Our society is very structured as far as age goes. We have standards and beliefs of what is appropriate and how to act a certain age. Callicles argues for this structure and further depicts these standards of society. Of course, when we see a little child at play, we are enlightened because it is the norm of society, it is what young children are supposed to do. They are supposed to explore. When we see an adult doing such things, we find ourselves confused and perhaps looking down upon them. But is exploring and learning only okay as a youth? Where is the certain point when one must learn all there is to know about life and explore no further? I don't think it is fair to set a time range on this aspect of life. Callicles relates philosophy to growth and articulation:
Callicles: It is fine to partake in philosophy to the extent that it is for the sake of education, and it is not shameful to philosophize when one is a lad. But when a human being who is already rather older still philosophizes, the thing becomes ridiculous, Socrates, and I feel toward those who philosophize something very much like what I feel toward those who mumble and play around childishly. For whenever I see a small child, to whom it is still proper to talk in this manner, mumbling and playing around, I rejoice and it appears graceful to me... whereas when I hear a little boy talking distinctly, the thing seem to me to be rather disagreeable, vexes my ears... but whenever one hears a man mumbling or sees him playing around childishly, it appears ridiculous, unmanly, and deserving of a beating. So then, I feel this same thing toward those who philosophize, too. For seeing philosophy in a young lad, I admire it, and it seems to me fitting, and I consider this human being to be a free man... But whenever I see an older man still philosophizing and not released from it, this man, Socrates, surely seems to me to need a beating (485b- 485c).
As humans, I believe we never stop growing. We can never stop learning. After all, wisdom only comes with age. But is philosophy an exception? Callicles is saying that it is ridiculous to see older people still philosophizing because they should be educated and aware of mostly all there is to know about life at the point they are at. If they still need to philosophize, perhaps they are incapable or unsuccessful human beings. Since they did not fully benefit or grow from philosophizing in their youth when it is the prime time to do so, perhaps their life thus far has been meaningless, and this is why it is looked down upon by Callicles.
This passage is a reflection of this aspect of society that the Tom Hanks movie "Big" portrays as well. In the movie, thirteen year old Josh wishes to be older, and the next morning finds himself trapped inside a thirty year old body. If you have never seen the movie, watch the trailer, and think about the things Josh does as a thirty year old that we may see as strange or odd for someone of that age to do, and how the people around him in the movie react. Think about if you saw someone of that age in real life acting as a child and doing childish things. How would you react? We are alerted and feel uncomfortable when we older people act this way because our eye is not trained to see such things. It is not the norm of our society.
There will probably never be a day in which this mold of society, regarding what is okay and what is not okay for people to do at certain stages throughout life, will be broken. But should philosophy, like articulation, be learned and well known after a certain point in someone's life? Do you agree with Callicles and his metaphor? Or is philosophy an ongoing discovery that one can explore throughout their entire life?
Callicles: It is fine to partake in philosophy to the extent that it is for the sake of education, and it is not shameful to philosophize when one is a lad. But when a human being who is already rather older still philosophizes, the thing becomes ridiculous, Socrates, and I feel toward those who philosophize something very much like what I feel toward those who mumble and play around childishly. For whenever I see a small child, to whom it is still proper to talk in this manner, mumbling and playing around, I rejoice and it appears graceful to me... whereas when I hear a little boy talking distinctly, the thing seem to me to be rather disagreeable, vexes my ears... but whenever one hears a man mumbling or sees him playing around childishly, it appears ridiculous, unmanly, and deserving of a beating. So then, I feel this same thing toward those who philosophize, too. For seeing philosophy in a young lad, I admire it, and it seems to me fitting, and I consider this human being to be a free man... But whenever I see an older man still philosophizing and not released from it, this man, Socrates, surely seems to me to need a beating (485b- 485c).
As humans, I believe we never stop growing. We can never stop learning. After all, wisdom only comes with age. But is philosophy an exception? Callicles is saying that it is ridiculous to see older people still philosophizing because they should be educated and aware of mostly all there is to know about life at the point they are at. If they still need to philosophize, perhaps they are incapable or unsuccessful human beings. Since they did not fully benefit or grow from philosophizing in their youth when it is the prime time to do so, perhaps their life thus far has been meaningless, and this is why it is looked down upon by Callicles.
This passage is a reflection of this aspect of society that the Tom Hanks movie "Big" portrays as well. In the movie, thirteen year old Josh wishes to be older, and the next morning finds himself trapped inside a thirty year old body. If you have never seen the movie, watch the trailer, and think about the things Josh does as a thirty year old that we may see as strange or odd for someone of that age to do, and how the people around him in the movie react. Think about if you saw someone of that age in real life acting as a child and doing childish things. How would you react? We are alerted and feel uncomfortable when we older people act this way because our eye is not trained to see such things. It is not the norm of our society.
There will probably never be a day in which this mold of society, regarding what is okay and what is not okay for people to do at certain stages throughout life, will be broken. But should philosophy, like articulation, be learned and well known after a certain point in someone's life? Do you agree with Callicles and his metaphor? Or is philosophy an ongoing discovery that one can explore throughout their entire life?
