Aither is a double-blind peer review, Open Access online academic journal. It is indexed at ERIH+ and Scopus. It is published by the Faculty of Arts of the Palacký University in Olomouc in cooperation with the Philosophical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. It comes out twice a year. Every second issue is international and contains foreign-language articles (mainly in English, but also in German and French). The journal is registered under the number ISSN 1803-7860.

Aither 20/2018 (International issue no. 5):50-65 | DOI: 10.5507/aither.2018.007

Socrates as the Paradigmatic Figure of Practical Philosophy

Matúš Porubjak
Department of Philosophy and Applied Philosophy, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava

This philosophical essay aims to return to the Socratic problem, ask it anew, and make an attempt to find its possible solution. In the introduction, the author briefly discusses to genesis of the Socratic problem and the basic methodological problems we encounter when dealing with it. Further on, it defines five basic sources of information about Socrates on which the interpretation tradition is based. Then the author outlines two key features of Socrates' personality, aligned with the vast majority of sources: (1) Socrates' belief that he has no theoretical knowledge; (2) Socrates' predilection towards practical questions, and the practical dimension of his activity. In conclusion, the author expresses his belief that it is just this practical dimension of philosophy that has been in the 'blind spot' of the modern study of Socrates which paid too much attention to the search for his doctrine. The history of philosophy, however, does not only have to be the history of doctrines, but can also be the history of reflected life practices which inspire followers in their own practices while reflecting on them. The author therefore proposes to understand the historical Socrates as the paradigmatic figure of practical philosophy.

Published: September 30, 2018  Show citation

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Porubjak, M. (2018). Socrates as the Paradigmatic Figure of Practical Philosophy. Aither, 10(20), 50-65. doi: 10.5507/aither.2018.007
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