Mon, Feb 24

Socrates in Apology

• Socrates "cheats" at the end by presenting a defense that challenges his accusers rather than attempting to save himself.

Best Society & Best Human Life

• Central Debate: What truly matters in achieving a good society and a fulfilling human life?

  • Key focus areas: Virtue, knowledge, or possibly alternative values.

Sartre on Freedom

• Extreme Sartre:

  • Humans control almost everything in their lives, emphasizing total freedom.

• Moderate Sartre:

  • Acknowledges that while we make choices, the outcomes are not always within our control.

  • Suggests not every choice is made consciously, implying external factors influence our decisions.

• Freedom & Obstacles:

  • Raises the question of whether we should advocate for everyone's freedom or prioritize our own.

Cavendish & Beauvoir

• Both philosophers align with Moderate Sartre, arguing that our essence is not entirely our own choice; external influences play a role.

Socrates on Value & the Examined Life

• Goodness & Value:

  • These are enduring concepts; they are inherent and not arbitrary.

  • The divine observes goodness but doesn’t create it, indicating an objective standard of virtue.

• Examined Life:

  • Socrates employs the horsebreeder analogy: just as knowledgeable trainers improve horses, informed people have the capacity to enhance the lives of others.

Mind-Body Dualism

• Presents the idea that the mind/spirit is more significant than the physical body.

• Harp Analogy:

  • The body is likened to a harp, where the soul represents the music it produces, underscoring the connection between body and spirit.

Perfect Entities

• Socrates advocates for focusing on unchanging, perfect entities rather than temporary, mutable ones.