The virtue of high mindedness

Socrates

Aristotle’s definition of the virtue of high-mindedness in Nichomachean Ethics, and of what constitutes the surplus and deficiency of this advantage, poses a problem when applied to Socrates in Plato’s Apology. On one hand, Socrates is high-minded when he accepts his death sentence, in spite of believing that he is serving an important function in Athens, and because he advises persons without asking a fee. However, Socrates reveals timidity as they does not spread his beliefs in public affairs or generate distinctions between the rich and poor, which will would be attributes of the small-souled person. Aristotle’s criteria for high-mindedness provides us stop as to whether Socrates is constantly virtuous. During his defense speech, Socrates displays the characteristics of high-mindedness and small-souledness, suggesting a catch in Aristotle’s definition of the virtue, since according to Aristotle, one cannot be desired and lacking of a virtue at the same time.

Socrates fits the definition of high-mindedness because he does not free his existence, despite believing that this individual does not ought to have the death penalty. Though he believes he was presented a divine role to try out in making Athens a better place, Socrates realizes that the best thing intended for him to complete is to accept his fatality sentence. He thinks that because he is usually “superior towards the majority of men”, supplicating the jury by simply bringing in family members and begging for acquittal would be considered a disgrace (Plato 35a). He does not argue against his death sentence because getting ruined for standing by his morals would be a better honor than being appreciated for executing “pitiful dramatics in court” (Plato 35b). Aristotle’s meaning of high-mindedness does apply in this case mainly because Socrates would not necessarily think that the loss of life sentence is actually he justifies, but rather that it is more reputable option than begging to get mercy. Relating to Aristotle, there is “no honour worth total virtue” (Aristotle 1124a 7-8). By simply avoiding the disgrace of begging pertaining to mercy, Socrates is able to goal closer on the honor that he is worth. Aristotle as well states which the great-souled person will not spare his your life when facing great hazards (Aristotle 1124b 7-8). Socrates does not believe his a lot more so great that he should save this. He explains to the idol judges after his death phrase that he is still convinced he nor wronged any person nor wronged himself (Plato 37b), but he does not spare his life, since it is not worth being heinous by fighting for a diverse punishment.

Socrates’ motivation to help others without requesting payment in exchange is yet another reasons why Socrates will fit Aristotle’s definition of high-mindedness. The high-minded person asks for nothing, or perhaps almost nothing, yet is ready to help other folks readily (Aristotle 1124b 17-18). Socrates suits this affirmation because he argues that this individual does not “undertake to teach people and demand a fee intended for it” (Plato 19d). Growing his beliefs is Socrates benefiting other folks, but this individual does not look for anything in return. He concerns others in the interest of stirring up the city mainly because that is what he feels he was put in the city to do. The high-minded person is additionally one in whose “possessions will be noble yet unprofitable” (Aristotle 1125a 12). Socrates will not have many possessions, living in wonderful poverty, since he does not charge pertaining to his job of questioning people to prove to them that they are not really wise (Plato 23b). He’s self-sufficient because he does not need materials possessions to hold spreading his beliefs.

At the same time, nevertheless , Socrates could considered small-souled because he would not strive for greater honor simply by spreading his beliefs in public places affairs. The small-souled person is somebody who “deprives himself of what he is valuable of” and is similar to the timid rather than silly person (Aristotle 1125a twenty two, 24-25). Socrates only goes around advising persons in non-public affairs yet refuses to head out in public to advise the entire city because he believes he would have died a long time ago in the event he had attempted taking part in community affairs (Plato 31c-e). Looking to advise metropolis by taking component in governmental policies would have recently been foolish, because if he had died, Socrates would not had been able to distributed his philosophy to any individual. Socrates required a more modest approach by simply intervening simply in exclusive affairs, therefore he would certainly not be considered vain, since the vain person is foolish if you are ignorant of their worth (Aristotle 1125a 28). Taking this more moderate approach, nevertheless , would be regarded small-souled and timid, for the reason that small-souled person should have “striven for the things of which having been worthy” (Aristotle 1124b 26-27). There is a problem in this situation, since whether Socrates chose to guide the public or not, he would have been performing either foolishly or timidly. It seems that striking the mean will be impossible, nevertheless Aristotle acknowledges that it is sometimes better to slim towards one excess than the other. In this instance, acting foolishly would be nearer to hitting the mean of high-mindedness because smallness of heart and soul is more against high-mindedness than vanity (Aristotle 1125a 32-3). Although Socrates did serve in public your life twice, this individual did not definitely spread his beliefs just like he will in private affairs. If he served for the Hall throughout the Thirty, Socrates simply left when he as well as the rest of the Hall was ordered to bring in Leon from Salamis to be carried out, something he considered unjust (Plato 32c-d). He was capable of staying true to his beliefs of what he considered right and incorrect by not really participating, yet he did not stay in general public life to save lots of Leon’s life or keep spreading his beliefs.

Another sign of Socrates missing the mark of high-mindedness is that he is equally ready to issue anyone, whether they are wealthy or poor (Plato 33b). According to Aristotle, the high-minded person should be “dignified in his patterns towards persons of differentiation or the well off, but humble towards persons at the middle level” (Aristotle 1124b 18-20). Socrates will not distinguish between those who are well-off and the ones who are certainly not. He uses the same approach to questioning for anyone as long as they can be willing to pay attention and is not really interested in hierarchy. Superiority above the rich will be considered simply by Aristotle to get impressive, nevertheless superiority in the poor would not mean anything at all because it is convenient (Aristotle 1124b 22-23). As Socrates is usually exhibiting precisely the same behavior to people of all types, he will not fit this kind of definition of high-mindedness. He does not make a distinction between the poor and the rich, rather, he only differentiates among people who are happy to listen or perhaps not. Furthermore, Socrates explains to the court that he could be accustomed to spending some time at the marketplace by the bankers’ tables (Plato 17c). This shows that this individual spent associated with his time interacting with the masses instead of with people of distinction or maybe the well-off. Socrates is not really unassuming towards those who are certainly not distinguished, a characteristic with the high-minded person. This is one more indication of him behaving in a small-souled manner.

Many of the actions that Socrates describes during his defense speech wonderful acceptance in the death word would be regarded high-minded, however , his activities are not usually consistent, mainly because some of them will be classified since small-souled. According to Aristotle, virtue the kind of mean or perhaps target to get to, and any missing from the mark will be vice (Aristotle 1106b 25-27). This poses a problem pertaining to Aristotle mainly because high-mindedness will be considered virtuous, but simultaneously, Socrates displays a vice by performing small-souled. It might not end up being possible to be truly virtuous if one displays equally virtuous and vicious activities because advantage and vice are opposites. The contradiction between Aristotle’s beliefs and Socrates’ activities lies in Aristotle’s definition of high-mindedness because Socrates fits into both the mean as well as the deficiency of this kind of virtue in order to appears that he is not consistently desired.

The high-minded person is individual who “thinks him self worthy of great things ” and is indeed worthy of them” (Aristotle 1123b 2-3). Even though Socrates complies with the criteria just for this Aristotelian meaning of high-mindedness, he displays small-souledness at the same time if he does not get involved in public affairs to pass on his morals. Socrates consistently hitting the mean and lacking the tag by performing both high-minded and small-souled presents problems for Aristotle’s definition of the virtue of high-mindedness mainly because one can not be high-minded and small-souled simultaneously.