Chapter 18. False Kalokagathia

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What we are exploring: What is the relationship between the absence of kalokagathia and rationality?

What's New: Why were some young citizens unhappy, and how did this affect their diet?

What we will learn: Why did the youth follow the false Kalokagathia?

1. What greater proof can you give of citizens' poor and shameful education, if even those who claim to have been raised nobly [the best in everything] feel the need for doctors? And when the need for treatment arises not because of injuries or any illnesses recurring from year to year, but because of idleness and that way of life (Plato, 1994. State. 405 b, d) [1].

2. Without prudence one cannot achieve kalokagathia. Some of the citizens of the polis believed that they were well brought up, and therefore the process of paideia was over. Such a person thought of himself that he had achieved kalokagathia. However, he did not discern the origin of his illness. After all, some diseases were common and could happen to anyone, like colds or injuries. Other illnesses were the result of insufficient education. Plato showed what the flaw in education was. According to Plato, this is the inability to detect the relationship between the origin of the disease and the way of life - the lack of prudence (the ability to think). The responsibility lay with such a citizen, and not with the doctor. Why? Because the ancient Greek paideia was, in essence, a science about the art of living, based on dialectics. This was the art of reasoning to find evidence of the essence of each thing, including what true kalokagathia is.

3. Search for evidence. Their poor upbringing did not allow them to prove to themselves or others why kalokagathia was the best way of life for them.

"Whoever is not able, with the help of proof, to determine the idea of ​​good [the best, ed. author], isolating it from everything else; who does not go, as if on a battlefield, though all obstacles, striving for a refutation based not on opinion, but on understanding of the essence; whoever does not move forward through all this with unshakable confidence, since he is like that, you will say that he does not know either the very good or any good in general, and even if he touches it in some way path to the ghost of good, then only with the help of opinion and not knowledge. Such a human spends his current life in hibernation and dreams, and before he awakens here *, he, having come to Hades, will finally fall into sleep" (italics author) (Plato, 1994. State. 534 b, c) [1].

Due to the lack of conviction about how to live correctly in such a way as to avoid illness, these citizens allowed others to rule them (II fr. 14. 5–8; III fr. 14. 9). Doctors took advantage of their ignorance in this area of ​​their lives (ibid., 404 d, e, 405 a, b).

* According to Socrates, a person is mad if most of his way of thinking is unreasonable. The word "unreason" in the ancient Greek language ánoia (from the "áˮ prefix meaning "no" and "noúsˮ - "reason") - specifically means "no-reason", referring to irrational behavior (mindless actions); "lack of common sense" (I fr. 13.9, 10).

4. The result of ignorance about oneself. Their idleness was a consequence of the fact that they did not know their innate capacity not develop their abilities and therefore were busy with something other than their own (II fr. 8.5, 8). Not minding their own business, they were unhappy, and therefore their lifestyle was chaotic (I fr. 21.10). Accordingly, the food was unsystematic, mostly plentiful, and contained a lot of sweets * (I fr. 4. 1–3, 6; 12. 1, 9, 10) [2]. Plato mentions the Sophists as being partly responsible for the miseducation of these youth.

* In particular, among the huge abundance of confectionery products, it mentions: sweet milk pies, sesame and honey gingerbreads, milk, sesame and honey cakes, honey, and itria (thin honey cookies with sesame). All kinds of sweet cakes, different shapes and contents. Sweet sauces and gravies made from honey and wine syrup for all kinds of cereals and flour products, not counting the whole variety of fruits and nuts of the Mediterranean (Athenaeus, 2010. IX-XV, 643e-648c) [2].

** "The hunt for people, for individuals, for the art of selling for money, for an imaginary education - in other words, the hunt for rich and famous young men should be called sophistry" (Plato, 1993. Sophist. 223b) [3].

 223b) [3]

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5. Responsibility of the Sophists. Plato reproached them for the fact that the sophists, engaged in educating citizens privately and for a large fee, distorted the concept of kalokagathia [1]. In his dialogue "The Sophist" he shows how they manipulate philosophy for self-interest.

"Hypocritical imitation of art, entangling another [reckless, ed. author] in contradictions,  imitation belonging to the part of fine art that creates ghosts and / with the help of speeches, highlighting in creativity not the divine, but the human part of magic [the illusion * of art, ed. by the author]"  (italics by the author) (Plato, 1993. Sophist. 268 d) [3].

* Illusion is a false mental [psychic, ed. author] image created by a misinterpretation of things that exist. Dictionary.com Illusion/Synonymous Research: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/illusion

6. Summary. Some young citizens were unable to achieve Kalokagathia, which was reflected in their poor health. Lack of judgment prevented them from seeing the relationship between the origin of diseases and their lifestyle. The sophists were partly responsible for this state of affairs, who, for the sake of quick profit, created the illusion of Kalokagathia.

However, the social "climate" created by the polis-state contributed to the identification of false kalokagathia, its correction, and in some cases its eradication

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However, the social "climate" created by the polis-state contributed to the identification of false kalokagathia, its correction, and in some cases its eradication. How was this accomplished? The next few chapters will cover this.

Next Chapter: Sample Authenticity

What we are researching: What evidence is there for the development of Kalokagathia in humans?

What's New: Which famous ancient Greeks were outstanding examples of Kalokagathia?

What we will learn: What is the basis for the development of true Kalokagathia?

References

1. Plato. Collected works in 4 volumes. Vol. 3/Translation. from ancient Greek; General ed. A. F. Loseva, V. F. Asmusa, A. A. Takho-Godi; Auto. entry Art. and art. in note A. F. Losev; Note A. A. Tahoe-Godi. – M.: Mysl, 1994. – 654 p., [2] e. – (Philosophical heritage).

2. Athenaeus. Feast of the Wise. Books IX-XV. / Per. and note. N. T. Golinkevich. – M.: Nauka, 2010. – 597 p.

3. Plato Collected Works in 4 volumes. T. 2/General. ed.A. F. Loseva, V. F. Asmusa, A. A. Takho-Godi; Note A. F. Loseva and A. A. Takho-Godi; Translation. from ancient Greek – M.: Mysl, 1993. – 528 p. – (Philosophical heritage).

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