Open Socrates

1. Philosophy Begins with Recognizing Ignorance

This man among you, mortals, is wisest who, like Socrates, understands that his wisdom is worthless.

Acknowledging ignorance. Socrates believed true wisdom begins with recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge. This isn't mere skepticism but a call to action, urging individuals to question assumptions and seek deeper understanding. It's about understanding that the more you know, the more you realize you don't know.

The Delphic Oracle. The story of the Oracle at Delphi declaring Socrates the wisest highlights this principle. Socrates, shocked by the pronouncement, embarked on a quest to find someone wiser, only to discover that others, unlike him, believed they possessed knowledge they did not. This realization solidified his understanding of true wisdom.

Humility as a starting point. This Socratic humility isn't a passive acceptance of ignorance but an active engagement with it. It's a recognition that existing beliefs may be flawed and a commitment to pursuing truth through rigorous inquiry. This is the foundation upon which a philosophical life is built.

2. Untimely Questions Reveal Life's Load-Bearing Beliefs

As long as I didn’t know why, I couldn’t do anything.

Questions that come too late. Agnes Callard introduces the concept of "untimely questions," those fundamental inquiries about the meaning and purpose of life that often arise only after we've already committed to certain paths. These questions challenge the very foundations upon which we've built our lives.

Conceptual infrastructure. These questions are difficult to confront because they challenge the conceptual infrastructure that supports our daily actions. We often avoid them by focusing on immediate tasks and goals, effectively postponing existential inquiry.

Tolstoy's crisis. Leo Tolstoy's midlife crisis, as depicted in "Confession," exemplifies the turmoil that can arise when one confronts these untimely questions. Tolstoy, despite achieving worldly success, found himself unable to justify his pursuits, leading to profound despair. This highlights the importance of addressing these questions before they lead to existential crises.

3. Savage Commands: Body and Kin as Unreliable Guides

Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.

Savage commands. Callard argues that our lives are often governed by "savage commands" stemming from our bodies and our kinship groups. These commands, driven by pleasure, pain, and social expectations, dictate our actions without critical reflection.

The body's influence. The bodily command manifests as the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain, often leading to short-sighted decisions and a lack of long-term fulfillment. It prioritizes immediate gratification over thoughtful consideration.

Kinship's influence. The kinship command, on the other hand, stems from our desire for social acceptance and belonging. It compels us to conform to group norms and expectations, potentially sacrificing individual autonomy and critical thinking. Both commands, while seemingly providing guidance, can lead to wavering and a lack of genuine understanding.

4. Socratic Ethics: Inquiry Over Implementation

The way to be good when you don’t know how to be good is by learning.

Ethics of inquiry. Socratic ethics offers an alternative to traditional ethical frameworks by prioritizing inquiry over the implementation of fixed principles. Instead of adhering to pre-determined rules, Socrates advocates for a continuous process of questioning and self-examination.

Learning as the path to goodness. This approach emphasizes that true goodness stems from a deep understanding of oneself and the world, achieved through rigorous intellectual exploration. It rejects the notion that ethical behavior can be achieved through blind adherence to rules or social norms.

Challenging assumptions. Socrates insists that there is no greater benefit he could receive from another person than being shown why he is wrong, and that the only sure way to treat another human being with respect is to either answer their questions or question their answers.

5. The Socratic Method: Persuade or Be Persuaded

The Socratic motto is not, “Question everything,” but “Persuade or be persuaded.”

Thinking as a social interaction. Socrates believed that true thinking occurs not in isolation but through dialogue and debate. The Socratic method involves engaging with others, challenging their assumptions, and subjecting one's own beliefs to scrutiny.

Persuasion and refutation. The core of the Socratic method lies in the principle of "persuade or be persuaded." This means engaging in open and honest exchange, where both parties are willing to defend their positions and be open to changing their minds.

Overcoming fear of the "why" question. The Socratic method aims to create a space where individuals can confront their ignorance and overcome their fear of the "why" question. By embracing intellectual humility and a willingness to be proven wrong, individuals can embark on a path of genuine self-discovery.

6. The Examined Life: A Preparation for Death

The one aim of those who practice philosophy in the proper manner is to practice for dying and death.

Philosophy as preparation. Socrates viewed philosophy as a preparation for death, not in the sense of morbid preoccupation, but as a means of cultivating inner peace and understanding. By confronting fundamental questions about life and existence, individuals can diminish their fear of the unknown.

