1. Dr. Kerem Eksen ITU

2. Socrates’ pupil The first philosopher who built complex theories about various branches of philosophy He wrote mostly in dialogue form Socrates appears as the main protagonist in most of his dialogues

3. Plato’s early dialogues They are believed to reflect certain characteristics of Socrates’ own personality and worldview. They are open-ended. Socrates does not present any positive theory. The goal is to show the interlocutor that he does not know what he claims to know. Usually the Socratic, “dialectical” method [elenkhos] is used.

4. Socrates’ dialectical method:  Socrates asks: “What is X?”  The interlocutor proposes a definition  Socrates asks questions  The interlocutor, guided by Socrates, reaches a conclusion that is opposite to his initial definition  Failure

5. A typical example of Socratic dialogue Initial question: “What is piety?” Euthyphro: “To prosecute the wrongdoer.” (5d) Socrates: “This is not a definition. This is an example!”

6. What is a definition? Socrates: “What I urged you to do wasn’t to teach me about one or two of the many pieties [= pious actions], but rather about the form itself, by virtue of which all the pieties are pious.” (Euthyphro, 6d) A definition should give us the “form”, i.e. what makes a thing what it is. Throughout the rest of the dialogue, Euthyphro makes four attempts, but each time he fails. In Plato’s later works (ex. Republic), this idea of definition will evolve to his famous “theory of forms”.

7. - Plato’s most famous work - Socrates is Plato’s spokesman. - Not a “Socratic” dialogue, since there is a positive theory that Plato (through Socrates’ character) defends. - Theories various branches of philosophy : ethics, political philosophy, ontology (study of being), epistemology (study of knowledge), aesthetics, education… - Main question: What is justice?

8. A central idea that Socrates / Plato defends: Ideally, in a just state, the rulers should be philosopher–kings. Who is the philosopher? (Books 6-7)  the one who has knowledge in the true sense: “theoretical” knowledge  contemplation [theoria] of Forms (!! Contrast with “Socrates’ ideal of the philosopher!!)

9. Sensible ThingsIntelligible Things Ex: a red carpetEx: Red(ness) a beautiful body Beauty a just personJustice Sensible thingsForms (eidos) CopyModel (paradeigma) Lower degree of realityHigher degree of reality ChangingUnchanging RelativeAbsolute ComplexSimple MultiplicityUnity

10. How can the philosopher have access to true knowledge?  through a comprehensive transformation of his soul: a “conversion”. A long and difficult process… …described in the “Allegory of the Cave”

12.  Life in the cave: ordinary human condition  Life outside the cave: life of “theoria”  Objects outside the cave: forms  The Sun: Form of the good  Time and effort is needed to get used to the life outside  Education of the philosopher: It is not like putting knowledge into the soul! It is rather like “turning” the soul from… …sensible things… …to intelligible things (Forms).

13.  The philosopher should not stay in the realm of intelligible things. He should turn back to the cave…  …and educate people.  This may be difficult and somewhat risky. But this is his mission!  Collective happines should be the goal!  That is why the philosopher is also a king.