To Virtue

"Socrates’ Moral Intellectualism

The Socratic position on virtue that we’ve extracted from the

Protagoras

is this. 

Virtue is knowledge of (what is) good and bad. 

Thus, if you know all the goods and bads, you

are completely virtuous. 

Virtue has parts: Courage, Temperance, Justice, and Piety.

 

Courage is knowledge of what is good and bad

in the future

. 

 Temperance is knowledge

what is good and bad

for oneself

.

 Justice is knowledge of what is good and bad

for others

.

 And piety is knowledge of what is good and bad

for the gods

 

. None of these

virtues is numerically identical to any of the others. But each of them is importantly like

the others, in that each is a

kind of knowledge of (what is) good and bad. 

 

 Thus, Socrates

accepts the Parts-of-Gold version of the Parts Thesis, and rejects the Identity Thesis.

Recall now that the

Apology suggests that Socrates also accepts the following picture of

the relationship between knowledge and happiness. His view is that if one discusses

virtue regularly then one will (ideally) arrive at knowledge of virtue. 

 

 But knowledge of virtue is sufficient for being virtuous. And being virtuous is sufficient for being happy.

This is why Socrates says that it is the greatest good...to discuss virtue every day, and

why he says that he (Socrates), unlike the Olympian victor, makes others happy (by

engaging them in discussions about virtue).

 

There are arguments and passages in various early dialogues that connect Socrates’

position in the

Protagoras

with the picture we’ve extracted from the

Apology"

.

You can get the rest at the link below.:

 

http://philosophyfaculty.ucsd.edu/faculty/rickless/Rickless/PHIL100_files/Intellectualism3.pdf

===============================================================

It was a horrible day today.

 Rained and Rained and Rained.

I brought more plants inside.

They loved the rain today. I saw them cheer up but the tomatoes are staying green. 

Some of them have bugs in the soil so I watered them with hot water.

They say it will not kill the roots but if there are any eggs they will not like the hot water.

The bugs like the coleus.

 

Tomorrow I will try to plant the baby strawberry shoots Next year we will have a lot more if we are lucky.

 

Right now I have two red ones outside. All I need is a cake, ice cream and some whipped cream.

Instead, I ate an Oh Henry and indulged in a glass of wine in the evening  while waiting for the

pork roast in the oven.

Have a Zippidee Sunday

and

Give a loved one a hug. :)

xoxoxox