Heraclitus and Socrates on Wise Humans and Their Ignorance

Abstract

Various studies have suggested that both Socrates and Heraclitus distinguish between human and divine knowledge. However, researchers have not thoroughly examined the connection between their views. The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between the perspectives of Heraclitus and Socrates on wisdom, knowledge, and epistemic authority. This will be done by analysing Heraclitus’ fragments concerning the nature of knowledge-acquisition, the epistemic authority of his predecessors and the nature of human wisdom, and Plato’s Apology, where Socrates disavows certain knowledge and refutes others’ claims to wisdom. The findings reveal a close relationship between Heraclitus’ and Socrates’ reasons for criticizing those considered wise by many people. Both philosophers think that without employing the correct method of inquiry, people will attain neither wisdom nor understanding. While Heraclitus provides a metaphysical foundation for his claim why people fail to attain knowledge–they do not understand the logos that governs everything–Socrates does not have any explicit metaphysical commitments but thinks that people do not know what human wisdom amounts to. However, both emphasize the practice of self-inquiry, the value of self-knowledge, and the distinction between human and divine wisdom.

Keywords

• Heraclitus
• Socrates
• Apology
• Divine
• Human
• Wisdom
• Authority

Herakleitos ve Sokrates'te Bilge İnsanlar ve Cehaletleri

Öz

Hem Sokrates'in hem de Herakleitos'un insan bilgisi ile tanrısal bilgi arasında ayrım yaptığı çeşitli çalışmalar tarafından ortaya koyulmuştur. Ne var ki, araştırmacılar bu iki düşünürün görüşleri arasındaki bağlantıyı ayrıntılı bir şekilde incelememiştir. Bu makalenin amacı, Herakleitos ve Sokrates’in bilgelik, bilgi ve epistemik otorite hakkındaki görüşleri arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktır. Bunu yapmak adına, Herakleitos’un bilgi edinme sürecinin doğasına, seleflerinin epistemik otoritesine ve insan bilgeliğinin doğasına dair fragmanları ve Sokrates’in kesin bilgiye sahip olmadığını ancak başkalarının bilgelik iddiasını çürüttüğünu iddia ettiği Platon’un Savunma diyaloğu karşılaştırılacaktır. Sonuçta, Herakleitos ve Sokrates’in pekçok kişi tarafından bilge kabul edilenleri eleştirme nedenlerin birbirine benzer olduğunu gösterilmeye çalışılacaktır. Her iki filozof da doğru araştırma yöntemi kullanılmadığı takdirde, insanların ne bilgelik ne de anlayışa ulaşamayacaklarını düşünmektedir. Herakleitos, insanların her şeyi yöneten logos'u anlamadıkları için bilgiye ulaşamadığını söylerek, bu fikri için metafizik bir temel sunar. Sokrates ise açıkça herhangi bir metafizik temellendirme yapmasa bile, insanların insan bilgeliğinin ne olduğunu bilmediklerini savunur. Ancak, her ikisi de kendini inceleme-sorgulama pratiğinin, kendinin-bilgisinin değerinin ve insan ile tanrı bilgeliği arasındaki ayrımın önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Herakleitos
• Sokrates
• Savunma
• Tanrı
• İnsan
• Bilgelik
• Otorite

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