Fear as a relative

Use in the book

At 167e–168a2 Socrates asks whether Critias has ever noticed a fear that fears itself and other fears but none of the dreadful things. Critias replies that he has not noticed one. The form of the response matters: a denial of encountered cases is not by itself a deductive impossibility proof.

As with the other analogies, the restriction excludes the attitude's normal objects. “Fear of fear” can make ordinary psychological sense when fear itself is regarded as dreadful because of its effects. Such a case does not obviously satisfy the additional requirement that the hypothetical fear fear no dreadful thing. The argument should not be simplified to a general dismissal of recursive emotion.

Fear also describes Socrates' concern about false epistemic confidence at 166d and mistaken inquiry at 172e. Those fears have determinate objects and so illustrate precisely the ordinary structure the hypothetical removes.

Places to read

1. 166dSocrates fears mistakenly thinking he knows
2. 167e–168a2Fear of fears excluding dreadful things
3. 172eFear that the inquiry is not being conducted correctly

Translation in this edition

“Have you ever yet come across” renders the question about noticing such a fear. It preserves a weaker evidential formulation than “have you proved impossible”.

δέδοικα

Attested: ἐδεδοίκη (ededoikē). Had been afraid; Socrates retrospectively vindicates his earlier fear that the inquiry into temperance was leading to no useful result. References: 175a. Lexical identification: lemma: δέδοικα. See Fear as a relative.

δεινός

Attested: δεινῶν / δεινὰ (deinōn / deina). Dreadful or fearful things, the ordinary objects of fear; in the closing expression δεινὰ … ποιοίην, terrible or outrageous conduct would be disobeying one’s guardian. References: 168a, 176b. Lexical identification: lemma: δεινός. See Fear as a relative.

θαρρέω

Attested: θαρρῶν (tharrōn). Take courage or be confident; Socrates encourages Critias to answer honestly and attend to the argument instead of worrying about whose person is refuted. References: 166d. Lexical identification: lemma: θαρρέω. See Fear as a relative.

φοβέομαι

Attested: φοβούμενος / φοβοίμην (phoboumenos / phoboimēn). Fear or be apprehensive; Socrates fears unrecognized ignorance and later worries that the inquiry is mistaken. References: 166d, 172e. Lexical identification: lemma: φοβέομαι. See Fear as a relative.

φόβος

Attested: φόβον / φόβους (phobon / phobous). Fear; in the reflexivity example it is directed toward frightening things, not simply toward itself. References: 167e, 168a. Lexical identification: lemma: φόβος. See Fear as a relative.