Autor: Plato

Buch: Gorgias

Titel: Gorgias

Stichwort: Callicles (Kallikles) über Philosophie; Sokrates

Kurzinhalt: ... when I see an older man who hasn't dropped philosophy, but is still practising it, Socrates, I think it is he who deserves a thrashing.

Textausschnitt: A certain amount of philosophy helps one to become a cultured person, and it's fine to take it that far; there's nothing wrong with studying philosophy in one's teens. But it's a ridiculous thing for a person still to be studying philosophy even later in life, Socrates. I feel the same way about doing (485b) philosophy as I do about stammering and playfulness. I enjoy seeing a child stammer and play games when he's still young enough for this kind of behaviour to be expected from him; it's pleasantly unaffected, I think, and appropriate to the child's age. When I hear a young child coming out with fluent sentences, however, it seems harsh, grates on my ears, and strikes me as degrading somehow. On the other hand, the phenomenon of a grown man stammering or playing childish games seems (485c) ridiculous and immature, and you want to give him a good thrashing. (Fs; 67f) (notabene)

That's how I feel about people who do philosophy as well. I don't mind seeing a young lad take up philosophy: it seems perfectly appropriate. It shows an open mind, I think, whereas neglect of philosophy at this age signifies pettiness and condemns a man to a low estimation of his own worth and potential. (485d) On the other hand, when I see an older man who hasn't dropped philosophy, but is still practising it, Socrates, I think it is he who deserves a thrashing. You see, as I said a moment ago, under these circumstances even a naturally gifted person isn't going to develop into a real man, because he's avoiding the heart of his community and the thick of the agora, which are the places where, as Homer tells us, a man 'earns distinction'.1 Instead he spends the rest of his life sunk out of sight, whispering in a corner with three or four young men, rather than giving open (485e) expression to important and significant ideas. (Fs)

I'm quite fond of you, Socrates, and that's why I react to you in the same way, as it happens, that Euripides had Zethus (whose words I quoted a moment ago) react to Amphion. I'm moved to copy Zethus ta