PHI 2000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Rhapsode, Celebrity Culture, Examined Life
Document Summary
Ion- the dialogue is an example of socrates in action. Testing the supposed expertise of people in his society. Ion presents himself as an expert on various topics. Not exactly- he speaks about the topics that come up in his acting. Like actors on a talk show discussing the topic of their movie. Socrates tests ion"s claim to speak wisely about homer. Ion makes a couple claims: expertise on poetry means having a lot of fine things to say about the poem, and captivating your audience. Eloquence: this kind of expertise is specific to particular poets. Can be wise in explaining homer, but have nothing to say about hesiod. Socrate"s theory: ion was wrong to describe his art as expertise in the first place. Ion"s art results from divine magnetic power: the muse inspires poets, a poet inspires a rhapsode/ actor, a rhapsode inspires the audience. Philosophy doesn"t just critique people"s claims or arguments.
