Diagnosis and inconsistency in the Axiochus

Albert Joosse

doi:10.1163/18725473-bja10013

Diagnosis and inconsistency in the Axiochus

Albert Joosse^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

OFR - History of Philosophy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The Socrates of the dialogue Axiochus seems to advance incompatible arguments in his attempt to cure Axiochus of his fear of death. Is this incompatibility a foreseen and accepted consequence of the author's therapeutic strategy? This paper argues that it is rather an intended and functional inconsistency: it serves to stimulate critical thinking in order to anchor philosophical conviction more deeply in the reader's soul. The paper musters support for this reading by drawing attention to the different levels of inconsistency in the dialogue; the multiple ways in which the text thematizes inconsistency; the importance of exercising judgement in the text; and the motivating concern of superficial persuasion.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-18
Number of pages	18
Journal	International Journal of Platonic Tradition
Volume	17
Issue number	1
Early online date	2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1163/18725473-bja10013
Publication status	Published - 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Previous versions of this paper were presented at the Utrecht Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and at the Hellenistendag 2021. I especially wish to thank Bert van den Berg, Mauro Bonazzi, Gerard Boter, Arjan Nijk and Teun Tieleman for valuable comments. I am also grateful to Frederik Bakker for discussion of Diogenes of Oenoanda. This paper was written in the context of Anchoring Innovation, the Gravitation Grant research agenda of the Dutch National Research School in Classical Studies, OIKOS. It is financially supported by the Dutch ministry of Education, Culture and Science (NWO project number 024.003.012). For more information about the research programme and its results, see the website <www.anchoringinnovation.nl>.

Publisher Copyright:
© Albert Joosse, 2021.

Funding

Previous versions of this paper were presented at the Utrecht Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and at the Hellenistendag 2021. I especially wish to thank Bert van den Berg, Mauro Bonazzi, Gerard Boter, Arjan Nijk and Teun Tieleman for valuable comments. I am also grateful to Frederik Bakker for discussion of Diogenes of Oenoanda. This paper was written in the context of Anchoring Innovation, the Gravitation Grant research agenda of the Dutch National Research School in Classical Studies, OIKOS. It is financially supported by the Dutch ministry of Education, Culture and Science (NWO project number 024.003.012). For more information about the research programme and its results, see the website <www.anchoringinnovation.nl>. Previous versions of this paper were presented at the Utrecht Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and at the Hellenistendag 2021. I especially wish to thank Bert van den Berg, Mauro Bonazzi, Gerard Boter, Arjan Nijk and Teun Tieleman for valuable comments. I am also grateful to Frederik Bakker for discussion of Diogenes of Oenoanda. This paper was written in the context of Anchoring Innovation, the Gravitation Grant research agenda of the Dutch National Research School in Classical Studies, OIKOS . It is financially supported by the Dutch ministry of Education, Culture and Science ( NWO project number 024.003.012). For more information about the research programme and its results, see the website .

Keywords

Axiochus
Dialogue form
Epicureanism
Inconsistency
Philosophy as therapy
Platonism
Pseudo-Plato

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jpt-article-p1_1Final published version, 387 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Diagnosis and inconsistency in the Axiochus",

abstract = "The Socrates of the dialogue Axiochus seems to advance incompatible arguments in his attempt to cure Axiochus of his fear of death. Is this incompatibility a foreseen and accepted consequence of the author's therapeutic strategy? This paper argues that it is rather an intended and functional inconsistency: it serves to stimulate critical thinking in order to anchor philosophical conviction more deeply in the reader's soul. The paper musters support for this reading by drawing attention to the different levels of inconsistency in the dialogue; the multiple ways in which the text thematizes inconsistency; the importance of exercising judgement in the text; and the motivating concern of superficial persuasion. ",

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KW - Axiochus

KW - Dialogue form

KW - Epicureanism

KW - Inconsistency

KW - Philosophy as therapy

KW - Platonism

KW - Pseudo-Plato

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IS - 1

ER -

Diagnosis and inconsistency in the Axiochus

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

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