Philosophers

Anachronism aside, can Socrates be considered an analytic philosopher?

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Thank you for your question. If analytic philosophy is understood as a way of engaging with philosophical questions that emphasizes clarity, rigor, and the giving of reasons for what one asserts, then Socrates has a good claim to count as an analytic philosopher. On the other hand, if analytic philosophy is construed as a logic-chopping activity obsessed with definitions and minute distinctions, then Socrates would probably not count as an analytic philosopher. I would like to think that analytic philosophy is better described by the first rather than the second account, though I admit that to outsiders, the second account may seem apt. More important, we see Socrates in many dialogues challenging his interlocutors to clarify themselves, to give arguments for their views (and he gives plenty of his own), and to face up to the consequences of their positions. That is a great deal of what modern analytic philosophers aspire to. If there is a difference between Socrates' approach and what is dominant today, it is that we always see Socrates practicing philosophy in a social setting, and he never sets himself up as an author. By contrast, most contemporary analytic philosophers author works of philosophy that they intend to be read by people with whom they have no direct contact. But many of these philosophy-authors are also teachers, and when they teach they often aspire to follow Socrates' method of dialectic practiced in a group of inquirers.

Mitch Green

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