Plato, Crito | Socrates on The Many and the Wise | Philosophy Core Concepts

Summary

In this philosophical discourse, Dr. Gregory Sadler explores a pivotal concept from Plato's dialogue, 'Crito.' Socrates distinguishes between the value of public opinion versus the wisdom of experts, emphasizing the importance of heeding knowledgeable advice over the fickle sentiments of the masses. He argues that while the many can neither make one wise nor foolish, an expert's guidance is invaluable, leading to beneficial outcomes. Socrates advocates for moral discernment, suggesting that the opinions of the knowledgeable, especially in matters of ethics, are paramount for preserving one's soul and integrity.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Dr. Gregory Sadler is a philosophy professor and founder of Reason IO, an educational consulting company.
• 📚 He has over 20 years of experience studying and teaching philosophy, aiming to make classic philosophical texts accessible.
• 📈 Dr. Sadler produces lecture videos for YouTube to help students and lifelong learners understand complex philosophical concepts.
• 🤔 In the script, Socrates discusses the importance of discerning whose opinions should hold weight in our decision-making.
• 👥 Socrates challenges the idea that the opinions of the many (public opinion) should dictate our actions, suggesting they lack consistency and expertise.
• 🧠 He argues that the many cannot make a person wise or foolish, as individuals have the choice to follow or ignore public opinion.
• 🏥 Socrates uses the analogy of seeking a personal trainer to illustrate the importance of consulting experts for advice rather than relying on public opinion.
• 💡 The dialogue emphasizes the value of expertise and knowledge in guiding our actions, especially in areas like health, finance, and morality.
• 🌟 Socrates points out that the opinions of the many can lead to harmful consequences due to their lack of truth and understanding.
• 📖 The script references Plato's dialogues, particularly 'Crito', where Socrates discusses moral values and the importance of making decisions based on knowledge rather than popularity.
• 🔍 The video series aims to explore core philosophical concepts from important texts, encouraging viewers to consider the source and validity of opinions that influence their lives.

Q & A

Who is Dr. Gregory Sadler and what is his role at Reason IO?

Dr. Gregory Sadler is a professor of philosophy and the president and founder of an educational consulting company called Reason IO, where he applies philosophy to practical situations.

What is the primary focus of Dr. Sadler's YouTube videos?

Dr. Sadler's YouTube videos primarily focus on explaining core concepts from important philosophical texts in a way that is accessible to students and lifelong learners.

In the context of the script, what is the main distinction Socrates makes in Plato's dialogue, the Crito?

Socrates makes a distinction between the opinions of the many (public opinion) and the opinions of the wise or knowledgeable (expertise), emphasizing the importance of valuing the latter over the former.

Why does Socrates argue that the opinions of the many do not matter?

Socrates argues that the opinions of the many do not matter because they are not valuable, as they lack consistency and good grounds for their views, and they can neither make a person wise nor truly harm them in what matters most.

How does Socrates respond to Crito's suggestion that they should escape because the many can kill him?

Socrates responds by stating that the many cannot truly harm him in what matters most, and therefore, he should not be concerned about public opinion.

What example does Socrates use to illustrate the importance of seeking expert advice rather than following public opinion?

Socrates uses the example of seeking a personal trainer for health and fitness, suggesting that one should go to someone with expertise rather than following the unhealthy habits of the many.

What does Socrates imply about the nature of moral values in the dialogue?

Socrates implies that moral values are objective and can be understood and applied by those who possess knowledge and expertise in moral matters, rather than being subjective as often perceived by society.

What are the three modalities of moral values that Socrates refers to in the script?

The three modalities of moral values that Socrates refers to are the just versus unjust, the honorable versus dishonorable, and the good versus bad.

Why does Socrates emphasize the importance of listening to the wise rather than the many when making moral decisions?

Socrates emphasizes the importance of listening to the wise because their opinions are based on knowledge and expertise, leading to better outcomes and protecting what is most valuable in a person, their soul or integrity.

What question does Dr. Sadler leave for the viewers to consider regarding the wise person in Plato's or Socrates' philosophy?

Dr. Sadler leaves the viewers with the question of who the wise person would be for Plato or Socrates, and whether the laws discussed in another dialogue might substitute for such a person.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Philosophy and Practical Wisdom

Dr. Gregory Sadler introduces himself as a professor of philosophy and founder of Reason IO, an educational consulting firm. He discusses his experience in teaching philosophy and helping people understand complex philosophical texts. Dr. Sadler mentions his YouTube lectures and introduces a new series of videos focusing on core concepts from philosophical texts. He uses Plato's dialogue, 'Crito,' to illustrate Socrates' distinction between the opinions of the many and the knowledgeable few, emphasizing the importance of valuing expert opinions over public opinion.

