Socratic eudaimonia in two “Alkibiadesdialogen”

Abstract

The paper focuses on two Alkibiadesdialoge, namely Aeschines of Sphettus’ Alcibiades and the Alcibiades I, with special regard to the notion of εὐδαιμονία and its preconditions. Though their comparative analysis I aim at investigating Socrates’ conception of happiness and some basic surrounding issues: a) the role of ἀρετή in the attainment of εὐδαιμονία and its relationship to happiness as a goal; b) the fundamental connection between knowledge and εὐδαιμονία and the subsequent understanding of ἀμαθία as an obstacle to happiness; c) the problem of whether or not an “expert” is needed to evaluate one’s happiness; d) the role of the care for others in relation to the search for εὐδαιμονία.