true form from the many illusory facsimiles. Plato, Protagoras

• The Philosophy Virus:

• You have virus protection on your computer… • What about protection for your bio-computer? • Philosophy is virus protection for your soul: • Understanding the fundamental principles – the Forms • Recognising false use of the names of the Forms • Refusing to be seduced by apparent reason. Experts and Statesmen

• 319a – • You trust your health to a medical doctor. • Why do you trust your State to amateurs? • The Honourable • Minister of Finance, President of the Treasury Board • 2 year diploma in Business, SAIT • The Honourable Thomas Lukaszuk • Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education (but not now) • B. Ed, University of . • • Deputy Premier (until Sunday), Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education • Ba (Poli Sci) Llb. U of A.