Plato and Aristophanes put their spin on Socrates, yes?

Question

How much influence did Aristophanes have on the spin Plato put on the little we know about the real Socrates? Do we have a reliable view on origin of term "midwife" used in philosophy?

Nothing that Socrates may have written survives for us to look at today. We only assume Plato had no bias or motivation to distort (we have proof he did not distort?) what his "teacher" may have said or done.

Other sources on Socrates reliable? Xenophanes, Aesyelus? "... the most important version of Socrates is Plato, mainly because he did not write. But he is not the only source, there are references to him in Aristotle, Jeno font and Aristophanes as well. However, it would be really interesting for us to be able to read or know more about Socrates in a direct manner. Unfortunately, that seems like not possible." Hmmm...can we speculate that he did not use debate and argument where a winner and loser are demanded? He used the humilty of a listener and speaker looking for truth together...? Possible?

Answer 1

I forget the order, but they were taught. I think Aristophaes taught Plato, and plato taught Socrates....

Either way there is historical evidence of the connections. It was in someone's journel... Cant remember whose.

Answer 2

Aristophanes didn't do anything with Socrates; he was a Greek playwright noted for his comedies. Aristotle, who I think you mean, worked pretty independently of Socrates and, rather than seeking the break-downs of logic and definition, actually built a philosophic system by reasoning from definitions. Arguably, though, Plato did "spin" Socrates. In the earlier dialog's, his thought seems much more open, whereas in the later ones, written longer after his death by a man introducing more and more of his own viewpoint, he seems more systematized.

Answer 3

Not much. Plato was a disciple of Socrates, he needed no extra influence than that.

Answer 4

Correct.