Socratic Contempt for Wealth in Plato’s Republic

IF 0.3 3区 历史学 0 CLASSICS
POLIS Pub Date : 2024-05-02 DOI:10.1163/20512996-12340437
Mary Townsend
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

In the Republic, Plato’s Socrates argues that the wealthy feel contempt for the poor, and the poor feel hatred for the rich. But why is Socrates, leading a life of scandalous poverty, without taking wages for philosophical work, an exception to this rule? Instead of hatred, envy, or no emotion at all, Socrates consistently treats wealth and the wealthy with ridicule and kataphronēsis – active looking-down or contempt – while meditating on the temptation of the poor to appropriate the excess flesh of the wealthy (Resp. 556d). It is contempt that allows Socrates to remain free and wageless, away from the tempting distortion wealth has on the soul (Resp. 330c, 554a–b). Socrates therefore insists his philosopher-kings should be paid only in food, the same reward he proposes for himself in the Apology. Instead of securing freedom from murderous epithumia through moderate property, Socrates implies only contemptuous poverty can safeguard a philosophic life.

柏拉图的《共和国》中苏格拉底对财富的蔑视
在《共和国》中,柏拉图笔下的苏格拉底认为,富人蔑视穷人,穷人憎恨富人。但为什么苏格拉底过着可耻的贫穷生活,不拿哲学工作的工资,却成了这一规则的例外?苏格拉底没有憎恨、嫉妒,也没有任何情绪,而是始终以嘲笑和蔑视(kataphronēsis)的态度对待财富和富人,同时沉思穷人占有富人多余肉体的诱惑(Resp.556d)。正是蔑视让苏格拉底保持了自由和无畏,远离了财富对灵魂的诱惑性扭曲(Resp.330c, 554a-b)。因此,苏格拉底坚持认为,他的哲学家国王只能以食物作为报酬,这也是他在《申辩篇》中为自己提出的报酬。苏格拉底没有通过适度的财产来确保免于凶残的epithumia,而是暗示只有蔑视贫穷才能保障哲学生活。
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来源期刊
POLIS
POLIS CLASSICS-
CiteScore
0.50
自引率
0.00%
发文量
33
审稿时长
7 weeks
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