The most popular understanding of Socratic method, portrayed in the 1973 movie,The Paper
Chase, amounts to sophistic intimidation and the abuse of authority. A gentler version, often called
Socratic seminars or circles, enables students to query one another. In the hands of a skilled teacher,
this method provides students with questions to ponder rather than answers to memorize. One can
make a case that this understanding originated with Plato’s nephew and successor at the Academy,
Speusippus.^1 This“Neopythagorean”approach to Plato has been succeeded over the centuries
down to what is often called today a doctrinal, dogmatic, or analytical approach to the text.
Here the focus is almost exclusively on the argument.^2 The notion of Socratic method, however,
contains the notion of a“way”(hodos), present as well in theepanodos,the rough, steep“way up”
of the cave image (Republic, 515e). The point of Plato’s use of“way”in such passages points to a
second, and to my mind more important, understanding of philosophy as a“way”of life. This
understanding of method is indicated by the term“Socratic existence”in my title. Characteristically
such a starting point leads one to understand the dialogs not primarily as arguments but as
“philosophical dramas.”^3 Using such an approach, the drama appears through the argument, which
makes the argument the occasion for the drama, or“action,”as Strauss called it.^4 But what kind
of drama?
To answer that question we must be more specific. For many years, I have taught theEuthyphro
and theApologyas part of an introductory course in political theory.^5 The chief reason for assigning
theApologyin an undergraduate course is that, like the Athenian jury, undergraduates know little
about philosophy.^6 A second reason is that theEuthyphrois deeply ironical and often comical,
which is a clear pedagogical aid. Indeed Euthyphro’s very name is a joke.Eu/the/phronis“an
agglomeration of syllables”that sounds like“the good god’s judgment”or“good as god’s judg-
ment”among others.^7 This raises an interesting hermeneutical question: does the obvious comedy
of theEuthyphroand its connection to theApologyindicate that the latter dialog is also comedic?
Such a possibility contradicts such respectable interpretations as that of Brickhouse and Smith
for whom Socrates’defense was“sincere and effective,”to say nothing of Hegel’s famous pro-
clamation that theApologywas tragic.^8 Even so, there are several persuasive studies of the parodic
features of Socrates’address to the jury, though few go so far as to suggest that his being on trial for
his life is in any way funny. Yet philological evidence indicates the literary origin of the Socratic
dialog lies in“habitually comic”Syracusian and Attic mimes and in Attic comedy;^9 afew
commentaries hint at comic elements in Socrates’speeches.^10
A more interesting interpretive question concerns the affinity of comedy and philosophy.
Externally, Socrates’“look,”his ugliness, his peculiar gait, bug-eyes, baldness, and pot belly, all
are indices of a comic persona.^11 In thePhilebus(48a–50c) Socrates and Protarchus discuss the
experiences associated with tragedy and comedy and the occasions in which they occur. The
ridiculous or laughable (gelion) involves the opposite to the Delphic inscription,“know thyself.”
Accordingly, when humans think they are wealthier, handsomer, wiser, or more virtuous than
they are, this conceit is either hateful, if the individual is strong, or laughable if weak. Either way,
frankie
(Frankie)
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