Ancient Philosophy and Well-Being Flashcards

A set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering the key philosophical concepts from the Apology, Gorgias, Nicomachean Ethics, and modern theories of well-being.

Socratic Wisdom

The claim by Socrates that he is wiser than other Athenians because he can admit he doesn't know it all, while others act as if they do.

Oratory (Shameful)

A form of flattery that persuades people by causing belief or conviction rather than teaching them actual knowledge.

Elenctic Method

A refutation method involving questioning someone to lead them to a contradiction, showing they hold two beliefs that cannot both be true.

Euthyphro Dilemma

The philosophical question: Is something good because God says it is good, or does God say it is good because it is already good?

Subjectivism (Well-being)

The theory that well-being consists of whatever a person enjoys or wants for themselves.

Objectivism (Well-being)

The theory that certain things are good for a person regardless of whether they like or want them.

Knowledge vs. Conviction

Socrates argues that while there can be false conviction (belief), there is no such thing as false knowledge, as knowledge must be true.

Doing what you want

According to Socrates, this means doing what is actually good for oneself.

Doing what you see fit

Acting based on one's own judgment or what merely seems to be good, which may actually be harmful.

Power (Socratic view)

The ability to achieve real good; hence, tyrants lack great power because they only do what they see fit, which is often harmful.

Law (Nomos) vs. Nature (Physis)

A distinction made by Callicles: by law, doing injustice is shameful; by nature, suffering injustice is more shameful.

Just Punishment (Socratic benefit)

The idea that receiving punishment benefits the unjust person because it fixes their soul.

Myth of the Jars

An allegory where leaky jars represent a life of endless, unsatisfied desires, while full jars represent a life of self-control and stable satisfaction.

Admirable Oratory

A hypothetical kind of oratory that aims to improve the souls of the audience and tell the truth.

Eudaimonia (Aristotle's Definition)

Activity of the soul in accordance with virtue ($ext{arete}$).

Human Function (Ergon)

According to Aristotle, this is reasoning or rational activity, which distinguishes humans from plants and animals.

Virtue (Aristotle)

Performing one's skill or function well; in humans, it involves living in accordance with reason and finding the mean between extremes.

Basic Good (Intrinsic Good)

Something that is good in itself, rather than being good for the sake of something else.

Resonance Constraint

Heathwood's claim that for something to be an intrinsic good for a person, they must care about it or enjoy it.

Adaptive Desires

An objection to subjectivism where people settle for less or adjust their desires to fit their situation, potentially making them feel happy in objective poverty.

Meaningful Life (Susan Wolf)

A life that requires both fulfillment and objective value; doing something that impacts other lives rather than just self-enjoyment like sudoku puzzles.

Sisyphus Fulfilled

A thought experiment by Susan Wolf where a man loves rolling a stone due to chemicals; Wolf argues he is worse off because his happiness is not connected to real value.