05:02

🏥 Seeking Expertise Over Public Opinion

Dr. Sadler continues his discussion on the importance of expert knowledge over public opinion, using practical examples such as personal training and financial planning. He argues that while public opinion may seem influential, it lacks the consistency and expertise to guide individuals effectively. Socrates, in the dialogue, challenges the idea that the many can make a person wise or foolish, suggesting that their opinions are not valuable and can lead to harmful consequences. The dialogue highlights the need to seek advice from those with genuine knowledge and competence in a field rather than following the crowd.

10:02

📚 Moral Understanding and the Value of Expertise

In the final paragraph, Dr. Sadler delves into the importance of moral understanding and the role of experts in guiding ethical decisions. He discusses the ancient Greek concepts of justice, honor, and goodness, and how Socrates emphasizes the value of listening to those with a solid understanding of moral values. The paragraph contrasts the potential damage of following the many with the benefits of heeding the advice of the knowledgeable. It concludes by posing a question about who the ideal person with moral expertise might be for Plato or Socrates and whether the laws could serve as a substitute for such individuals.

Keywords

💡Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. In the video, Dr. Gregory Sadler emphasizes the importance of philosophy by discussing how it can be applied to practical life situations, indicating that while philosophical texts can be challenging, the core concepts are crucial for understanding life and making decisions.

💡Classic Philosophical Texts

Classic philosophical texts refer to significant works in the history of philosophical thought, often written by renowned philosophers. Dr. Sadler mentions that these texts can be difficult to read due to their language and structure, but he aims to simplify these complexities to help students and lifelong learners grasp the underlying ideas.

💡Public Opinion

Public opinion refers to the collective view of a community or society on various issues. In the script, Socrates questions the value of public opinion, suggesting that it lacks consistency and depth, and therefore should not be the guiding force in making important decisions, especially those related to one's moral and ethical life.

💡Expertise

Expertise implies a high level of knowledge or skill in a specific area. Dr. Sadler contrasts the opinions of the many with the advice of experts, arguing that the latter is more reliable and beneficial. He uses examples such as seeking advice from a dietician or financial planner to illustrate the importance of expertise in decision-making.

💡Moral Values

Moral values are principles concerning what is right and wrong, and they guide behavior and decision-making. The video discusses the importance of understanding and adhering to moral values, which Socrates suggests are best understood by those with knowledge and wisdom, rather than following the crowd.

💡Socrates

Socrates is a central figure in Western philosophy, known for his Socratic method of questioning and dialogue. In the video, Socrates is portrayed as making a critical distinction regarding whose opinions should be valued, emphasizing the importance of wisdom and knowledge over the opinions of the many.

💡Credo

Credo is a character in Plato's dialogue who offers to help Socrates escape execution. The dialogue between Socrates and Credo serves as a platform for Socrates to articulate his philosophical views on the importance of moral integrity and the value of expert advice over public opinion.

💡Reason IO

Reason IO is an educational consulting company founded by Dr. Sadler. It is mentioned as an example of putting philosophy into practice, which aligns with the video's theme of making philosophical concepts accessible and applicable to everyday life.

💡Knowledgeable

Being knowledgeable implies having a deep understanding or being well-informed about a subject. In the context of the video, Socrates argues for the importance of heeding the advice of knowledgeable individuals, especially in matters of morality and ethics, as opposed to the potentially harmful advice of the uninformed masses.

💡Consistency

Consistency refers to the quality of being steady and invariable. Socrates critiques the opinions of the many for their lack of consistency, suggesting that their changing views are not reliable guides for making important decisions, unlike the stable and informed opinions of experts.

💡Harmful Consequences

Harmful consequences are negative outcomes that result from actions or decisions. The video script uses this term to highlight Socrates' argument that following the opinions of the many can lead to detrimental effects on one's life, especially in contrast to the beneficial outcomes that can come from heeding the advice of the knowledgeable.

Highlights

Dr. Gregory Sadler introduces himself as a professor of philosophy and founder of Reason IO, an educational consulting company.

Sadler has over 20 years of experience studying and teaching philosophy, aiming to make classic philosophical texts accessible.

He discusses the creation of a new series of short videos focusing on core concepts from important philosophical texts.

In Plato's dialogue, Socrates makes a distinction about whose opinions should hold weight.

Socrates questions whether public opinion or the opinion of the wise should matter more.

The dialogue explores the idea that the opinions of the many can neither make a person wise nor stupid.

Socrates argues that the many's opinions are not valuable because they lack consistency and expertise.

Public opinion is likened to acting and deciding at random, without good grounds for consistency.

Sadler uses the analogy of choosing a personal trainer based on public opinion versus seeking an expert's advice.

The discussion extends to financial planning, where public opinion is contrasted with the advice of a financial planner.

Socrates suggests that the opinions of the many can lead to harmful consequences, unlike those of the knowledgeable.

