Philosophical Souls: Socratic Midwifery and Philosophical Curiosity in Plato’s Theaetetus

Abstract

This paper gives a reading of the midwife image in Plato’s Theaetetus, analyzing the coherence of each part of midwifery presented by Socrates (pimping, giving birth, and the evaluation of offspring). The midwife image is introduced by Socrates to arrive at a definition of knowledge that could encompass both the Socratic method and mathematics. He introduces himself as a midwife to bring to light that which hides within the soul of Theaetetus. I put forward that the image should not be attributed to Socrates outside of the dialogue; it is not mentioned by Plato outside of the Theaetetus due to the essential role it plays in advancing the maieutic, or Socratic method, with Theaetetus, and it is not a cohesive image. Ultimately, the inconclusive ending of the dialogue is due to a move by Socrates to analyze the truth or falsity of ideas coming from somebodies’ soul, instead of their appeal in the first place, but it does not disprove Socrates’ knowledge and wisdom of soul. The midwife image is ultimately successful in showing the influences that brought Theaetetus to wonder about Sophistry and knowledge in the first place, that he is not susceptible to the Socratic maieutic, and serves as a vessel for Socrates to try to solve his own curiosity, even if the result is inconclusive.