Charmides by Plato The subject of this dialogue is a Greek word (which I cannot read (it’s all Greek to me)), which, according to Benjamin Jowett, translator of Plato par excellence, can be translated as Temperance, Moderation, Modesty, Discretion or Wisdom. In this dialogue, Socrates has a merry time (doesn’t he always?) asking people to define the term, and then watching as all the attempts at definition end up circular or absurd. Obviously the people to whom Socrates is … [Read more...] about The Secret of Wisdom
Plato
Courage
Define “Courage.” Go ahead. Try. Really. What is Courage? I’d never given the matter much thought until I read Plato’s Laches, which is an extended discussion on the definition of Courage. Reading the dialogue was easily more time spent thinking about the definition of courage than I had spent in the entire rest of my life until then. Courage is just one of those things that you know it when you see it. I … [Read more...] about Courage