How Philosophy Became Socratic : A Study of Plato's 'Protagoras,' 'Charmides,' and 'Republic'

Plato’s dialogues show Socrates at different ages, beginning when he was about nineteen and already deeply immersed in philosophy and ending with his execution five decades later. By presenting his model philosopher across a fifty-year span of his life, Plato leads his readers to wonder: does that time period correspond to the development of Socrates’ thought? In this magisterial investigation of the evolution of Socrates’ philosophy, Laurence Lampert answers in the affirmative. The chronological route that Plato maps for us, Lampert argues, reveals the enduring record of philosophy as it gradually took the form that came to dominate the life of the mind in the West. The reader accompanies Socrates as he breaks with the century-old tradition of philosophy, turns to his own path, gradually enters into a deeper understanding of nature and human nature, and discovers the successful way to transmit his wisdom to the wider world. Focusing on the final and most prominent step in that process and offering detailed textual analysis of Plato’s Protagoras , Charmides , and Republic , How Philosophy Became Socratic charts Socrates’ gradual discovery of a proper politics to shelter and advance philosophy. Plato's Dialogues Show Socrates At Different Ages, Beginning When He Was About Nineteen And Already Deeply Immersed In Philosophy And Ending With His Execution Five Decades Later. By Presenting His Model Philosopher Across A Fifty-year Span Of His Life, Plato Leads His Readers To Wonder: Does That Time Period Correspond To The Development Of Socrates' Thought? In This Magisterial Investigation Of The Evolution Of Socrates' Philosophy, Laurence Lampert Answers In The Affirmative. The Chronological Route That Plato Maps For Us, Lampert Argues, Reveals The Enduring Record Of Philosophy As It Took The Form That Came To Dominate The Life Of The Mind In The West. The Reader Accompanies Socrates As He Breaks With The Century-old Tradition Of Philosophy, Turns To His Own Path, Steadily Enters Into A Deeper Understanding Of Nature And Human Nature, And Discovers The Successful Way To Transmit His Wisdom To The Wider World. Focusing On The Final And Most Prominent Step In That Process And Offering Detailed Textual Analysis Of Plato's Protagoras, Charmides, And Republic, How Philosophy Became Socratic Charts Socrates' Gradual Discovery Of A Proper Politics To Shelter And Advance Philosophy. -- Publisher Description. Philosophy In A Time Of Splendor: Socrates In Periclean Athens Before The War, C. 433 -- Protagoras : Socrates And The Greek Enlightenment -- First Words -- The Frame Conversation -- Socrates With A Young Athenian -- Socrates In Hades -- Protagoras Introduces Himself -- Socrates' Challenge And Invitation : Can The Political Art Be Taught? -- Protagoras's Display Speech : Why The Political Art Is Teachable -- Socrates' Display Speech, Part I : The Wise Must Teach That Virtue Is Unitary -- Socrates Stages A Crisis -- Socrates' Display Sppech, Part Ii : A Wiser Stance Toward The Wise Alcibiades Presides -- Socrates' Display Speech, Part Iii : A Wiser Stance Toward The Many -- The Final Tribunal ; Courage And Wisdom -- Socrates The Victor -- Last Words -- Socrates' Politics For Philosophy In 433 -- Note On The Dramatic Date Of Protagoras And Alcibiades I -- Philosophy In A Time Of Crisis : Socrates' Return To War-ravaged, Plague-ravaged Athens, Late Spring 429 --^ Charmides : Socrates' Philosophy And Its Transmission -- First Words -- Socrates' Intentions -- The Spectacle Of Charmides' Entrance -- Critias Scripts A Play But Socrates Takes It Over -- Stripping Charmides' Soul -- What Critias Took From Socrates And What That Riddler Had In Mind -- Should Each Of The Beings Become Clearly Apparent Just As It Is? -- The Final Definition Of Sôphrosunê, Socrates' Definition -- The Possibility Of Socrates' Sôphrosunê -- The Benefit Of Socrates' Sôphrosunê -- Socrates Judges The Inquiry -- Last Words -- Who Might The Auditor Of Plato's Charmides Be? -- Note On The Dramatic Date Of Charmides -- The Republic: The Birth Of Platonism -- Socrates' Great Politics -- The World To Which Socrates Goes Down -- First Words -- The Compelled And The Voluntary -- Learning From Cephalus -- Polemarchus And Socratic Justice -- Gentling Thrasymachus -- The State Of The Young In Athens -- Socrates' New Beginning -- New Gods -- New Philosophers --^ New Justice In A New Soul -- Compulsion And Another Beginning -- The Center Of The Republic: The Philosopher Ruler -- Glaucon, Ally Of The Philosopher's Rule -- Platonism: Philosophy's Political Defense And Introduction To Philosophy -- Public Speakers For Philosophy -- Images Of The Greatest Study: Sun, Line, Cave -- The Last Act Of The Returned Odysseus -- Love And Reverence For Homer -- Homer's Deed -- Homer's Children -- Rewards And Prizes For Socrates' Children -- Replacing Homer's Hades -- Last Words -- Note On The Dramatic Date Of The Republic. Laurence Lampert. