Socratic Ethics: Was Socrates A Hypocrite?
Jessica Lagé
27 October 2014
Ancient Philosophy
Dr. Zoller
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Socrates, an Ancient Greek philosopher, is one of the most well known philosophers who
ever lived. He appears in numerous works, and all of which seem to offer parabolic insight to its
audience. Plato, a student of Socrates, transmits the information and ideas that Socrates
converses orally into written dialogues. It is important to note that the dialogues are set up so that
the reader can make connections and draw conclusions for his or herself. This allows for the
audience to react to the information being presented within the dialogues and potentially
challenge the messages. Within the texts of The Euthyphro, Apology, Republic and Crito,
Socrates is faced with ethical dilemmas, even up to his death. The conversations that take place
allow readers to again draw conclusions and assess the ethical beliefs that are presented and
regarded by Socrates, even if they may be controversial.
In order to highlight Socrates’ ethical dilemmas he faced, it is important to come to
agreement on what the word ‘ethics’ actually entails. By western society it would probably be
agreed with that ethics is a sense of moral consciousness or value on virtues more from the
individual standpoint instead of societal as a whole.
The first ethical dilemma Socrates is faced with is about ‘Piety.’1 Ideas about ethics seem
to be the topic of conversation in all of the works Socrates is present in. In The Euthyphro,
Socrates is on his way to defend himself against a case2 that was brought against him.3
Coincidentally enough, on his way to the courthouse Socrates meets his friend Euthyphro.
Euthyphro relays to Socrates that he is there on behalf of prosecution of his own father for
murder.4 In the midst of conversation Socrates asks, “What is the pious, and what the impious.”5
Plato Complete Works, Euthyphro pp.5d-e
Reference to Apology
3 Plato Complete Works, Euthyphro, pp.2b-d
4 Plato Complete Works, Euthyphro, pp.3a
5 Plato Complete Works, Euthyphro, pp.5d-e
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The conversation between the two is very fitting for this time because Socrates has been accused
of being impious. Socrates continues to ask questions to Euthyphro which ultimately bring them
back to where they started– with no real definition. Euthyphro responds that piety has to do with
gods6, and what doesn’t, isn’t pious. Socrates asks Euthyphro After finishing the conversation
with Euthyphro, Socrates still has no real solidified answer as to what is actually ‘pious’.
So what has actually transpired during this conversation? In lines 14b and on in The
Euthyphro, Socrates has drawn the conclusion that the gods like stuff. The word ‘stuff’ is very
vague. So that allows for the more specific question as to why do the gods like these particular
things? Well, it can be broken down into two conclusions. If there isn’t a reason, that would
mean that the divine power, or Greek gods would be arbitrary or subjective. The other alternative
is that the gods like what they like for a reason. This would infer that there is a standard. So what
was established in The Euthyphro? That goodness itself is an abstract idea. Goodness would be
subjective person to person because there is no universal standard. Being ‘pious,’ is subjective
and undefined at the end of The Euthyphro, and Socrates still does not have a solidified answer
as to what the word actually means.
In The Apology, another one of Plato’s works, the audience is thrown into the action of
Socrates on trial. During this trial Socrates faces the charges of: being a sophist7, being a modern
day scientist,8 getting paid to teach.9 Later in the trial he is served new charges of: “corrupting
the youth”,10 and blasphemy to the Athenian gods.11 Did Socrates commit these crimes? Perhaps,
but also perhaps not. Later in this analysis, I will give my full opinion.
Plato Complete Works, Euthyphro, pp.6, Line 7
Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.19, 18c
8 Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.20, 19b-c
9 Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.30, 32e-33c
10 Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.23, 24b
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The charges that Socrates is faced with become an ethical problem for him. Socrates is
convicted and sentenced to death,12 but he most likely could have prevented this. Socrates was
brought to trial because he was seen as the annoying town philosopher. Socrates questioning
everyone in Athens all the time about ethics and how they lived their life after awhile just
became offensive. When brought to trial Socrates could have pleaded guilty to the crimes, or at
least acknowledged how his behavior could have created a false light for himself. Instead,
Socrates continued to bother everyone and he was sentenced to death.
Socrates believes in the idea of the divided soul. The ‘tripartite soul’ is the formal name
of the theory that stems from the dialogue The Republic. In the dialogue in book IV13, Socrates
talks about the different parts that make up one’s soul. These parts of the soul make up what the
ideal human should strive to become.
The largest part, the ‘appetitive’, is described as the “pleasures and desires.14” In this
section of the soul, Socrates believes that it controls what the body needs to survive. This would
be the basic human need. The want and need for shelter, food, water, et cetera.
