Socrates wasn’t sane
Socrates was one of the exceptions. Some even doubt that he existed as an individual at all. They say he might just be a representation of Ancient athenian school of thought, anthropomorphized by Plato.
I disagree. Whether that’s because I want to believe such a man existed, or because I truly believe he did, is a story for another time.
For the sake of the following essay, imagine Socrates as the real, barefoot philosopher questioning anyone who crossed his path. His prestigious reputation and modern praise deem him one of the foundational figures in Western philosophy, influencing concepts such as society, relationships, politics, identity and many more.
Yet, behind this fame and reputation, a provocative question arises: could Socrates have been schizophrenic?
At first, this diagnosis may sound ludicrous, exaggerated or even inappropriate. But what if it isn’t? What if, the man who today we call founding father of critical thinking and morality was, in fact, mentally illl?
Taking a closer look at Plato’s dialogues, one of the most valuable- if not only- sources for Socrates’ ideas, certain behaviours and testimonies hint towards symptoms that would, today, categorise him as schizophrenic. As the most prominent example, multiple references to this “daimonion” (what Socrates named the divine inner voice he claimed had been advising him since childhood) indicate signs of auditory hallucinations. This voice, he asserted, guided his decisions and views on morality, often leading him to come to conclusions with no second thought. This commanding, controlling entity -in modern psychology- would undoubtedly be associated with core symptoms of the illness. Although, to Socrates, this inner monologue was a divine intervention and therefore a usual example of religious practice, we can now claim it was nowhere near ordinary. In fact, we only have accounts of this phenomenon occurring to Socrates- no other individual of his time was ever seen experiencing the same symptoms.
Although, here, one can argue that this reference to this unique ability of Socrates’ to be guided by a different, yet internal, entity throughout his life may have just been a symbol used by Plato to emphasize his teacher’s mental acuteness. Conversely, even if Socrates really did claim to be hearing such a voice, his claims still rest unverifiable. Maybe, if in 470 BCE people had access to modern medical technology, we could truly justify his testaments.
Another feature showing Socrates’ idiosyncrasy is apparent in Symposium, where Alcibiades (Athenian political figure and general) mentions an incident where Socrates remained silent, in pure contemplation, for a whole of 48 hours, without moving an inch. Whilst, at the time, this was seen as a moment of intense focus or religious worship and connection, it could -in hindsight- be described as a catatonic manner. In psychology, such elongated periods of immobility and physical detachment from surroundings once again lead to schizophrenic diagnosis. This event creates an ambiguous dilemma: was Socrates engaging in intense intellectual practice, or was he in a state of catatonia- frozen and detached?
Finally, the last, and in my opinion most important, indication that hints towards schizophrenic behaviour is Socrates’ detachment from cultural norms and his nearly stoic acceptance of death, pointing towards a great disconnection from reality. In his Apologia, Plato - in great detail- reenacts Socrates’ words in trial. His famous phrase “The unexamined life is not worth living” shows his deep commitment to his work, as he refuses to even try to exonerate himself from the allegations. Here, he implies that moral questioning and introspection are qualities essential to living a truly virtuous life, whilst also indicating a strong indifference to external consequences: as it was decided to charge him with the death penalty, Socrates responded with calmness, maintaining this optimistic stance- still! Some modern interpreters even deem his overall response to the penalty as suicidal, as he once again alludes to schizophrenic conviction…
This question, to me, remains fascinating, despite its ambivalence. Was Socrates this sophisticated, gifted, genius most know him as, or could he have been an undiagnosed psychopath? Or, does such strong intellectual ability inevitably lead to such ‘mad’ behaviours? Maybe, all of these interpretations and accusations regarding his abnormality actually substantiate his brilliance and are what allowed him to find the courage to question what others couldn’t. Whether he was a true “schizophrenic” as we know it today is something simply unknowable. Nevertheless, this question encourages us to rethink where the boundary between madness and intelligence truly lies. Perhaps, Socrates’ madness was safer- and even better- than the bounding comfort of sanity.
Katerina Sofianou