In: Javorská, A. - Kocinová, L. - Wagnerová, S. (eds.): (Meta)filozofia - prax. Bratislava : SFZ, ISBN 978-80-970303-7-7, s. 60-65., 2016
All three Socrates’ opponents, acting in the dialogue Gorgias, understand rhetoric as the noblest... more All three Socrates’ opponents, acting in the dialogue Gorgias, understand rhetoric as the noblest τέχνη, which forms the centerpiece of “practical” (active political) life. Plato’s Socrates, in particular in an interview with Polus, criticized the rhetoric and classified it as pseudo-τέχνη. However, in discussions with Callicles he differentiated rhetoric into two types – one that develops harmful blandishment and the other that cares about the rise of mental good. He named the second type of rhetoric “beautiful” or “truthful”. In this article we will explore how is the truthful the rhetoric different from its rhetorical type and what should be its content and objectives.
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type of life is described. Representative of the first type is a young Athenian politician Callicles, representative
of the second type is Socrates. Aim of this paper is to examine whether such a sharp difference is the only
possible relationship between the political and philosophical way of life in Plato’s thought or whether Plato
was able to find such a solution which would neutralize this distinction. How could he overcome this sharp
difference? Plato’s Socrates is a model of symbiosis – politician-philosopher. His activity, goals to be pursued
and methods to be applied in activities of politician-philosopher – this will be the subject of this paper.
Books
Hippocratic Dietetics and Philosophical Care of the Soul
Summary:
The aim of my essay is to discuss Hippocratic dietetics as a model for construing philosophical ethics in the Classical Era of ancient Greece. I shall demonstrate how the author of De victu and other Hippocratic authors presented medicine (or more specifically dietetics) as a therapeutic technique aiming at independence from the traditional religious beliefs and practices, from the role of chance in our lives, from disadvantages of our particular natural conditions and predispositions, and even from the need of professional medical care. I will also try to distinguish the object of the dietetic health care from the object of the philosophical “care of soul” advocated by Socrates, his contemporaries and followers.
Ulrich Wollner
The Care of the Self in Xenophon’s Memorabilia
Summary: The paper deals with Socrates’ conception of the care of the self in Xenophon’s work Memorabilia. The first part is intended to analyze the relationship between human body and soul. It shows that the main task of the soul is to rule over the body. Accordingly, the man has to know himself, and the self-knowledge is one of the preconditions of the self-care. The second precondition of the care of the self is the continence. Its aim is to dominate the physical needs and pleasures. They play the role of obstacles that the man has to fight against. To be able to defeat one own’s weaknesses, the wise man needs the lifelong training both of his body and soul. Finally, I discuss the self-sufficiency as the main objective of the human endeavour.
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Summary:
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Keywords: Antisthenes – Plato – Cynicism – Language – Logical paradoxes – Ethics of taking care of the self.
Pavol Sucharek
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Summary:
This study will analyze the different nature of dialogue as reflected by Socrates and Levinas. The purpose is to show the possibility of non-epistemological speaking of that kind of knowledge, which mediates the dialogue as a conversation of two. In a certain sense it can be said that we replace the maieutics of Socrates by the dialectics of Plato. This dialectics points to how an ordinary dialogue is being transformed into a relationship of a higher order, or a relationship through which the very meaning of what belongs to the higher or divine order shines through. “To get ahead of Socrates” means in the levinasian perspective to accept “the idea of the infinite” – the infinite demand of the impracticable Good. Therefore a dialogue can be perceived, in this sense, as the starting point of every speculation about ethical knowledge in the primary sense as “a care for the other.”
Eugen Andreanský
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type of life is described. Representative of the first type is a young Athenian politician Callicles, representative
of the second type is Socrates. Aim of this paper is to examine whether such a sharp difference is the only
possible relationship between the political and philosophical way of life in Plato’s thought or whether Plato
was able to find such a solution which would neutralize this distinction. How could he overcome this sharp
difference? Plato’s Socrates is a model of symbiosis – politician-philosopher. His activity, goals to be pursued
and methods to be applied in activities of politician-philosopher – this will be the subject of this paper.