I. He wrote nothing of his own.
II. The other, primary sources for his life & thoughts are limited and somewhat contradictory.
A. Xenophon- an historian, usu. prefaces his statements with “S once said”- some differences btw. His versions and Plato’s
B. Aristophanes- dramatist- comedian- not necessarily an unfriendly source- The Clouds
C. Plato
1. never claims that S actually said what he reports…;
2. more of an artist; not an historian.
3. Plato had a motive to exaggerate: uses S as a mouthpiece for his own views of the proper role of philosophy and philosophers
D. Classical literary tradition of writing speeches for the prosecution and for the defense at this trial- much wishful thinking, which may infect Plato’s work, too
III. Even the major source- Plato’s dialogues- show some evidence of ‘earlier’ and ‘later’ dialogues, with scholars believing that the earlier better reflect Socrates’ own thoughts: the later, Plato’s.
A. The early Socrates of the Apology, Euthyphro, Crito. Perhaps closest to S’s real teachings? But invented- “he could have said..” not recorded.
a. Exclusively a moral philosopher; no metaphysics
b. No theory of Forms
c. The soul in Crito- “whatever it might be”
d. Elencthus to find knowledge, w/o success
e. Addressed to all moral actors
f. Critical of all forms of government
g. Adversarial: dialogues with consenting interlocutors who claim knowledge, refuting their claims w/o asserting his own
B. The middle Socrates of the Phaedo (and others). More of a mouthpiece for Plato’s own views?
1. The epistemology of the Forms
2. The eternal, transmigrating soul
3. Demonstrative knowledge
4. Elitist
5. Preference for rule of the best
6. Didactic- expounding his truths
C. In all the dialogues, the characters and settings are real; conversations are realistic- they could have taken place. “But they were never intended simply to record Socrates’ actual conversations.”