The second part of the soul is reason.15 Reason, or the “rational calculation16” part of the
soul is supposed to act as balance to the other parts of the soul. At times it is what is, “bidding”
or “forbidding17” an action. Socrates believes that:
“It is the part of the soul with which it calculates the rational part and the part with which
it lusts, hungers, thirsts, and gets excited by other appetites the irrational appetitive part,
companion of certain indulgences and pleasures.” 18
Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.23, 24b
Plato Complete Works, The Apology, pp.34, 38b-c
13 Plato Complete Works, The Republic
14 Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1063, 431d
15 Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1071, 439d-e
16 Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1071, 439d-e
17 Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1071, 439c
18 Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1071, 439d-e
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The last part of the soul is the “spirited.”19 This part of the soul is another part of the
balance of the appetitive and reason parts of the soul. The spirit is “by nature the helper of the
rational part.”20 The function or purpose of this part is to feel angry at injustice. The text of The
Republic seems to imply that the spirited part of the soul should take action. Of course this is
supposed to happen with the other two parts simultaneously. Because these parts all are supposed
to act together to yield the virtues of moderation, wisdom and courage, they offer a sense of
ethics that can be attributed to Socrates.
The real ethical dilemma occurs after Socrates is sentenced to death. In The Crito,
Socrates’ friend Crito comes to visit him before his death. He advises Socrates to escape,21 and
leave Athens. During this time it was very common for prisoners that were sentenced to death to
escape to another country. This would have been extremely feasible in Athens as well do to the
geography. But Socrates does not escape, and instead asks Crito if, “all former arrangements
have been washed out during the last few days?”22 Here we see Socrates following the idea he
has for justice. He is following the sprit part of the soul. Essentially he is going by his rules for
the good life that we should never do wrong willingly, even if we are wronged. Through this
action he is utilizing his virtues of courage–even in the moment of death.
My personal opinion on Socrates is slightly different than what actually occurred. I think
Socrates should have died, but not in the way he did. Socrates’ death was probably the biggest
ethical dilemma he faced. It could have been avoided. But in terms of his philosophy and the
future, in order to perpetuate it forward, Socrates had to die for his cause. But I see contradiction
Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp.1072, 440e
Plato Complete Works, The Republic, pp. 1072, 441a
21 Plato Complete Works, The Crito, pp.40, 45b-d
22 Plato Complete Works, The Crito, pp.43 49b
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in his cause. What I see is a man who was sentenced to death and he was almost pleased with the
outcome. To me this is similar to the idea of suicide. It seems as though the state is only assisting
in his suicide. Suicide is the opposite of Socrates’ idea of moderation. In fact it is very extreme.
Socrates’ death is not only radical, but also a sign of defeat, which would go against the virtue of
justice. With Socrates’ death he did not fight the injustice that he was presented with. It is
obvious that Socrates should not have died for the trial he was on. He was his own controller of
fate, and through his death, there seems to be a grey area that is not cut and dry to his morals or
ethical beliefs. His death is a complication to what he preaches in each dialogue.
Personally I believe that Socrates could have been guilty of some of the crimes that he
was accused of. I think that being accused of being a Sophist is possible. Socrates constantly
went around Athens questioning people and making them defend their point of view until
Socrates convinced them they were wrong. That would be making the weaker argument the
stronger. I also think that he didn’t regard the gods in a high regard–but Socrates was advanced
and a man out of his time. Today religion and beliefs in different religions is not a crime. Perhaps
Socrates was just a progressive.
I think if I was in a position to advise Socrates, I would have been sterner and more
forceful than Crito. Socrates had so much potential to change and flourish and improve society.
His death is so tragic and almost seems short lived. Although Socrates was in his older years,
wisdom can be passed down and spread. Crito should have saved Socrates from himself.
Everywhere Socrates went he faced challenges. The important thing is that philosophy for
Socrates was his way of life–and in the end he believed he died for his own philosophy.
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Bibliography
Plato, John M. Cooper, and D. S. Hutchinson. "Euthyphro." Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis,
IN: Hackett Pub., 1997. N. pag. Print.
Plato, John M. Cooper, and D. S. Hutchinson. "Apology." Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis,
IN: Hackett Pub., 1997. N. pag. Print.
Plato, John M. Cooper, and D. S. Hutchinson. "Crito." Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis, IN:
Hackett Pub., 1997. N. pag. Print.
Plato, John M. Cooper, and D. S. Hutchinson. "Republic." Plato Complete Works. Indianapolis,
IN: Hackett Pub., 1997. N. pag. Print.