If something is wanted (P) for oneself then one must think that it (P) would be good for oneself. So, wanting something [P] (for oneself) requires one to think that [P] will be good (for oneself). Thus, it is a necessary condition for wanting something [P] for oneself, that [P] is good for oneself. Using this as his main thesis Socrates shows that tyrants do not have great power since they do not do what they want. In addition, they do what they want because they do not know what is good, and so they frequently do what is bad for themselves.

Socrates Main Premises and Conclusion

Polus: Tyrants and Orators have great power.

Socrates: Tyrants do not have great power since they do not do what they want. And they do what they want because they lack knowledge of their good, and so frequently do what is bad for themselves.

P1 = If one does something [ Z ] for the sake of some other end[ J ], then it is that end [ J ] one wants, and not [ Z ] the doing of an act itself. Simply: if one does [Z] in order to get (or for the sake of) [ J ]then ----* one wants [J], not [Z].

P2 = However, one only does anything [ Z ]

17. [16] + ([8] or [9]) = We want those things that are good for oneself. We do not want those things that are intermediate (neither good nor bad), nor do we want those things that are bad for oneself (or harmful to oneself.)

P4 = If one can only wants what is good for oneself, then he cannot want things that are bad for oneself. [Negation of Premise 3]

for the sake of [ J ]obtaining good things for oneself. If one does something, then he does it for the sake of obtaining a good thing for himself.

15. Whenever one does things, one does the intermediate thing for the sake of the good things. It is because we peruse what is good that we do intermediate things, we suppose (i.e. we think) that it is better for us to do an intermediate thing instead of not doing it.

8. It is always the case (it is universally true) that: when one does anything thing [Z] in order to get (or for the sake of) something else [J] then, one always wants [J] and not the thing is doing [Z].

Some topics in this essay:
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