Word of the day #1: κατάβασις

Definition: Katabasis, or catabasis, (from Greek κατὰ, "down" βαίνω "go") is a descent of some type, such as moving downhill, or the sinking of the winds or sun, a military retreat, or a trip to the underworld or a trip from the interior of a country down to the coast. There exist multiple related meanings in poetry, rhetoric, and modern psychology. (from Wikipedia)

In the lecture series titled 'Political Philosophy', Steven B. Smith comments on the way Heidegger taught the Repubic at Freiburg University. The first time he approached the text he trekked through the whole thing in one semester(as is usually done these days from experience).  The second time however, he apparently did not get past the first line. The first line of the Republic is ' Κατέβην χθὲς εἰς Πειραιᾶ' (I went down to the Piraeus yesterday) (Sec. 327 a). What could have possibly kept Heidegger occupied so long? 

Well, realistically, Heidegger most likely used the phrase as a sort observational point in which he could view the rest of the text. This isn't as fruitless as it seems though. One of the recurring themes in the Republic, the theme that makes this word so meaningful, is centred around the 'Allegory of the Cave'. I am going to assume the reader is familiar with this text and will not summarise it. When one exits the cave, one transcends or ascends (ἀνάβασις (anabasis)) the world of mere belief, and when one goes back to the cave one descends from the world of knowledge. The Republic is in one sense a metaphysical and epistemological work, and approaching the phrase with this in mind enriches it. For within the the divided line, a metaphysical and epistemological construct,  there is a inherent division between opinion and knowledge. The two realms are in opposition, and Plato could be using the time of ascending and descending as a means to illustrate this opposition.

But why start with the descent and not the ascent? I would argue that there could be two things at play here. Plato could be eluding to the Socrates as shown in Clouds and the Symposium; a lofty individual in this world, but a very active member in the transcendent one. This would imply that Socrates is ultimately descending from the world of his complex (and metaphysically justified) ponderings. This would enrich the text as it ties into Plato's educational philosophy, as Socrates has a duty once he has experienced true knowledge to share it with others, even if that costs him his life. This could also be Plato creating religious themes by turning Socrates into a divine figure. For, one of the charges was specifically that he talks of things above and below the earth; wouldn't a descent from above be something only the Gods could do? I think this theme might be closer to the truth, that is, if Plato does imply that men can reach the level of gods by empowering themselves with knowledge. Such a theme would make sense, given what has been said in previous posts about Socrates as a religious figure.

That's all for today.  This post is longer than most posts will be...I think anyway. I just really like this word.

ἄπαγε!