Annotated Bibliography - Michael Yoo PDF

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Michael Yoo Jeremy Bell Philosophy 400 April 17, 2018 Annotated Bibliography

Brickhouse, Thomas C., and Nicholas D. Smith. “Socrates and the Unity of the Virtues.” The Journal of Ethics, vol. 1, no. 4, 1997, pp. 311–324. In certain works, Socrates argues that each of the various virtues refers to one united virtue. However, in other works, Socrates claims that certain virtues—courage and piety —are proper parts of virtue as a whole. Both cannot be true, so which is it? According to the authors, the key to understanding this apparent conflict is the central role of wisdom, which presides over all the virtues. Insofar as each virtue relates to wisdom can it be said, on the one hand, that each of them are the same as all the others, and that other virtues are parts of other virtue or a part of virtue in general, on the other hand.

Doyle, James. “Socrates and Gorgias.” Phronesis, vol. 55, no. 1, 2010, pp. 1–25. In this journal article, Doyle seeks to resolve some of the complications regarding the proper understanding of Socrates’ conversation about rhetoric and justice in the Gorgias. Much of the article is spent clarifying what is ethically at stake in the conversation, and then clarifying what Gorgias believes concerning the nature of justice and rhetoric. The author spends some time criticizing interpretations given by Charles Kahn and John

Cooper and gives an account of his own, where he closes by detailing the implications of his own interpretation .

Johnson, Curtis. “Socrates on Obedience and Justice.” The Western Political Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 4, 1990, pp. 719–740. Curtis points out how Socrates is often, and rightly so, credited with holding a prominent place in the civil disobedience tradition of political thought. In his lifetime, not only did Socrates openly defy civil authority, but he also stated, even during his trial, that he would still disobey under certain conditions. Curtis remarks that though Socrates does not give a formal definition of justice, he believed that it was strongly linked to obedience to authority. Ironically, in this sense, Socrates behavior undermines what he himself believed, and perhaps, therefore, he does not have the place in the civil disobedience tradition that is usually assigned to him.

Lutz, Mark J. “Civic Virtue and Socratic Virtue.” Polity, vol. 29, no. 4, 1997, pp. 565–592. The author notes that while most contemporary observers believe that the state needs to encourage the practicing of virtues to correct calculative individualism, others fear that such encouragement will endanger individuality altogether. On that note, this article explores the Greek, particularly Plato’s, by way of Socrates, account of the nature and importance of civic virtue. It is only by the recognition of their power that Socrates is able to affirm the nobility, justness, and goodness of the philosophical life.

Smith, Nicholas D. “Some Thoughts about the Origins of ‘Greek Ethics.’” The Journal of Ethics,

vol. 5, no. 1, 2001, pp. 3–20. In this journal article, the author argues that several the major issues in classical Greek philosophy arose in the works of Homer. This includes certain problems related to justice and virtue. Homer identified a tension that seemed to exist between justice and individual excellence. Furthermore, he regarded the connection between happiness (eudaimonia) and such individual excellence as problematic. In order to deal with these problems raised by Homer, future Greek philosophers, profoundly reworked the way that each of these terms—justice, happiness, individual excellence—was to be understood.

Plato, and John M Cooper. “Alcibiades.” Plato Complete Works. Hackett Publishing Company, 1997. In this dialogue, Socrates decides that it is necessary to confront Alcibiades over his lust for power. Socrates appeals to Alcibiades’ own desire by assuring him that he will never amount to anything without his help. Before Alcibiades can rule effectively, he needs to cultivate himself, that is, his soul. Without the virtues of the soul that are the root of the intellectual prowess that give it the authority to rule, both over its body and others, Alcibiades is fit to be ruled, rather than to be a ruler. Convinced of Socrates’ argument, he attaches himself to his wisdom in order that he might learn the knowledge of virtue from him.

Plato, and John M Cooper. “Gorgias.” Plato Complete Works. Hackett Publishing Company, 1997.

This lengthy dialogue develops into a disagreement over what is the good life: Is it the selfish, pleasure-sought life of Callicles, or the life of Socrates which is committed to the pursuit of philosophy, the uncovering of virtue, and the cultivation of them? Callicles’ view, although false, is notoriously difficult, however, for Socrates to undermine. Callicles is as equally vehement as Socrates is in confirmation of his own view. Socrates seeks to show, however, that Callicles is inconsistent with himself, seeing that he feels he knows what Callicles believes better than Callicles himself does.

Plato, and John M Cooper. “Republic.” Plato Complete Works. Hackett Publishing Company, 1997. The subject of this dialogue is true to the original title of the work, which was, “On Justice.” It begins similarly to many other dialogues, that is, with a discussion of the nature of justice and a successive refutation of the opinions of Socrates’ interlocutors. The book transitions in the second part to Socrates seeking to give a positive account of what justice is without refuting the opinions of others. He goes on to explore the nature of justice, human desires, and the other virtues, along with their corresponding vices, both at the individual as well as at the corporate, political level. The basic question about justice, according to Socrates is not so much what it is, but why the one who practices it leads the good, happy life, whereas the one who scorns it, a bad, unhappy life....