Socrates and Plato: Influences, Ideas, and Society

Posted on Feb 23, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Socrates and Plato: Intellectual and Moral Foundations

Socrates / Plato: Apart from intellectual influences, Socrates is the model of a man who is just, good, and places morality above all circumstances. The Seventh Letter says that Socrates was, the fairest of men. Although Socrates was not the only philosopher that influenced Plato, he is the most important and the star of all dialogues except the last (The Laws). Before Plato was a pupil of Socrates, he was influenced by the sophist Cratylus, who was very interested in the issue of definitions. However, when Plato meets Socrates, he rejects Cratylus because he believes in relativism.

The importance that Plato gave to the issue of definition comes from both Cratylus and Socrates. Distinguishing between Socratic and Platonic doctrines has been one of the most complicated tasks in the history of thought. In medieval thought, Plato was seen as a sort of secretary or scribe of Socrates. Since the Renaissance, when Greek texts of the dialogues became available, it has become clear that Plato is an original thinker. Some tend to think that Plato uses Socrates as if he were a mask to express ideas that are not Platonic but Socratic. In fact, Plato is never true to the letter of Socratism, and is more interested in critical detail rather than biographical accuracy. The dialogues of Xenophon, in which Socrates appears, are globally much more respectful of the particular story. Plato’s fabula is pretty, but its value lies in literature. Socrates is the protagonist of the dialogues for two basic reasons:

  • Plato pays homage to his master, whom the city has killed but cannot prevent from continuing to speak through his disciple.
  • Socrates also serves as a mouthpiece for Plato to express very reactionary political ideas.

Plato’s Key Ideas

What is Plato’s Idea?

  1. The universal concept of something (the definition).
  2. The Essence, what is in the full sense (which is itself).
  3. The ideal, model, or archetype of something in pure form.
  4. Cause, why something is as it is.
  5. The purpose and ultimate meaning of something higher.

World Intelligible vs. Sensible World

  • Intellectual knowledge (Reason, episteme) vs. sensitive knowledge (images, opinion, doxa)
  • Finding mathematical structures vs. disability-raising structures and math
  • Essences intelligible realities permanent corruptibles vs. being mutable and immutable.
  • Heraclitus vs. Parmenides principle of unity. Plurality vs. dispersion.
  • Beings themselves vs. Participation, image, copy the Unity vs. Multiplicity
  • Ideas vs. Things.
Plato’s Vision of Society

Society: In Plato’s ideal society, there are only three social classes: the magistrates, soldiers and warriors, and producers or workers. In each class, there corresponds a moral virtue, a craft, and a soul. As each class has a soul, a character also has a way of being and thinking that is characteristic. In a schematic rating, the Platonic state would be:

  • State: CLASS: Magistrates, Guerrero, Producers
  • Virtue: Prudence (wisdom), Fortitude, Temperance (moderation)
  • Trade: Lawmaking (government), Defending the state, Growing food and services
  • ALMA: Rational, testy, concupiscible (everything HARMONY STATE)
Socrates vs. Sophists: Key Differences

Socrates and Sophists: DIFFERENCES.

  1. The methodical nature: The Socratic method is dialogue. The word is an instrument to reach the truth. Defense rating intellectualism morality (although a good man is wise, everyone knows inside the well). In contrast with the sophists as a method of rhetoric. Use the word to get the power, believe that everything is opinion (doxa) and therefore there is no truth. Defend the moral convention.
  2. On his ideal: The Socratic ideal is to achieve happiness, live-sofrosine guided by prudence. But the ideal is to achieve success, especially political success.
  3. The educational nature: Socrates makes his free education, the squares and streets, in an informal way, talking with everyone. The Sophists, however, are paid to young people and only the rich can afford it.
  4. Implications: Socrates wants to base philosophy, by defining the ethical concepts (what is good, what is the truth…). The Sophists, however, preach skepticism and relativism.