Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Interpret Socrates quote?

Anyone have an idea to what Socrates meant by "relative emotional values" in this quote:

"A system of morality based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which has nothing sound in it and nothing true."

2 Answers

Relevance
  • Favorite Answer

    I think he meant people's feelings, and that they are subject to change....

    (rest of quote) ... so judging things ("A system of morality") according to your feelings, or society's opinions, etc...("relative emotional values")...

    .. is not a good idea, because, well... opinions change over time. People are often fickle, and if not, they at least change their opinions/beliefs/etc, and oftentimes actions, after learning of new things (not necessarily education, just things they didn't know before).

    (the change stuff = "nothing sound in it")

    (People are biased. Everyone is, to some extent. = "nothing true")

    Overall, I think he's trying to say (not in the question, but it makes it clearer for me XD) that for people to agree that feelings (including opinions, beliefs, etc) are "true" and build upon that... that if people do that, their "system" is doomed to fail ("mere illusion").

    Source(s): (:
  • friedt
    Lv 4
    4 years ago

    If a individual won't be able to connect with what they are examining, then the message is lost upon them. while you're examining something like a infant's e book, the message is exceptionally no longer ordinary to pass over. while you're examining charles dickens or shakespeare (particularly shakespeare), in case you could no longer connect with the words, the literature turns into gibberish. it rather is a waste of time using fact it merely turns right into a chore and the excitement and mind's eye is lost.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.