Gorgias II

Callicles takes the position opposite of Socrates and Polus, namely that doing wrong unto others is contemptible. Callicles believes that it is only natural for the strong to rule over the weak, for the powerful to dominate over those without power. He believes that weak and underlings in society always try to take advantage of those in power for a redistribution of resources, which they aren’t strong enough to get for themselves. He claims that, “It’s the weaklings who constitute the majority of the human race who make the rulers. In making these rulers, they look after themselves and their own self interest, and that’s also the criterion they use when they dispense praise and criticism.” In other words, Callicles claims that the majority of the human race are leaches, intent on mooching off the work of others. He claims these people to be upsetting the “natural law.” His cynicism extents even towards philosophers, when he claims, “In actual fact, philosophers don’t understand the legal system, or know how to address either political or private meetings, or what kinds of things people enjoy or desire.” Thus, he expresses a belief that philosophy is an impractical art form, something lofty and out of touch with reality. In his opinion, it is power that one should be concerned with, not abstract ideals and theories. He sees every individual’s duty, not to be concerned with morality, but with advancing in society and increasing one’s lot in life.

Socrates, of course, attacks these premises and whittles away at Callicles argument. Slowly he makes Callicles retract at least some parts of his argument. By the time he claims “The main question I want to ask is whether or not a lifetime spent scratching, itching and scratching, no end of scratching, is also a life of happiness.” Socrates here drives home the point that if all we did was keep trying to give into our wants and desires, which never cease, we can never achieve happiness. It becomes a vicious, endless circle, which never satisfies us, and always leaves us despairing and longing for more. “It is power that leads men to plumb to the depths of depravity,” He declares. Socrates goes on to reinstate his belief that it is better to be harmed than to harm and links this with Callicles argument that Socrates would end up dead, and unable to defend himself before the courts. “He has all the protection he needs if he’s never wronged a fellow human being or god in anything he’s said or done,” Socrates states when Callicles asks him about a fellow member of the community being unable to defend himself. Truly, he is speaking of himself, and of all men, or of how all men ought to be. Indeed, Socrates declares himself to be “The only statesman in all of Athens” because the politicians don’t truly care about making people morally better, just lust for power, thus, they are failures.

It is clear here that Plato aligns himself with Socrates. Plato, like Socrates, had a disdain for democratic politicians, and devoted his life to writing about “the republic” where a Socrates-esque philosopher-king would rule the populace and oversee the moral advancement of his people, and then created The Academy to find this person. In addition, Socrates hints numerous times at “The good” and the inherent, perfect forms of objects, or feelings. This clearly supports Plato’s ethical and ontological beliefs that there are specific forms that things take, all stemming from the universal Good.