If The Soc Fits: Is Socrates Courageous According to Nicomachean Ethics?
In his philosophical work, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle writes about several examples of virtues. One of these virtues is courage. Aristotle presents courage as the mean, or middle between two extremes (1115a7-8). These two extremes are cowardice and recklessness. Using Aristotle’s textual definition of courage, let us determine whether or not the character of Socrates from Plato’s “Apology” could be called courageous, beginning with the possibility of his cowardice.
Would Aristotle judge Plato’s character of Socrates to be a coward? Aristotle defines a coward as someone who “exceeds in being fearful” (1115b34). He also writes that the coward is someone who is “faint of hope, for he fears everything” (1116a37-38). In the “Apology,” the Athenian government is threatening the character of Socrates with the death penalty for being a “corrupter of the youth” (25) because he has been teaching and influencing the young people of Athens. Socrates demonstrates his lack of fear towards death when he says,”I would rather die having spoken after my manner, than speak in your manner and live” (38). He speaks about his impending execution with words of hope when he says, “There is great reason to hope that death is a good” (40). Statements like these tell us that Socrates does not show excessive fear; rather, his outlook is hopeful even in the face of death. Because of Socrates’ unfearful reaction to the prospect of death, Aristotle would not label him a coward. However, since Socrates seems so optimistic and unconcerned about death, would Aristotle call him reckless?
Let us examine whether or not Socrates merits the term reckless. Aristotle defines the reckless person as someone who “exceeds in confidence when it comes to frightening things” (1115b29). One might accuse Socrates of displaying an excess of confidence when he advises his judges to “be of good cheer about death” (40). He also mentions a time in his past when he was in a similar life-threatening situation, declaring that at that time he “cared not a straw for death” (33). Aristotle also writes, however, that the reckless person is someone who is “both a boaster and pretender to courage” (1115b30-31) and that the larger amount of reckless people are actually “reckless cowards” (1115b34). These people act recklessly when things are going well, but at the first sign of true adversity they back down and “do not endure frightening things” (1115b34). Socrates certainly does display a bravado when he speaks of death (39-40), but at no point in the text does he back down from his position or rescind any of his statements in order to escape execution. So we can declare that Socrates is not reckless. Let us look next at Aristotle’s definition of the courageous person.
Is Socrates courageous? Aristotle, when defining the courageous person, says that “no one more steadfastly endures terrible things” (1115a26) and that the courageous man endures these terrible things “for the sake of the noble” (1115b24-25). Socrates tells his judges that if they were to let him go free on the condition that he never again “inquire and speculate” (30), then he would refuse, preferring to “obey God rather than [the Athenian government]” (30). He would continue to think philosophically and teach others, even if doing so would lead to his death at their hands. Socrates is willing to endure this death for the sake of that which he believes to be the most noble: conversing with others every day about virtue (37).
According to the evidence we have observed, Socrates does indeed fit Aristotle’s criteria for courage. He exhibits neither of the two extremes that Aristotle places on either side of courage. Socrates is not a coward who is excessively fearful, he is not a mere reckless boaster who backs down when the going gets rough, and he staunchly holds true to his beliefs even when threatened with execution. However, I think that there is one more angle to courage, which Aristotle’s definition does not mention.
I believe that true courage requires love—a tremendous love. Socrates sacrificed his life for the love of truth, of philosophical ideas, and of the people he wanted to share them with—those he would be leaving behind. When I think about the courage of Socrates on this Veteran’s Day, I am grateful for our brave American military who sacrifice out of love for their country, their fellow Americans, their families, and me. These courageous men and women leave behind their homes and those they love in order to protect the freedoms we can enjoy in America. Author G.K. Chesterton is right when he says, “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” Today, in America, we have the freedom to think, study, and explore philosophical ideas in the public square because of brave people who lovingly sacrifice their lives, and we have the idea to ask questions and seek truth because of people like Socrates.
