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The Socratic Logos - Online Term Paper

The Socratic Logos

Throughout the Meno, Euthyphro, and Symposium Socrates is questioning his interlocutor in an attempt to find the definition of some term. His criterion for a good definition or logos is for the definition to apply to all occasions of the subject and nothing else. Also, the logos must not mention the subject being defined. Socrates is usually unsuccessful in finding a satisfactory account of his subject, but during his discussion of love with Diotima she tells Socrates that "Love is wanting to posses the good forever,"(Symposium, 206a) and this seems to be a valid logos for love.
Socrates and his interlocutors usually go through several definitions of the subject they are discussing ...

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of virtue, but is unable to do so because he cannot list all the aspects that are a part of virtue. Also, in the Meno Socrates attempts to define shape as that which "Always follows color."(Meno, 75c) Intuitively this account of shape does not sound right, and it is shown to be false when the definition of logos is applied to it. Because a gas or liquid can have color, but not shape, this characterization of shape is incorrect. Socrates then defines shape as "That which limits a solid."(Meno, 76a) This concise explanation of shape is incorrect because two-dimensional drawings are not solids, but do have shape.
The incorrect examples of logos given in the two previous paragraphs clarify what logos is and show how difficult it is to satisfy the Socratic definition of logos. However, the account of love given by Diotima comes very close to a logos. Diotima defines love as "Wanting to possess the good forever,"(Symposium, 206a) which is difficult to dispute because the ...

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 11/2/2006 03:29:50 AM
Category: World History
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 488
Pages: 2

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