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents 6 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 12 Part 1. Philosophy in a Time of Splendor: Socrates in Periclean Athens before the War, c. 433 28 Chapter 1. Protagoras: Socrates and the Greek Enlightenment 30 Prologue: Great Protagoras 30 1. First Words 32 2. The Frame Conversation 35 3. Socrates with a Young Athenian 39 4. Socrates in Hades 45 5. Protagoras Introduces Himself 48 6. Socrates’ Challenge and Invitation: Can the Political Art Be Taught? 54 7. Protagoras’s Display Speech: Why the Political Art Is Teachable 61 8. Socrates’ Display Speech, Part I: The Wise Must Teach That Virtue Is Unitary 81 9. Socrates Stages a Crisis 90 10. Socrates’ Display Speech, Part II: A Wiser Stance toward the Wise 96 11. Alcibiades Presides 109 12. Socrates’ Display Speech, Part III: A Wiser Stance toward the Many 113 13. The Final Tribunal: Courage and Wisdom 128 14. Socrates the Victor 132 15. Last Words 135 16. Socrates’ Politics for Philosophy in 433 141 Note on the Dramatic Date of Protagoras and Alcibiades I 152 Part 2. Philosophy in a Time of Crisis: Socrates’ Return to War-Ravaged, Plague-Ravaged Athens, Late Spring 429 156 Chapter 2. Charmides: Socrates’ Philosophy andIts Transmission 158 Prologue: The Return of Socrates 158 1. First Words 159 2. Socrates’ Intentions 164 3. The Spectacle of Charmides’ Entrance 168 4. Critias Scripts a Play but Socrates Takes It Over 173 5. Stripping Charmides’ Soul 180 6. What Critias Took from Socrates and What ThatRiddler Had in Mind 189 7. Should Each of the Beings Become Clearly Apparent Just As It Is? 205 8. The Final Defi nition of Sôphrosunê, Socrates’ Defi nition 210 9. The Possibility of Socrates’ Sôphrosunê 214 10. The Benefi t of Socrates’ Sôphrosunê 224 11. Socrates Judges the Inquiry 237 12. Last Words 241 13. Who Might the Auditor of Plato’s Charmides Be? 246 Note on the Dramatic Date of Charmides 248 Chapter 3. The Republic: The Birth of Platonism 252 Prologue: Socrates’ Great Politics 252 One: The World to Which Socrates Goes Down 254 1. First Words 254 2. The Compelled and the Voluntary 258 3. Learning from Cephalus 259 4. Polemarchus and Socratic Justice 264 5. Gentling Thrasymachus 268 6. The State of the Young in Athens 282 Two: Socrates’ New Beginning 290 7. New Gods 290 8. New Philosophers 300 9. New Justice in a New Soul 304 10. Compulsion and Another Beginning 317 11. The Center of the Republic: The Philosopher Ruler 323 12. Glaucon, Ally of the Philosopher’s Rule 331 13. Platonism: Philosophy’s Political Defense andIntroduction to Philosophy 340 14. Public Speakers for Philosophy 348 15. Images of the Greatest Study: Sun, Line, Cave 359 Three: The Last Act of the Returned Odysseus 386 16. Love and Reverence for Homer 386 17. Homer’s Deed 388 18. Homer’s Children 393 19. Rewards and Prizes for Socrates’ Children 400 20. Replacing Homer’s Hades 405 21. Last Words 414 Note on the Dramatic Date of the Republic 416 Epilogue 424 Works Cited 430 Index 436 Plato’s dialogues show Socrates at different ages, beginning when he was about nineteen and already deeply immersed in philosophy and ending with his execution five decades later. By presenting his model philosopher across a fifty-year span of his life, Plato leads his readers to wonder: does that time period correspond to the development of Socrates’ thought? In this magisterial investigation of the evolution of Socrates’ philosophy, Laurence Lampert answers in the affirmative.

The chronological route that Plato maps for us, Lampert argues, reveals the enduring record of philosophy as it gradually took the form that came to dominate the life of the mind in the West. The reader accompanies Socrates as he breaks with the century-old tradition of philosophy, turns to his own path, gradually enters into a deeper understanding of nature and human nature, and discovers the successful way to transmit his wisdom to the wider world. Focusing on the final and most prominent step in that process and offering detailed textual analysis of Plato’s Protagoras, Charmides, and Republic, How Philosophy Became Socratic charts Socrates’ gradual discovery of a proper politics to shelter and advance philosophy.