Protagoras vs. Socrates - Essay Example

On that note, Socrates had many questions in his mind. He began asking his friend, Hippocrates, about what he thinks he would learn from his intended mentor. Nevertheless, Hippocrates had no literal answer to his friend’s question. Thus, the two of them went off to Protagoras to ask about the answers to Socrates’ questions. The dialogue was heard by a few people including Prodicus, Hippias and Callius (Plato, pp.3-4). When the two friends met Protagoras, Socrates inquired from him as to how he taught his pupils and what subjects did he teach.

When Protagoras came across these question, he responded in a way that he did not intend to teach Hippocrates anything technical or functional, however, what he will teach would be how he might become a good citizen. In addition, he asserted that he teaches the pupils what politics is and the ways to manage their personal affairs. His focus, as he narrated, was on how they might lead a virtuous life. The debate between Socrates and Protagoras began with the notion that Socrates believed that virtue is not a subject to be taught or imparted to someone literally.

On the other hand, Protagoras’ notions incorporated that since the base of all political systems lies over the fact that human beings and specifically citizens of that particular country possess virtue and thus, the subject is undoubtedly teachable. Moreover, he asserts his arguments over the fact that the whole system and concept of criminal justice revolves around the idea that human beings can be manipulated; their ideas, believes and thus their attitudes can be reformed. In addition, since, it can be reformed and manipulated; there is always a possibility that you can teach human beings the same.

He argued that excellence in citizenship could never be thought as something that should be innate and can never be adopted in a process of learning. He also argues that every citizen has a sense of what justice is and how it can be drawn in a society if there is none. He goes further by saying that when a citizen commits a sin, he is prone to punishment, the reason of which is to make him avoid making the same sinful act again and improve his doings (Nill, pp. 7-8). Thus, when there is a chance if improvement in a process led by government then, his question remained valid as to why it cannot be taught and imparted in a literal manner (Plato, pp.4-6). Protagoras was habitual of giving lengthy answers to all the questions and Socrates was pretty much opposite to what Protagoras’ habit was; he preferred to be precise and quite straight to the point (Nill, pp.5). Listening to the responses of Protagoras, Socrates immediately asks him as to what he thinks virtue exactly is.

He goes deeper and asks if it is a single measurable quantity or is it a cumulative of many other virtues like wisdom, moderation and others. He also asks him that when he intends to teach excellence, does it include every bit of virtues or not. Protagoras responded by saying that every bit of virtue is part of excellence and excellence is one measurable quantity and quality (Eisele, pp.238-239). To this, Socrates does not agree at all, he has his own arguments to make and those too, with proper reasoning and logics.

He intends to make Protagoras admit presence of a few citizens who might achieve excellence in certain specific qualities, but they may not be good in other qualities. He also persuades him that, qualities like moderation,