Socrates and Callicles in TGL Flashcards
What question does Socrates raise about Callicles’ “superior” people?
He asks whether they rule themselves as well as others, suggesting that true power requires self-control.
Why does Callicles reject self-discipline?
He sees it as foolish and unnatural, arguing that happiness comes from expanding one’s desires and satisfying them without restriction.
Why does Callicles view conventional morality as oppressive?
He believes it was invented by the weak to control the strong, preventing them from fully enjoying life.
What kind of life does Callicles advocate for?
A life where the strongest individuals seek pleasure freely, using cleverness and courage to satisfy their desires.
How does Socrates challenge Callicles’ idea of unlimited desire?
He argues that an uncontrolled person is not free but enslaved by their desires, leading to constant dissatisfaction.
What does Socrates say about powerful people who lack self-discipline?
He claims they are like tyrants who can never be satisfied, living in fear and chasing fleeting pleasures.
How does Callicles argue against the idea that needing nothing leads to happiness?
He claims that if happiness meant having no desires, then a stone or a corpse would be the happiest of all.
What is the meaning of Socrates’ “leaky jar” analogy?
It illustrates that pleasure is insatiable—if one constantly needs more, they will never find lasting happiness.
What does Socrates mean when he compares fools’ minds to a sieve?
He suggests that those who pursue endless pleasure are like people with leaky minds, unable to retain anything of real value.
How does Socrates contrast the self-controlled and self-indulgent life?
He compares the self-controlled person to someone with full, intact jars while the self-indulgent person must constantly refill their leaking ones.
Why does Callicles think the self-controlled life is not desirable?
He argues that without continuous pleasure, life becomes dull, like a rock that feels nothing.
What does Socrates mean by comparing the pleasure-seeker to a gully-bird?
He suggests that someone endlessly consuming pleasure lives like a helpless, greedy creature, not a truly free person.
How does Socrates connect pleasure to basic needs?
He points out that if hunger and thirst are examples of pleasurable experiences, then pleasure is always tied to lack and suffering.
How does Socrates challenge Callicles’ view on pleasure?
He asks if a life of constant scratching (relieving an itch) is truly happy, showing that not all pleasures are desirable.
How does Socrates use the example of a prostitute to challenge Callicles?
He argues that if all pleasure were good, then a prostitute’s constant indulgence would be the happiest life, which seems absurd.
What key question does Socrates ask Callicles at the end?
He asks if all pleasures are good or if some are bad—forcing Callicles to reconsider his belief that pleasure equals happiness.