The dialogue emphasizes the importance of moral values and the objective nature of what is good and bad.

Socrates discusses the three modalities of moral values: just vs. unjust, honorable vs. dishonorable, and good vs. bad.

The wise person is described as someone with understanding or knowledge of moral values and their application.

Socrates contrasts the potential damage to one's soul from following the many with the growth potential from following the wise.

The video concludes with a question about who the knowledgeable person might be for Plato or Socrates.

Transcripts

hi this is dr. Gregory Sadler I'm a

professor of philosophy and the

president and founder of an educational

consulting company called reason IO

where we put philosophy into practice

I've studied and taught philosophy for

over 20 years and I find that many

people run into difficulties reading

classic philosophical texts sometimes

it's the way things are said or how the

text is structured but the concepts

themselves are not always that

complicated and that's where I come in

to help students and lifelong learners

I've been producing longer lecture

videos and posting them to youtube many

viewers say they find them useful what

you're currently watching is part of a

new series of shorter videos each of

them focused on one core concept from an

important philosophical text I hope you

find it useful as well in Plato's

dialogue the credo Socrates makes a very

important distinction and spells outs in

some implications of that to his his

friend and student credo who has bribed

the guards is ready to take Socrates

away to another place and a saying look

you don't have to stay here and be

executed in Athens Socrates let's get

out while the getting's good

it's the day before or perhaps two days

before he's going to be executed

so credo makes the case to Socrates and

Socrates says well let's let's think

about this that's where this distinction

comes in that is is very important it

runs throughout Plato's works it's also

one that's very important in general for

philosophy and here in this one Plato is

going to frame it in terms of whose

opinions should we care about whose

opinion should actually hold weight

should we pay attention to what the many

think public opinion Society perhaps

even a smaller group you know what our

friends think what our family thinks or

should we have a different criterion for

who's

opinions matter should we look to the

wise or the knowledgeable the person who

actually has some sort of expertise or

competency in an area in a subject in a

matter and Socrates says look credo I

know that you think that the many mattr

but let's remind ourselves about this

sort of thing the opinions of the many

don't really matter because they're not

valuable so let's look at the the many

first and Socrates discussion of that he

says that they can't make a person wise

as a matter of fact they can't even make

a person stupid that's an interesting

thing to say because you would think

that following the opinions of them and

he would actually make the person stupid

but that's the choice of the individual

who doesn't have to follow public

opinion who doesn't have to say well

everybody else thinks this way so I'm

gonna think that way as well credo says

look they can kill you you've got

worried about public opinion because

they can hurt you Socrates says they

can't really hurt you they also can't

really help you if they could in fact

hurt you in what matters the most in

what is is truly valuable then they

could also help you with that but they

can't actually do any of that why well

because they act and decide and talk as

he says at random by chance they're not

fixed they they change their mind from

point to point to point

they don't have consistency even when

they are consistent they don't have good

grounds for their consistency so we

don't want to worry about what the many

think the last thing that he also says

is that look why are their opinions bad

not only are they untruthful but they

lead to harmful consequences and

Socrates uses examples as he often does

to try to drive this home he says if

you're going to go to a personal trainer

you wouldn't want to just pick any you

know Joe off the street or like take a

public opinion thing think of

here in America if you know where we

struggle with obesity and and all sorts

of you know being out of shape and the

sedentary lifestyle if you were just to

go to regular people and say let's just

do it you know public opinion poll how

should I do what sort of exercise

routine should I do and you weren't just

you know looking at what they give lip

service to but in fact how they live

then you would live like the rest of

them and you would probably be you know

not that healthy now on the other hand

if you actually want to know what is

healthy you need to go to somebody who

actually has some competency of that you

know perhaps several people maybe a

dietician should I eat this should I

avoid this or a specialist and exercise

what kind of exercises can I can I begin

doing if I'm out of shape what should I

be building towards how often should I

do it per week you don't just go into

any old person or you know public

opinion writ large you go to somebody

who actually knows something about that

same thing with with money again a great

example here for contemporary Americans

even before the financial crisis we had

a negative savings rate that meant that

people were going further and further

into debt rather than actually

accumulating assets and you know saving

because you know they were they were

engaged in what we call consumer

spending so if you're gonna say well you

know what do a lot of people think we

ought to do you've got some money should

you save it how should you be saving it

or should you go blow it a lot of people

blow it if there's always going to be

other money to be made you don't have to

worry about retirement for a long time

is that what a financial plan I'm going

to tell you a financial planner is

somebody presumably who has some

background in handling money and some

sort of expertise in that and they would

say no actually you need to be saving

some honey so you know we could think

about this with all sorts of things you

know Socrates has examples of you know

horsemanship and exercise and diet but

we can think of this in terms of all

sorts of avenues of our life you know

relationships what kind of house we

ought to

yeah you know if we're gonna have a

