Euthydemus (dialogue)
Encyclopedia
Euthydemus written 380 BCE, is dialogue by Plato
which satirizes what Plato presents as the logical fallacies of the Sophists
. It describes a visit paid by Socrates
and various youths to two brothers, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus
, both of whom are prominent Sophists. The main purpose of Euthydemus is to contrast Socratic
argumentation and education with those of Sophism, to the detriment of the latter. As in many of the dialogues
, the two Sophists whom Socrates argues against, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus
, were indeed real people. Euthydemus was somewhat famous at the time the dialogue was written, and is mentioned several times by both Plato and Aristotle
. Likewise, Dionysodorus is mentioned by Xenophon
. The dialogue contrasts Socrates' manner with that of the brothers. Throughout the dialogue, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus continually attempt to ensnare Socrates with what are presented as deceptive and meaningless arguments, primarily to demonstrate their professed philosophical
superiority.
'. This literally means "designed for wrangling" ('eris' meaning 'strife' in Greek). No matter how one attempts to refute eristic
arguments, the argument is designed so that any means of refutation will fail. For example, at one point, Euthydemus attempts to prove the impossibility of falsehood.
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
which satirizes what Plato presents as the logical fallacies of the Sophists
Sophism
Sophism in the modern definition is a specious argument used for deceiving someone. In ancient Greece, sophists were a category of teachers who specialized in using the tools of philosophy and rhetoric for the purpose of teaching aretê — excellence, or virtue — predominantly to young statesmen and...
. It describes a visit paid by Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
and various youths to two brothers, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus of Caunus was an ancient Greek mathematician.- Life and work :Little is known about the life of Dionysodorus...
, both of whom are prominent Sophists. The main purpose of Euthydemus is to contrast Socratic
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
argumentation and education with those of Sophism, to the detriment of the latter. As in many of the dialogues
Socratic dialogue
Socratic dialogue is a genre of prose literary works developed in Greece at the turn of the fourth century BC, preserved today in the dialogues of Plato and the Socratic works of Xenophon - either dramatic or narrative - in which characters discuss moral and philosophical problems, illustrating a...
, the two Sophists whom Socrates argues against, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus of Caunus was an ancient Greek mathematician.- Life and work :Little is known about the life of Dionysodorus...
, were indeed real people. Euthydemus was somewhat famous at the time the dialogue was written, and is mentioned several times by both Plato and Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
. Likewise, Dionysodorus is mentioned by Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
. The dialogue contrasts Socrates' manner with that of the brothers. Throughout the dialogue, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus continually attempt to ensnare Socrates with what are presented as deceptive and meaningless arguments, primarily to demonstrate their professed philosophical
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
superiority.
Eristic argument
Plato defines Euthydemus' and Dionysodorus' argumentation as 'eristicEristic
Eristic, from the ancient Greek word Eris meaning wrangle or strife, often refers to a type of argument where the participants fight and quarrel without any reasonable goal....
'. This literally means "designed for wrangling" ('eris' meaning 'strife' in Greek). No matter how one attempts to refute eristic
Eristic
Eristic, from the ancient Greek word Eris meaning wrangle or strife, often refers to a type of argument where the participants fight and quarrel without any reasonable goal....
arguments, the argument is designed so that any means of refutation will fail. For example, at one point, Euthydemus attempts to prove the impossibility of falsehood.
"Non-facts do not exist do they?"
"No, they don't."
"And things which do not exist do not exist anywhere, do they?"
"No."
"Now, is it possible for things which do not exist to be the object of any action, in the sense that things which do not exist anywhere can have anything done to them?
"I don't think so."
"Well then, when politicians speak in the Assembly, isn't that an activity?"
"Yes, it is."
"And if it's an activity, they are doing something.?"
"Yes."
"Then speech is activity, and doing something.?"
He agreed.
"So no one speaks non-existent things: I mean, he would already, in speaking, be doing something, and you have agreed that it is impossible for non-existent things to have anything done to them by anybody. So you have committed to the view that lies never happen: if Dionysodorus speaks, he speaks facts–that is, truth."
Characters
- SocratesSocratesSocrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
- CritoCrito of AlopeceCrito of Alopece was a faithful, probably lifelong companion of Socrates. The two had evidently grown up together as friends, being from the same deme and of roughly the same age...
- Cleinias
- EuthydemusEuthydemosEuthydemos and Euthydemus are two English transcriptions of the same name in Greek. There are two characters of this name in Socratic literature. In Book I of The Memorabilia, Xenophon relates Critias' passion for the young Euthydemos and how Socrates mocked him for it: "Socrates had observed...
- DionysodorusDionysodorusDionysodorus of Caunus was an ancient Greek mathematician.- Life and work :Little is known about the life of Dionysodorus...
- Ctesippus
Translations
- Benjamin JowettBenjamin JowettBenjamin Jowett was renowned as an influential tutor and administrative reformer in the University of Oxford, a theologian and translator of Plato. He was Master of Balliol College, Oxford.-Early career:...
, 1871 - http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthydemus.html - Walter Rangeley Maitland Lamb, 1882 - http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plat.+Euthyd.+271a