Abstract

Alfonso Gómez-Lobo seeks to unravel in this work the ethical doctrines truly taught by Socrates. Without venturing into the complexities of the "historical Socrates," the author offers a brief treatment of the relation of the sources, indicating the problems which they pose and the bases on which he founds his study. Plato's dialogues are evidently the most important ones, although Gómez-Lobo considers Aristotle's testimony to be highly reliable; and to discern among the doctrines contained in the dialogues that which is authentically Socratic, he refers to this latter account. Aristotle's major affirmations regarding Socrates are confirmed fully in the early Platonic dialogues and partially in the dialogues of the middle period.