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Describe Socrates method of Elenchus. How does he use it to search for truth?
Socrates favorite method of eliciting responses from those he talked to is known as Socratic Method or elenchus. Socrates did not lay claim to knowledge, instead he went around the city of Athens, meeting and questioning people about religious and moral issues. It was intended to convince Athenians that they were ignorant of things that they thought that they knew.
Socrates would curiously pose questions to his interlocutors in a kind of cross-examination, which could strengthen his position on mostly epistemological and moral matters. In elenchus, a response to a question elicits subsequent questions. Inconsistencies in responses lead to a determination of truth of earlier statements; in short a question is broken down to a series of smaller questions in order to ultimately arrive at a more refined for answer for Socrates
Seeking a definition of piety, Socrates stumbles upon what has come to be known as the problem of divine command. Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious or is it pious because it is loved by the gods? According to this reasoning, why is the relationship between the divine and the good so Problematic?
In his pursuit of truth, Socrates stumbles upon a problem of divine command: whether morally acts are determined by God because they are morally good or they are morally good simply because they are determined by God. The big question here is Gods role in what is considered morally good. The relationship between the good and divine is investigated; whether morally good acts are desired by God because they are good morally. If that is the case, then such acts are morally good irrespective of Gods will which downplays the need to worship God because his ability to determine what is good or not is diminished in that instance. On the other hand, if acts are morally good because of Gods will, then such acts are dependent on him. In this case, Gods moral good is not as important as what he holds to be good which might diminish importance of worshipping him because all that counts is what he hold to be morally good. People will stop at determining what is morally good on the basis of the fact that God in himself determines what is morally good or not due to his divine nature. Both arguments therefore lead to consequences that present contradictory nature of good and divine. This reasoning presents the problematic nature of this argument since it has two alternatives which refute the very reasoning behind the original statement. How define what is moral without reference to God?
At the end of the eythyphro, as in many other Socratic dialogues, nothing is really resolved. What value do such exchanges have when in the end, inevitably, it is clear that nobody understands anything? What is the message that Plato is trying to send here?
The dilemma is however important as it sparks an inquiry about piety. It lays the basis for development and explanation of theories on divinity. By presenting this dialogue, Plato is trying to lead us in to an understanding of elenchus. Plato is showing that Socrates elenchus did not always lead to solutions; sometimes it led to more controversy or a chance to examine an issue more closely as seen in this case.
Why did Socrates use of elenchus lead to his arrest? In what way does this reveal, according to Plato, what most people really care about? Would you agree that the unexamined life is not worth living ? Thinking critically, in your opinion, what is the measure of a life well lived?
Continued use of elenchus by Socrates leads to his arrest and trial in Athens. He is accused of misleading the youth. For his accusers, his methods of inquiry are annoying since he challenges what they hold as truths. During his trial, he confirms the widely held opinion of an irritant when he informs the jury that he has been searching for a wise man and there is no wiser man than he is. He details how he has traversed Athens in search of a wiser man but has not come across any. He has been meeting people who are extremely proud of themselves yet they do not know much about themselves, he has surely confirmed that he is the wisest since he knows that he knows very little. It is possible that such people would have wanted to get rid of a perennial nuisance who, in their eyes, pretended to know everything. According to Plato, this revealed that most people cared about are material things and do not spare a thought about the well being of their souls; a view he shares with Socrates. He alleges that people are more concerned with wealth and earthly happiness but have no consideration for eternal happiness which is more important.
In as much as I would have disagreed with some aspects of Socrates life, I share his attitude towards life. He believed in self enrichment through pursuit of knowledge and the truth and shunned preoccupation with material things. To him, true happiness would be achieved if one possessed virtue. It is for this reason that he dedicated his life to what he considered to be true good. Socrates believed that people should be loyal to the state, which I concur with. It is important to give selfless service to ones nation to which one owes allegiance. Worldly matters should take a back seat to the integrity of ones character
During the trial, Socrates turns down a plan for his escape even as it becomes clear that what lies ahead is nothing short of a death sentence. He in turn urges his colleagues to move on in their pursuit of what he calls self knowledge. He will not be forced in to silence and neither will he give up on his quest. He states that unexamined life is not worth living; implying that he would rather die than stop his philosophical inquiry. I agree with him entirely. For one to have a fruitful life on earth, it is important to question the order, status quo, trends, traditions, personal beliefs and all other aspects of life. The strong statement about human life is revolutionary. Socrates states that life is based on spiritual growth, which entails an examination or reflection of life itself. It calls for dialoguing with a view to revealing undesirable spots.
A life well lived is one, short or long, which is full of happiness that emanates from self discovery. Human beings are endowed with immense intellectual powers. Of what use is an inquiry about matter and what surrounds us if we do not inquire about ourselves. An understanding of self is the beginning of knowledge: a characteristic of good life. Material possessions, education and money may facilitate life but they do not by themselves, enrich it. Compassion towards others, spirituality, health and a god relationship with state are important for achieving genuine happiness. When one lives such a life, it is not difficult to face death, as was the case with Socrates, who felt that he had fulfilled what he needed to.
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