Socrates and Plato's Philosophy Lecture

These flashcards cover key concepts related to Socrates, Plato, the Sophists, and philosophical ideas discussed in the lecture.

Socrates

A Greek philosopher from Athens known for questioning people about wisdom, justice, and virtue.

Sophists

Teachers who claimed to teach wisdom for money; believed knowledge could be taught.

Socratic irony

A method where Socrates pretends to know nothing, leading others to reveal their ignorance through questioning.

Early dialogues of Plato

Focused on defining concepts like piety, courage, justice, and virtue.

Peloponnesian War

Conflict between Athens and Sparta, which Sparta won.

Periclean democracy

Stable democracy in Athens during Pericles’ leadership.

The Thirty

Oligarch rulers imposed in Athens after the war, known for violent governance.

Archon Basileus

The magistrate in charge of religious cases in ancient Athens.

Euthyphro

A religious expert/prophet who claims to know about piety.

Charges against Socrates

1. Corrupting the youth 2. Impiety (not believing in the gods or inventing new ones).

Euthyphro's actions

He is prosecuting his father for murder.

Meletus

The main accuser of Socrates who represents the poets.

Euthyphro dilemma

Asks whether something is pious because the gods love it, or do the gods love it because it is pious?

Outcome of Euthyphro's conversation with Socrates

Euthyphro leaves without answering; Socrates still does not know what piety is.

Socrates' fear at the beginning of Apology

He fears Aristophanes and the old accusations against him.

Socrates’ justification for not being a sophist

He does not take money, has no knowledge to teach, and only asks questions.

Oracle of Delphi

A prophetic figure representing Apollo, who tells Chaerephon that no one is wiser than Socrates.

Socrates' argument against Meletus on corruption

If he corrupts people, he would harm himself, making it illogical.

Socrates’ view of death

He believes death is either a dreamless sleep or a journey to another world.

Gadfly comparison

Socrates compares himself to a gadfly that stings a lazy horse (Athens) into action.

Verdict against Socrates

Guilty, sentenced to death by hemlock.

Socratic irony vs dramatic irony

Socratic irony is pretending not to know; dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the character.

Divine command theory

The belief that something is good because God commands it; questioned in the Euthyphro dialogue.