Socrates is often associated with the idea that virtue is knowledge: if a person truly knows what is good, they will act accordingly. In the Platonic tradition influenced by Socratic thought, four principal virtues are commonly identified:
- Wisdom (Sophia)
- Knowledge of what is truly good and how to live rightly.
- For Socrates, wisdom begins with recognizing the limits of one's own knowledge.
- Courage (Andreia)
- The ability to act rightly despite fear or danger.
- Courage is guided by knowledge, not recklessness.
- Temperance (Sophrosyne)
- Self-control, moderation, and mastery over desires and impulses.
- Justice (Dikaiosyne)
- Fairness and giving each person what is due.
- Harmony in both the individual and society. A uniquely Socratic idea is that these virtues are deeply connected and may ultimately be different expressions of a single underlying virtue: knowledge of the good. A person who truly possesses such knowledge will naturally be just, courageous, and temperate.
No comments:
Post a Comment