The Quest for Wisdom

Literature > English
Literature > Greek and Roman
Philosophy > Ancient Greek
Philosophy > Science

This paper analyzes the search for wisdom through the eyes of Aldous Huxley in 'Brave New World' and Socrates in 'The Last Days of Socrates'.

774 words () | 2 sources | APA | 2008 Bangladesh

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer compares and contrasts the approaches of Aldous Huxley and Socrates in terms of the quest for wisdom. The writer maintains that science is a quest for wisdom that follows the path of material knowledge. The writer first discusses that in his novel 'Brave New World', Huxley shows how this path leads to a dystopia, where the quest for wisdom has degenerated into a lust for sensual pleasure. The elite of this society comprises of "wise men" who realize that knowledge only breeds unhappiness. The writer then discusses that Socrates, on the other hand, delineates the spiritual path to knowledge, and it is argued that this is true wisdom. The essay uses Plato's dialogues in 'The Last Days of Socrates' to outline the Socratic argument.

From the Paper:

"Socrates was also responding to materialists, of a different sort, and from a different age. The Sophists maintained that knowledge should only be for practical use. They not only preached utilitarianism, but also made their own instruction useful by charging exorbitant fees. Socrates charged that the Sophists were teaching the art of lying. They cared nothing for wisdom, and promised their students privilege and position if they could employ their sophistry to merely win the argument. The Socratic Method was thus to dissemble the sophistic argument. Both Huxley and Socrates, therefore, condemn material knowledge. But Huxley wants to portray society in the grips of materialism, while the aim of Socrates is to dissemble the material argument."

Sample of Sources Used:

Huxley, A. (1932). Brave New World: A Novel. London: Doubleday.
Plato, Hugh Tredennick. (2003). The Last Days of Socrates. Translated by Hugh Tredennick, Harold Tarrant. New York: Penguin Classics.