The Socratic practice, as presented in The Apology through Socrates’s explanation of it and his way of implementing it, relies on its implementer being perceived as truthful and disinterested in wealth, while simultaneously questioning the perceived knowledge amongst individuals of authority. Socrates’s form of philosophical discussion forced the burden of the conversation upon his opponents though this questioning. In the Republic, Socrates provides an apt example of the Socratic practice as he argues against Thrasymachus. The first and foremost aspect of Socrates’s rhetoric is that he claims to speak only the truth. In the Apology, Socrates begins his speech by saying to his fellow Athenians that “From me you will hear the whole truth,
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By appearing earnestly truthful and purely motivated, his audience and opponents will have an easier time accepting the rest of his argument – especially the reason for why Socrates engages in his inquiries. The reason for his practice is presented in the Apology as an “investigation in the service of the god” in which he finds “that those who had the highest reputation were nearly the most deficient, while those who were thought to be inferior were more knowledgeable” (Apology 22a). Assuming this is true, then it makes a great deal of sense as to why Socrates would engage with Thrasymachus. From his presence in Cephalus’s house, one can discern that Thrasymachus is a relatively influential man, since he is clearly not a slave, or else he would not speak so freely, nor would he have demanded a fee. He is known by name amongst the other attendants, as well, furthering the claim that he is of a high reputation. Thrasymachus as described by Socrates is also full of himself and confident in his debating abilities, since after listening to Socrates and Polemarchus, “he could no longer keep quiet; hunched up like a wild beast, he flung himself at us as if to tear us to pieces” (Rep. 336B). By choosing to engage with such a man, Socrates is following one of the basic principles of the Socratic practice as laid out in the
By appearing earnestly truthful and purely motivated, his audience and opponents will have an easier time accepting the rest of his argument – especially the reason for why Socrates engages in his inquiries. The reason for his practice is presented in the Apology as an “investigation in the service of the god” in which he finds “that those who had the highest reputation were nearly the most deficient, while those who were thought to be inferior were more knowledgeable” (Apology 22a). Assuming this is true, then it makes a great deal of sense as to why Socrates would engage with Thrasymachus. From his presence in Cephalus’s house, one can discern that Thrasymachus is a relatively influential man, since he is clearly not a slave, or else he would not speak so freely, nor would he have demanded a fee. He is known by name amongst the other attendants, as well, furthering the claim that he is of a high reputation. Thrasymachus as described by Socrates is also full of himself and confident in his debating abilities, since after listening to Socrates and Polemarchus, “he could no longer keep quiet; hunched up like a wild beast, he flung himself at us as if to tear us to pieces” (Rep. 336B). By choosing to engage with such a man, Socrates is following one of the basic principles of the Socratic practice as laid out in the