house or should we rent or you know what

can a car should I get a new car should

I you know buy old cars and make them

last all these sorts of things we could

go with the many what it is that our

culture what is that public opinion is

telling us or we can go with somebody

who actually knows something so let's

look at the expert now Socrates says

some people at least in some things

actually understand the manner that

we're looking at why do they understand

it because they possess some knowledge

they possess some expertise and where

did they get that from that's a question

that he doesn't actually explore here

but you know we can talk about that in

terms of skills or crafts or sciences in

many other Platonic dialogues here he's

concerned with who actually does

understand the matter and then he know

it's this kind of person is going to be

very helpful

they're good their opinion is good

because it leads to good results the

opinions of the many may seem to be good

in the short term but they're actually

going to be harmful towards you the

opinions of the person who actually has

some knowledge assuming that he's in you

know letting you in on it and he's not

just screwing around with you but he's

really acting in in good faith I'm

telling you this is this would be good

for you this is what you ought to do

that's going to be helpful for you so a

dietician will help you to you know lose

weight or start eating more healthy or

get the nutrients that you need in your

diet a good counselor for anger

management will teach you how to learn

to identify when you're getting angry

and cut that off before it begins to

make you you know lose control we could

go down the list of that sort of things

in this case what are we talking at them

Socrates says the person that we're

really interested in here because we're

talking about you know making a decision

about what we ought to do is the one who

has a solid understanding of moral

values now that may sound a little

strange to you at first

and that's actually a sign of how bad

our culture is

we tend to say what people have values

and we look at in a very subjective way

Plato thought of this in terms of

something more objective that there

actually were right and wrong good and

bad you could arrange things in kind of

a hierarchy and some people were well

oriented towards that other people were

totally off in in their own sort of lala

land and out of touch with what those

values were they may have had their own

values for example if somebody thinks

that making a ton of money is the best

thing in life Plato would say sure that

person has that belief they're wrong

they actually are out of touch with what

is in fact really good for them and he

talks in terms of three modalities here

the ancient Greeks had a number of

different valued words that were very

important just versus unjust you know

what is right in the situation what is

called for by say the laws are called

for by propriety what what is the right

thing to do or what would be the wrong

thing to do where am i violating

somebody's rightful claims on me were

they I actually owe them something

that's one important modality of moral

values another one that he talks about

this was very important for the ancient

Greeks it's also very important for us

although we use different language for

it is the honorable and the dishonorable

or sometimes you'll see it translated as

the noble and the base or the beautiful

and the ugly the Cologne and I scone the

Greeks that'll you know these two terms

that were used for all these different

types of value and you know some of this

we might say well that's purely

aesthetic what's beautiful or what's

ugly but we can talk in terms of moral

beauty if you say that person is a

beautiful person and you don't just mean

looking at their form that you know they

turn you on or something like that

but you mean I really like the person

that they are I think there's something

something awesome about them something

breathtaking something startling

something I really admire

so we would call in this case the

Honorable on the other hand if you say

that person disgusts me by the kind of

person that they are now you're talking

about the dishonorable the ice phone and

then there's the the good versus the bad

this is showing us that it doesn't all

fit into these two neat categories of

the just and unjust and the noble and

the base or the the fine and the the

ignoble or however you want to put it

there's also goodness and badness in

other modalities and Socrates is not

spending time here trying to to explain

this to us he's just sort of citing this

and he does this in other dialogues as

well particularly the gorgeous where he

uses exactly those same categories

Aristotle believes those categories as

well so in any case the wise person

actually has understanding or knowledge

of what is in general you know good or

bad and then they can apply it to

particular cases

now why bring up all this Socrates says

in this case who do we want to listen to

do we want to listen to the many who are

wrong and whose views are actually bad

because they're harmful they damage not

only one's own interests or something

like that but they damage what's most

valuable in a person that is their soul

or personality what it is that makes

them them their integrity you might

think of it if you rely on the many in

moral matters to make sense of things

you're really taking a big risk of

getting a lettuce tray on the other hand

if you go to somebody who actually is

knowledgeable about moral matters they

may not only you know help you out in

that situation and say well here's what

you need to do so that you don't damage

you know what's most valuable about you

you may actually get in them somebody

who can help you grow and do something

that's even better they're they're

helpful in that respect so Socrates is

saying this is the person that we want

to go to notice that you doesn't say I

am that person by the way

credo he doesn't say who would actually

be that person he's doing something a

bit more negative he's saying forget

these dummies over here we don't need to

listen to them what we want is somebody

like this and so one of the questions

that I'm going to leave you with is well

who would that person be for Plato or

Socrates and are the laws that we're

going to talk about in another concert

video are the laws who are making an

argument are they in some way

substituting for this person