The Sophists vs. Socrates: A Philosophical Showdown on Truth and Morality

The Sophists

Their Focus on Practical Reality and Ethics

The Sophists directed their analysis to practical reality, particularly politics and ethics. Traveling extensively, they offered their teaching services for a fee. These professional educators aimed to help citizens achieve social success by teaching rhetoric, oratory, and eristic (the art of argumentation).

Sophists vs. Philosophers

Unlike philosophers, who sought knowledge and truth, the Sophists were more like trainers who imparted knowledge for social advancement. They viewed knowledge as a tool for social privilege, not a means to discover truth.

Two Types of Relativism

1. Theoretical Relativism: This view holds that reality depends on one's perspective. From this standpoint, reality is in constant flux, making fixed and universal truths impossible. Knowledge becomes relative to our perception, rendering the problem of understanding reality unsolvable, as Pythagoras suggested.
2. Practical/Moral Relativism: Skepticism extended to morality and justice, which were seen as conventional constructs. This idea stemmed from the political organization of democracy, which had brought the nobility and common people together. The Sophists' greatest contribution was distinguishing between physis and nomos.

Physis vs. Nomos

Physis refers to the universal and unchanging laws governing nature. Nomos, on the other hand, refers to the political rules and laws regulating citizens' lives. While these laws were supposedly divine and immutable, the Sophists revealed their changeable nature, subject to the customs of the community.

Self-Interest and the Importance of Laws

The Sophists believed that humans are driven by self-interest, and the strong will dominate. Therefore, they emphasized the importance of regulating human behavior through laws.

Protagoras (484-414 BC)

Protagoras, who lived partly in Athens, contributed to its political discourse. Known for his saying "Man is the measure of all things," he defended relativism. His view was that truth is relative to the individual.

Protagoras' Relativism

1. Criterion of Truth: Truth is what we perceive as real. Therefore, all truth is reduced to individual opinion.
2. No Authority Beyond the Individual: There is no political authority higher than the individual. Each person has their own rights and interests.
3. Political Organization: Political organization should arise from the convenience and agreements of citizens, not from imposed rules.

Socrates

Socrates, unlike the aristocracy, defended democratic institutions. His trial and death were a point of contention between democrats and aristocrats.

Socrates' Thought

1. Subjectivity/Objectivity: In contrast to the Sophists' focus on the individual, Socrates emphasized the importance of shared concepts of good and justice. He believed that true knowledge and definitions of these concepts should be shared by all.
2. The Socratic Method (Mayeutica): Socrates used a method of questioning to expose personal prejudices and arrive at shared truths. This involved two dimensions:
   • Irony: Using arguments to reveal the absurdity of contrasting views.
   • Mayeutica: Guiding individuals to discover truth within themselves, leading to shared concepts and universal definitions.
3. Socratic Intellectualism: True knowledge leads to virtuous action. Understanding the good enables one to practice it. The soul, possessing reason and will, can access knowledge and achieve happiness.