Socrates and Callicles We May

Socrates and Callicles We may view the Gorgias as offering competing visions of the good human life. Callicles can be seen as a proponent of the political life; Socrates as a proponent of the philosophical life. Compare and contrast Callicles and Socrates on the value of these two lives. What are their dangers and advantages, according to Callicles and Socrates? Who is right? Why? According to Callicles, in the world of politics, might makes right, and the reality of the political life is that strength will triumph.

Socrates values truth, and rather than pleasure and personal satisfaction, justice is a better goal to pursue in life. Physical, brute strength does not mean one is the superior leader, although Callicles would counter that in the real world, a stronger man can always use his violence to silence the philosopher's tongue. Callicles advocates the skillful use of rhetoric in politics to deal with the demands of the real world.

While Callicles says that philosophy has its place in the education of the young, to discipline the mind and to teach eloquent speech, to focus overmuch on it to the exclusion of the other arts is not productive. It is not the way that 'the real world works.' Callicles' attitude is analogous to some people who say that a liberal arts education is not valuable, because it does not translate into immediate job benefits.

It is also analogous to the argument that diplomacy and understanding other cultures is pointless because ultimately, the world is governed on 'dog-eat-dog' principles.

Callicles argues, prophetically, that even if Socrates may be technically correct on some of his points as a philosopher, Socrates does not have the ability to sway the emotions of the masses, as is necessary when making a case before a jury: "Neither in a court of justice could you state a case, or give any reason or proof, offer valiant counsel on another's behalf." On a very basic level, Callicles' argument is tautological: he argues that because 'that is the way things are, then that is the way they must be.' However, on a practical level, he has some justification: "An art which converts a man of sense into a fool, who is helpless, and has no power to save either himself or others, when he is in the greatest danger and is going to be despoiled by his enemies of all his goods, and has to live, simply deprived of his rights of citizenship? -- he being a man who, if I may use the expression, may be boxed on the ears with impunity.

Then, my good friend, take my advice, and refute no more." In short, you must learn to take care of yourself and deal with current circumstances -- refusing to participate in 'the system' will only cause you harm, and by extension, harm to those you care about. If politicians did not learn to deal with the real world on a practical level, nothing would get accomplished, including social justice.

That is why people think little of individuals who do not work at anything practical, and merely philosophize -- often living off of the good will of others. Callicles positions himself as a great orator, but Socrates states that the humbleness of philosophy and its necessity is what makes it great -- in other words, Callicles' advocacy of the political life does not involve real, material work, but only empty hot air.

Knowing how to philosophize is as necessary as knowing how to swim: "Surely swimming saves a man from death, there are occasions on which he must know how to swim. And if you despise the swimmers, I will tell you of another and greater art, the art of the pilot, who not only saves the souls of men, but also their bodies and properties from the extremity of danger, just like rhetoric.

Yet his art is modest and unpresuming: it has no airs or pretences of doing anything extraordinary." Socrates says that the governing.