Confronting mortality. This preparation involves examining one's values, beliefs, and relationships, and aligning them with a deeper understanding of what truly matters. It's about living a life that is both meaningful and authentic, so that death is not met with regret or fear.

The Phaedo. The dialogue "Phaedo" exemplifies this approach, depicting Socrates facing his impending execution with remarkable composure and intellectual curiosity. He uses his final hours to engage in philosophical inquiry, demonstrating that the examined life can provide solace and meaning even in the face of death.

7. Politics as Applied Philosophy

Political battles, including war, are simply philosophy gone awry.

Beyond conventional politics. Socrates challenges conventional notions of politics, arguing that true political action involves intellectual inquiry and the pursuit of justice. He rejects the pursuit of power and the manipulation of public opinion as legitimate political goals.

Free speech and egalitarianism. Socrates redefines freedom of speech and egalitarianism as intellectual ideals, emphasizing the importance of open dialogue and mutual respect in the pursuit of truth. He believes that true political progress can only be achieved through philosophical inquiry.

The true politician. Socrates sees himself as a true politician, one who seeks to improve the souls of his fellow citizens through philosophical conversation. He believes that by promoting intellectual humility and critical thinking, he can contribute to a more just and harmonious society.

8. Love as Ascent to the Good

What everyone loves is really nothing other than the good.

Beyond physical attraction. Socrates challenges conventional notions of love, arguing that true love is not merely based on physical attraction or emotional attachment. Instead, he sees love as a yearning for the good, a desire to possess what is beautiful and true.

The ladder of love. This yearning leads individuals on an ascent, from the love of physical beauty to the love of intellectual beauty and ultimately to the contemplation of the Form of the Good. This ascent is a philosophical journey, a quest for knowledge and understanding.

Socratic love. Socratic love, therefore, is not about possessing or controlling another person but about engaging in a shared pursuit of truth and goodness. It's a love that transcends the limitations of individual relationships and aims at something higher and more universal.

9. The Illusion of Self-Sufficiency in Thought

Human beings are simply more resourceful this way in action, speech, and thought.

Thinking as a communal feat. Socrates challenges the notion that thinking is a solitary activity, arguing that true intellectual progress requires collaboration and dialogue. He believes that by engaging with others, we can overcome our individual biases and limitations.

The need for a "testing stone." This collaborative process involves subjecting one's own beliefs to scrutiny and being open to the possibility of being proven wrong. Socrates sees other people as "testing stones," providing valuable feedback and challenging our assumptions.

Overcoming the illusion. By recognizing the limitations of our individual minds and embracing the power of dialogue, we can achieve a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the world. This requires humility, openness, and a willingness to engage with diverse perspectives.

10. The Power of Inquisitive Refutation

I count being refuted a greater good, insofar as it is a greater good for oneself to be delivered from the worst thing there is than to deliver someone else from it.

Refutation as a gift. Socrates viewed refutation not as a personal attack but as a valuable service, a means of helping others to identify and correct their errors. He believed that being shown to be wrong was a greater good than refuting someone else.

The goal of refutation. This is because Socrates thought that the worst thing that could happen to a person was to be in a state of ignorance, and that the only way to escape that state was to be shown the truth. Refutation is a way of helping others to escape the prison of their own false beliefs.

Inquisitive refutation. This approach requires a genuine commitment to truth-seeking and a willingness to engage with others in a spirit of intellectual humility. It's about helping others to see the flaws in their thinking, not about winning an argument or asserting one's own superiority.

11. The Unity of Virtue: Knowledge as the Only Good

All of the trouble we have leading our lives, all of our dissatisfactions, all of our failures to progress, all of our moral imperfections, all of the injustices we commit, large and small, stem from one source: ignorance.

Vice as ignorance. Socrates famously claimed that "virtue is knowledge," meaning that all wrongdoing stems from a lack of understanding. He believed that if people truly knew what was good, they would inevitably act accordingly.

The key to success. This perspective challenges conventional notions of morality, which often attribute wrongdoing to factors such as weakness of will or selfishness. Socrates argues that these are merely symptoms of a deeper problem: ignorance.

Learning as the solution. According to Socrates, the solution to all ethical problems is to acquire knowledge. By seeking wisdom and understanding, individuals can overcome their ignorance and live more virtuous and fulfilling lives.

Last updated: April 14, 2025