The pursuit of perfection as a recurring theme of the human experience can be seen throughout many of the civilizations of our past. Whether that pursuit is rooted in utilitarian motivations, such as the invention of the potter’s wheel in ancient Egypt, or in motivations to inspire others, as seen in the progressive realism of sculpture through the centuries, it is a pursuit common to the human condition.
Classical Greek Philosophy and its Modern Echoes
The spirit of the quest for perfection in Classical Greek philosophy is echoed today in the sciences, specifically the scientific method. As democracy progressed in Athens, the questions of the nature of the universe and the human condition were no longer the exclusive realm of priests and religious scholars.
Philosophy’s Evolution in Athens
A pursuit of these questions, called philosophy, took root in the polis. Thinkers would often gather in the agora of Athens to discuss these existential questions and pursue perfection in their thinking. There was a progression over the years towards more refined thought.
From Sophists to Socrates
One such progression can be shown between the philosophy of the Sophists and then Socrates. The Sophists believed in relative truth. Henry Sayre says the Sophists believed that “all sensory appearances and all beliefs are true for the person whose appearances or beliefs they are” (Sayre 154). Socrates, on the other hand, was ideologically opposed to this thinking.
The Socratic Method and Its Modern Influence
Through the use of the dialectical method, Socrates would find logical fallacies in the premises of the Sophists. This method, colloquially called “Socratic questioning” today, is an important tool of modern-day critical thinking. The Socratic method also was a precursor to the modern-day scientific method.
The Scientific Method: A Philosophical Heir
The modern-day scientific method is a philosophical heir to Socrates’ dialectical method. It is a process of forming hypotheses, gathering data, and using that data to form a conclusion or disprove the hypotheses. As data-gathering methods improve, the same process can be used over and over again to refine, or even challenge, the previous conclusion.
Scientific Method in Practice
Peers of the scientist can also use the scientific method to analyze and review the data and conclusion. This method of analysis has led to many advances in science leading to an explosion in medical, technological, and economic innovation.
Perfection in Culture and Suffering
Though modern culture seems predisposed to identifying cultural flaws, much of human suffering has been eased as a direct result of this pursuit of perfection, whether it be through Socratic reasoning or the scientific method. As noted evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker once wrote, “As we care about more of humanity, we’re apt to mistake the harms around us for signs of how low the world has sunk rather than how high our standards have risen” (Pinker 49).
A Socratic View of Modern Realities
Perhaps popular culture’s penchant for focusing on the perceived bad in the world is itself a form of Sophistry, whereas Dr. Pinker’s perspective and philosophy is a more Socratic view of current realities.
Works Cited
- Pinker, Steven. Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress. Viking, 2018.
- Sayre, Henry M. The Humanities, Volume I, Culture, Continuity, and Change, 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2019.
