This dissertation seeks to understand why Aristophanes criticized Socrates in the Clouds . Aristophanes offered a serious critique of Socrates and Socratic philosophy and launched a coherent two part attack on the philosopher. The first prong of the attack, that Socrates was a natural philosopher, provides the basis for the second prong of the attack, the rhetorical charge that Socrates makes the weaker argument the stronger. This rhetorical and scientific understanding of philosophy allows Aristophanes to argue that Socrates undermines the family, traditional religion and morality, Athenian custom, and political health more generally. During the course of this argument, Aristophanes argues, at least implicitly, about what is necessary for good citizenship and political health.
Books two and three of Plato's Republic are used as the counterpoint to Aristophanes' Clouds . The Republic offers Socrates' critique of poetry: poetry does not contribute to the correct understanding of the gods or human excellence. Thus, poetry's pedagogy creates flawed human beings, while misunderstanding what is necessary for good citizenship and political health more generally.
The final part of the study examines the two notions of political health; the relative rank order of poetry, philosophy, and politics; and the implications of this study for modern politics.
