The Right Insight Leads to the Right Action
As I have mentioned earlier, Socrates claimed that he was guided by a
divine inner voice, and that this “conscience” told him what was right. “He who
knows what good is will do good,” he said.
By this he meant that the right insight leads to the right action. And only
he who does right can be a “virtuous man.” When we do wrong it is because
we don’t know any better. That is why it is so important to go on learning.
Socrates was concerned with finding clear and universally valid definitions of
right and wrong. Unlike the Sophists, he believed that the ability to distinguish
between right and wrong lies in people’s reason and not in society.
You may perhaps think this last part is a bit too obscure, Sophie. Let me
put it like this: Socrates thought that no one could possibly be happy if they
acted against their better judgment. And he who knows how to achieve hap-
piness will do so. Therefore, he who knows what is right will do right. Because
why would anybody choose to be unhappy?
What do you think, Sophie? Can you live a happy life if you continually
do things you know deep down are wrong? There are lots of people who lie
and cheat and speak ill of others. Are they aware that these things are not
right—or fair, if you prefer? Do you think these people are happy?
Socrates didn’t.
When Sophie had read the letter, she quickly put it in the cookie tin and crawled
out into the garden. She wanted to go indoors before her mother got back with the
shopping in order to avoid any questions about where she had been. And she had
promised to do the dishes.
She had just filled the sink with water when her mother came staggering in with
two huge shopping bags. Perhaps that was why her mother said, “You are rather
preoccupied these days, Sophie.”
Sophie didn’t know why she said it; the words just tumbled out of her mouth:
“So was Socrates.”
“Socrates?”
Her mother stared at her, wide-eyed.
“It was just so sad that he had to die as a result,” Sophie went on thoughtfully.
“My goodness! Sophie! I don’t know what I’m to do!”
“Neither did Socrates. All he knew was that he knew nothing. And yet he was
the cleverest person in Athens.”
Her mother was speechless.
Finally she said, “Is this something you’ve learned at school?”
Sophie shook her head energetically.
“We don’t learn anything there. The difference between schoolteachers and
philosophers is that school-teachers think they know a lot of stuff that they try to force
down our throats. Philosophers try to figure things out together with the pupils.”
“Now we’re back to white rabbits again! You know something? I demand to
know who your boyfriend really is. Otherwise I’ll begin to think he is a bit disturbed.”
Sophie turned her back on the dishes and pointed at her mother with the dish
mop.
“It’s not him who’s disturbed. But he likes to disturb others—to shake them out
of their rut.”
“That’s enough of that! I think he sounds a bit too impertinent.” Sophie turned
back to the dishes.
“He is neither impertinent nor pertinent,” said Sophie. “But he is trying to reach