Donald Robertson

Actually, Uthidima says, where is the first place that I should begin applying philosophy, incidentally? And Socrates says, here. The first thing you should do is start by asking yourself what the goal of life is and what constitutes flourishing, or eudaimonia. So basically, what's good for us and what's bad for us in life.

Actually, Uthidima says, where is the first place that I should begin applying philosophy, incidentally? And Socrates says, here. The first thing you should do is start by asking yourself what the goal of life is and what constitutes flourishing, or eudaimonia. So basically, what's good for us and what's bad for us in life.

Actually, Uthidima says, where is the first place that I should begin applying philosophy, incidentally? And Socrates says, here. The first thing you should do is start by asking yourself what the goal of life is and what constitutes flourishing, or eudaimonia. So basically, what's good for us and what's bad for us in life.

And Euthydemus says, well, okay, so stuff like noble birth, wealth, status, having a nice house, being healthy, having lots of friends are all good. Generally, people think that constitutes good fortune and flourishing in life. And then Socrates basically goes through the list and says, but each one of these things could potentially be bad.

And Euthydemus says, well, okay, so stuff like noble birth, wealth, status, having a nice house, being healthy, having lots of friends are all good. Generally, people think that constitutes good fortune and flourishing in life. And then Socrates basically goes through the list and says, but each one of these things could potentially be bad.

And Euthydemus says, well, okay, so stuff like noble birth, wealth, status, having a nice house, being healthy, having lots of friends are all good. Generally, people think that constitutes good fortune and flourishing in life. And then Socrates basically goes through the list and says, but each one of these things could potentially be bad.

There's another dialogue by Plato where he provides a much clearer counter-argument where he says, okay, so let's start with wealth as the easiest example. Well, in the hands of somebody who's wise and virtuous would allow them to do more wise and virtuous things.

There's another dialogue by Plato where he provides a much clearer counter-argument where he says, okay, so let's start with wealth as the easiest example. Well, in the hands of somebody who's wise and virtuous would allow them to do more wise and virtuous things.

There's another dialogue by Plato where he provides a much clearer counter-argument where he says, okay, so let's start with wealth as the easiest example. Well, in the hands of somebody who's wise and virtuous would allow them to do more wise and virtuous things.

But if you give a big pile of money to somebody who's foolish and vicious, it's just going to allow them to do more foolish and vicious stuff, right? And the same would apply to status. And actually, most of these external things Goods, as they're known, in a sense, are more like practical advantages or opportunities that you have in life.

But if you give a big pile of money to somebody who's foolish and vicious, it's just going to allow them to do more foolish and vicious stuff, right? And the same would apply to status. And actually, most of these external things Goods, as they're known, in a sense, are more like practical advantages or opportunities that you have in life.

But if you give a big pile of money to somebody who's foolish and vicious, it's just going to allow them to do more foolish and vicious stuff, right? And the same would apply to status. And actually, most of these external things Goods, as they're known, in a sense, are more like practical advantages or opportunities that you have in life.

And what really matters is how you make use of them, whether you use them wisely or whether you use them foolishly. So then doesn't that suggest that the only thing that's intrinsically good would be practical wisdom or moral wisdom? Yeah. because how you use other things, even the disadvantages you have, even poverty and sickness might be used well by somebody who's profoundly wise, right?

And what really matters is how you make use of them, whether you use them wisely or whether you use them foolishly. So then doesn't that suggest that the only thing that's intrinsically good would be practical wisdom or moral wisdom? Yeah. because how you use other things, even the disadvantages you have, even poverty and sickness might be used well by somebody who's profoundly wise, right?

And what really matters is how you make use of them, whether you use them wisely or whether you use them foolishly. So then doesn't that suggest that the only thing that's intrinsically good would be practical wisdom or moral wisdom? Yeah. because how you use other things, even the disadvantages you have, even poverty and sickness might be used well by somebody who's profoundly wise, right?

They might develop more resilience as a result. They might learn from the experience, for instance. But somebody who's foolish and vicious will use even every advantage in life badly yeah so it's by this kind of questioning method socrates gets his interlocutors the usually young adult young men um just embarking on adult life basically to realize that the things that most people assume

They might develop more resilience as a result. They might learn from the experience, for instance. But somebody who's foolish and vicious will use even every advantage in life badly yeah so it's by this kind of questioning method socrates gets his interlocutors the usually young adult young men um just embarking on adult life basically to realize that the things that most people assume

They might develop more resilience as a result. They might learn from the experience, for instance. But somebody who's foolish and vicious will use even every advantage in life badly yeah so it's by this kind of questioning method socrates gets his interlocutors the usually young adult young men um just embarking on adult life basically to realize that the things that most people assume

to be the goal of life, like reputation and material success and stuff like that, aren't really intrinsically the most important thing in life, but what matters more is your ability to use these things well, which is something that they tend to have neglected and not really discussed. And so Socrates says that's what we should be talking about. How do you use these things well?

to be the goal of life, like reputation and material success and stuff like that, aren't really intrinsically the most important thing in life, but what matters more is your ability to use these things well, which is something that they tend to have neglected and not really discussed. And so Socrates says that's what we should be talking about. How do you use these things well?