Charmides

by Plato

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The Charmides is a dialogue of Plato, in which Socrates engages a handsome and popular boy in a conversation about the meaning of sophrosyne, a Greek word usually translated into English as ""temperance"", ""self-control"", or ""restraint"". As is typical with Platonic early dialogues, the two never arrive at a completely satisfactory definition, but the discussion nevertheless raises many important points.

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An Interlocutor Calls Socrates On His Bluffs (1) Apophatic Learning: Acquiring Knowledge by Learning What Not to Do (1) Aporia: Systematic Deconstruction of Meaning/Logical Disjunction by Irresolvable Internal Contradictions (1) Charmides {0059.018} (1) Despite Plato’s Claims the Attainment of Self-control/Self-mastery = REFRAINING from Engaging In Self-harmful Actions Which One KNOWS One Should Not Do (1) Despite Plato’s Claims Virtue Cannot Be Synonymous with Knowledge without Proving It (1) Dialogue of Search (1) Health and Self-control Must Not Be Treated in Isolation One from the Other (1) Holistic Healing/The Part Cannot Be Healed Unless the Whole Is (1) Knowing Thyself Is Not the Same as Being Self-controlled (1) Leaves Off on an Open-ended Question (1) Modesty Is Not a Good Companion for a Needy Man (1) Nongender-based Sexuality as Conducive to Less “Cultural” Dualism (1) Ontological Investigation (1) Plato 427-347 (1) Self-control/Self-mastery = the Health of the Soul (1) Sex between Males as Natural Behavior When Females Were Thought of as Necessary Only for Reproduction (1) Socrates Demonstrated That He Mastered His Passions/Possessed Self-control (1) Socratic Definition Dialogue (1) Socratic Dialogue with Prose Dialogue Form (1) Socratic Paradox: Virtue Is Knowledge (1) The Concept of Sexuality as “Identity” Alien before the Twentieth Century (1) The Health of the Body Is Dependent on the Health of the Soul (1) The Necessity of Mastering the Self (1) The Power of Knowledge (1) The Socratic Assumption of Univocality: Distinct Terms Have Distinct Definitions (1) The Soul Must Be Treated/Cured First (1) The Wisest of Men Know That They Know Way More Than Most Men and Way Less Than All There Is to Know (1) The “Know-thyself” Process (1) written: -0387 bc (1)

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3 reviews
I just seriously struggle with Plato. This dialogue in particular was awful. The amount of nonsense he puts in Socrates' mouth is something else. A particular choice example is when he tries to convince Charmides that doing things "quickly" is always better than doing things "slowly and quietly," complete with ridiculously cherry picked examples like athletics. And like basically all Plato's dialogues, every other character just accepts this faulty logic. Somehow none of them thought to bring up the many cases where taking your time and/or being quiet is superior to doing things quickly? Apparently not, since they're all just props to let Socrates-Plato make obviously faulty leaps in logic.
Sócrates é manipulado a inventar uma lorota afim de conversar com o charmoso mancebo Charmides, e então avança a ideia de que a temperança é o catalisador de uma erva tipo aspirina. Ao ser perguntado o que a virtude é, na boa conduta a resposta do jovem quanto a quietude é rejeitada, pois nem sempre boa, assim como a reserva. Será fazer o que é de cada um? Mas o que isso significa? o que conduz a uma discussão sobre o conhecimento e se a sabedoria é a ciência de conhecer o conhecer. Ela seria impossível, porque sem conteúdo próprio, e inútil, por adicionar algo vazio aos conteúdos específicos que estes sim, pertencem a cada arte que tem conteúdo. Talvez devessemos tentar então pensar na sabedoria quanto ao que é show more bom e o que não, mas certamente isso nos desviaria da temperança, terminando assim o diálogo sem conclusão alguma. show less
A simple and basic dialogue that gets to the point integrally and logically.

Overall, a good and quick read.

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2,722+ Works 100,544 Members
Plato was born c. 427 B.C. in Athens, Greece, to an aristocratic family very much involved in political government. Pericles, famous ruler of Athens during its golden age, was Plato's stepfather. Plato was well educated and studied under Socrates, with whom he developed a close friendship. When Socrates was publically executed in 399 B.C., Plato show more finally distanced himself from a career in Athenian politics, instead becoming one of the greatest philosophers of Western civilization. Plato extended Socrates's inquiries to his students, one of the most famous being Aristotle. Plato's The Republic is an enduring work, discussing justice, the importance of education, and the qualities needed for rulers to succeed. Plato felt governors must be philosophers so they may govern wisely and effectively. Plato founded the Academy, an educational institution dedicated to pursuing philosophic truth. The Academy lasted well into the 6th century A.D., and is the model for all western universities. Its formation is along the lines Plato laid out in The Republic. Many of Plato's essays and writings survive to this day. Plato died in 347 B.C. at the age of 80. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
Charmides
Original title
Πλάτων : Χαρμίδης

Classifications

Genres
Philosophy, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
184Philosophy & psychologyAncient, medieval & eastern philosophyPlatonic philosophy
LCC
B366 .A5 .W47Philosophy, Psychology and ReligionPhilosophy (General)By periodAncient
BISAC

Statistics

Members
122
Popularity
266,446
Reviews
3
Rating
½ (3.54)
Languages
5 — English, Finnish, French, German, Greek (Ancient)
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
23
ASINs
4