Gabriel’s Reviews > The Ironic Defense of Socrates: Plato's Apology > Status Update

Through his conversations Socrates confirms that the so-called happiness of non-philosophers – like the happiness of dreamers, hypnotized cuckolds, and worshipers of Zeus – is not real happiness but the illusion of happiness, false happiness, a “happiness” that rests on false beliefs.

Well, that's a bit harsh.

he thought that conversations about virtue – the other thing he does not know and knowledge of which would be “superhuman” – are somehow the key to answering the question of whether or not there are gods, and hence whether or not philosophy in the full sense is possible. The Delphic oracle story is Socrates’ riddling way of pointing to his deepest concern: a thoughtful human being cannot be satisfied with mere faith.