Theaetetus Part II

In my last post, I primarily focused on how the beginning of the Theaetetus clandestinely introduces themes that run throughout the rest of the dialogue. In this post, I want to reflect on how the end of the dialogue helps us to interpret all that has come before. Here I am specifically thinking about the revelation that Socrates must end the conversation in order to make it to his trial. Perhaps the most obvious application of this revelation is that the charge that Socrates corrupts the youth is absurd. The Theaetetus shows the extent to which Socrates tries to care for the souls of the youth of Athens, particularly those who look like they will turn out well. Indeed, Socrates and Theodorus are committed to that task. In fact, they are willing to spend long periods of time working with the youth to purge them of false beliefs and direct them towards the truth while also inculcating their students with the virtues (like humility, wisdom, etc.). A second point to note is that the Theaetetus begins with two people talking about the character and excellence of the very person Socrates instructs throughout the dialogue--namely, Theaetetus. It seems that to some extent we are to see that Theaetetus's interaction with Socrates helped him to turn out well. Far from corrupting Theaetetus, Socrates helped him to become a good man who went on to serve Athens well. Indeed, Theaetetus has done so to the point of death. In other dialogues (e.g., the Laches), Plato claims that two necessary conditions for a good teacher is that they themselves are a good person, and that they have demonstrably improved the quality of their pupil. I take it that one of the aims of the Theaetetus is to show that Socrates fits this description, and therefore is a good teacher. A third and final point I will note is that the ending reveals how important caring for the souls of others is to Socrates. He is about to stand trial where it is likely that he will receive the death penalty, and he chooses to spend some of his final hours of freedom caring for the youth by practicing philosophy with them. One of the primary reasons he does this is to improve their souls and his own. This, it seems to me, is quite a daunting standard for us future teachers of philosophy. Faced with our own mortality, we too are choosing to care for the souls of others (especially the youth) by tending to their souls through philosophy. Or at least that is what Plato, I think, would have us see. I must confess that I often fail to see philosophical instruction in that light. Part of the reason for this is that many of my own philosophy instructors have not communicated this message to me. Instead, they have implicitly or explicitly argued that philosophy is about acquiring more knowledge or "pursing the truth." Yet they rarely, if ever, have related these endeavors to the formation and care of the human soul, my soul. I do not want to perpetuate that trend. I want to care for my soul and my students souls. Furthermore, I want to do this in part by practicing philosophy. I think philosophy is deeply medicinal; it helps to cure us of our spiritual ills. Of course, it is also possible to use philosophy in inimical ways that corrupt the soul even more. I fear that many of us will do this if we do not actively and intentionally try to care for our students. In short, I hope we can talk about this question: How can we be caring doctors rather than dispensers of information?