Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Part 1 THE SOCRATIC THEORY OF MOTIVATION
- Part 2 SOCRATIC VALUE
- Chapter 5 The good, the bad, and the neither-good-nor-bad
- Chapter 6 Virtue and happiness: Two different kinds of goods
- Part 3 VIRTUE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HAPPINESS
- Bibliography
- Index locorum
- General index
Chapter 6 - Virtue and happiness: Two different kinds of goods
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Part 1 THE SOCRATIC THEORY OF MOTIVATION
- Part 2 SOCRATIC VALUE
- Chapter 5 The good, the bad, and the neither-good-nor-bad
- Chapter 6 Virtue and happiness: Two different kinds of goods
- Part 3 VIRTUE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HAPPINESS
- Bibliography
- Index locorum
- General index
Summary
What is the relationship between virtue and happiness in Plato's early dialogues? How does Socrates think that virtue and happiness are each to be evaluated with respect to human good? These two questions have fueled many discussions of Socratic ethics and psychology.
Some authors have argued that the relationship between virtue and happiness is one of identity. They claim that Socrates must think that virtue and happiness are simply two different names for the same thing. This is known as the identity thesis.
Others have argued that while virtue and happiness are not identical, virtue is sufficient for happiness. That is, they think that Socrates held the view that whoever is virtuous is happy. This is known as the sufficiency thesis.
Many of the authors who adhere to one of these two positions have used phrases like “intrinsically good” and “good in themselves” in order to characterize happiness as the ultimate human good. Those who subscribe to the identity thesis call virtue “intrinsically good” or “good in itself” as well.
A number of authors have said that, according to Socrates, virtue is the only good. One way to make sense of this is to attribute the identity thesis to Socrates. For no one would deny that Socrates held happiness to be that ultimate human good toward which all desire is directed. And, it would be inconsistent for Socrates to assert that virtue is the only good, while asserting that happiness is the ultimate human good.
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- Socratic VirtueMaking the Best of the Neither-Good-Nor-Bad, pp. 118 - 132Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006