MORAL INTELLECTUALISM: HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS, CRITICISMS - PHILOSOPHY - 2025

The moral or Socratic intellectualism is a moral theory developed by the Greek philosopher Socrates. In this it is affirmed that the knowledge of what is ethically just is enough so that the human being does not commit any evil act.

In this way, Socratic intellectualism unites moral behavior with the knowledge that each person has acquired. This thought is related to some of the philosopher's best-known phrases, such as "know yourself" or "instruct men and you will make them better."

Especially this second sentence shows all the thinking behind moral intellectualism. Socrates was born in Athens in 470 BC. C. and is considered one of the most important philosophers in history.

Curiously, he never wrote any books and his work is known for the comments of Plato, his best-known disciple, who continued his teacher's thought by adapting it to politics.

Paradoxically, for a man who affirmed that only those who do not know what good is wrong, he was condemned to die for his religious and political opinions, contrary to the laws of the city and, supposedly, contrary to democracy.

History and development

Anthropological dualism

To elaborate his thought on morality and the intellectualism linked to it, Socrates finds the basis provided by the so-called anthropological dualism.

This affirms that the human being has two different parts: the physical - the body - and the immaterial, which identifies with the soul (yes, in that theory the soul does not have any religious component).

According to this dualism, the non-material part is the most important of the person. That is why internal values ​​are considered more important, so much so that the health of man rests on that soul.

When talking about health, they affirm that it can only be enjoyed through virtue, which is achieved through knowledge. When they speak of knowledge, they do not refer to what a wise person can have, but to the truth.

How to get to virtue

Convinced of this and as a citizen concerned about his compatriots, Socrates begins to develop this theme in what can be considered one of the first works on morals and ethics.

It should be borne in mind that, for the philosopher, knowing virtue was the only way that men could be good.

Only through that knowledge, through knowing what virtue is, can the human being come closer to goodness and excellence.

Characteristics of moral or Socratic intellectualism

It must be considered that Socrates did not leave any of his thoughts in writing, and that these transcended through those of his disciples, especially Plato's thought.

This is important because, according to some authors, certain implications of the theory of moral intellectualism in the field of politics obey more to the beliefs of the student than those of the teacher.

Explanation of the theory

As mentioned before, Socrates thought that virtue was the only way to achieve goodness, and that knowledge was essential to achieve that virtue.

This thought leads to the so-called moral or Socratic intellectualism, which is simply a continuation of the above.

Thus, for the Athenian philosopher, autognosis, defined as knowing what is fair, is an essential and at the same time sufficient condition for man to act correctly.

In this way, it explains that as soon as it is known what is good, the human being will act according to this knowledge, in a deterministic way.

Equally, this implies that the reverse is also true. If an individual does not know what is morally right, he will act in a wrong and even evil way.

It would not really be his fault, but the fact that he has failed to come to that knowledge. A man who possesses this wisdom cannot act badly and if he does it it is because he does not possess it.

For Socrates, there was no possibility that someone, by their simple will, could act in an evil way, which is why his critics attribute naivety and even having eliminated human free will from the equation.

It should be explained that when Socrates speaks about knowledge, he is not referring to what, for example, is learned in school, but to knowing what is convenient, good and appropriate in each circumstance and moment.

Intellectualism in politics and Plato

Socratic theory leads to very undemocratic ideas about politics. However, some scholars blame it on Plato, who certainly accepted his teacher's moral intellectualism and mixed it with politics.

According to what has transcended Socratic thought, after explaining the theory of morality and its union with knowledge, Socrates reaches the following conclusion:

If the expert is called in - for example, a doctor if there is a sick person or an army if the city has to be defended - and nobody thinks that medical treatment or battle plans will be decided by vote, why is it raised in as for the city administration?

After these thoughts, already in Plato's work, it is seen where this logic of thought ends. Socrates' disciple was a firm supporter of a government of the best.

For him, the administration and the entire state had to be intellectualists as well. In his proposal he advocated that the ruler be the wisest among the inhabitants, a kind of philosopher-king.

By being wise, and therefore good and just, he was supposed to achieve the well-being and happiness of every citizen.

critics

And in his time, the first thing that critics criticized Socrates about this theory is a certain lack of definition about what he considered knowledge.

It is known that he did not mean knowing more facts or being a great mathematician, but he never quite clarified what his nature was.

On the other hand, although his thought - continued by Plato - was widely accepted in his day, the arrival of Aristotle caused it to be parked.

Faced with the opinion of the Socratics, Aristotle placed the emphasis on the will to do well, considering that simple knowledge was not enough to ensure that man behaved morally.

References

1. Pradas, Josep. Socratic intellectualism. Obtained from phylosophyforlife.blogspot.com.es
2. Santa-María, Andrés. Socratic intellectualism and its reception in Aristotle. Obtained from scielo.org.mx
3. Chavez, Guillermo. Socratic Moral Intellectualism. Obtained from juarezadiario.com
4. Philosophy Basics. Intellectualism. Retrieved from philosophybasics.com
5. Blackson, Thomas A. Two Interpretations of Socratic Intellectualism. Recovered from tomblackson.com
6. Evans, Matthew. A Partisan's Guide to Socratic Intellectualism. Recovered from oxfordscholarship.com
7. Thomas C. Brickhouse, Nicholas D. Smith. Socratic Moral Psychology. Recovered from books.google.es
8. Philosophy.lander. The Ethics of Socrates. Retrieved from philosophy.lander.edu