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Gadfly (philosophy and social science)

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For other uses, see Gadfly (disambiguation).
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A gadfly is a person who interferes with the status quo of a society or community by posing novel, potentially upsetting questions, usually directed at authorities. The term is originally associated with the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, in his defense when on trial for his life.

History

Ancient Greece

See also: Gadfly (mythology)

Socrates

The term (epitheton [1]) "gadfly", in Platonic sources of ancient Greek shown as μύωπός, specifically within Apology 30-31,[2] was used by Plato in the Apology[3] to describe Socrates's relationship with Athens, as Athens analogous to a horse, with Socrates an insect, as part of the defence made by Socrates of his own self against accusations made against him in his trial. The existence of the association of Socrates to a fly, states [4] the symbiotic [5] horse→fly to show specifically the value of the [4] ecological relationship [6] of a fly to a horse (known to the interlocutor Socrates), because the horse is benefited by being disturbed to exercise, [4] subsequent critical literary evaluation determines the association made to make heroic qualities of Socrates. [7]


The insect is thought to be have been (to be) perhaps the horse-fly, [8] or the so-called bot-fly [9] (subfamily Oestrinae, Nasal Bot flies [10]), or warble-fly[9] (subfamily Hypodermatinae[10]) [9] (both considered important members of the superfamily Oestridae (made of four families) [11]), or specifically any one relevant insect,[12] of a variety [9] of contemporary insects.[12]

The English language word gad, is found, in the comprehensively distant 13th century England, amongst words of the Middle English language, [13] in print (online at least), at least as past as ca 1540 [14] The Play of Wyt and Science (John Redford, composed during the reign of Henry VIII [15]) [16]

SCIENCE. Art a sweryng to? Now by my hood, you foolyshe knaves breeche vj.strypes shal bere!

WYT. Ye, Godes bones! foole and knave to be! ye there By the mas call me foole once agayne, or thou shalt sure call a blo or twayne!

EXPERIENCE Cum away, dowghter, the foole is mad!

WYT. Nay, nor yet nether ye shal gad ! We wyll gre better, or ye pas hence. I praye the now, goode swete ladye Science, All this strange maner now hyde and cover, And play the goodfelowe wyth thy lover!

SCIENCE.What goodfelowshyppe wold ye of me, Whome ye know not, nether yet I know ye!

WYT. Know ye not me!

which is a time contemporaneous to the emergence of gadfly as a 16th century construct of "gad", plus evidently, "fly". [17]

Μύωψ (μύωψ), [18] synonomous with gadfly, is a subsequent transferal of meaning from "μύωπός" (although μύωψ doesn't exist in the original): [19]

...ὑμῖν ἐμοῦ καταψηφισάμενοι. ἐὰν γάρ με ἀποκτείνητε, οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἄλλον τοιοῦτον εὑρήσετε, ἀτεχνῶς—εἰ καὶ γελοιότερον εἰπεῖν—προσκείμενον τῇ πόλει ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ὥσπερ ἵππῳ μεγάλῳ μὲν καὶ γενναίῳ, ὑπὸ μεγέθους δὲ νωθεστέρῳ καὶ δεομένῳ ἐγείρεσθαι ὑπὸ

— 30e

μύωπός τινος, οἷον δή μοι δοκεῖ ὁ θεὸς ἐμὲ τῇ πόλει προστεθηκέναι τοιοῦτόν τινα, ὃς ὑμᾶς ἐγείρων καὶ πείθων καὶ ὀνειδίζων ἕνα ἕκαστον οὐδὲν παύομαι τὴν ἡμέραν ὅλην πανταχοῦ προσκαθίζων.τοιοῦτος οὖν ἄλλος οὐ...

— 31a

shown here at the beginning of 31a (using perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/), with parts of the text, at the outside of the sentence containing the word, as italicized.[20] Taking a moment, having realized this fact, to base our understanding on the language of the source (using Morwood and Taylor), [21] we find the words specifically relevant to the direction of thought here, within the text, given as:

  • μυîα - fly
  • οîστρος - gadfly
  • ἵππος ου ό - horse

with a variant of the Morwood and Taylor word "horse" visible as ἵππῳ (the 22nd word after the italics, in the second line of 30e), μυîα is surmised as μύωπός, but οîστρος is strangely absent from the sentence.

The greek word (μύωπός in the original source) expressed as μύωψ in some later critical sources, specifically in relation to Socrates, [22] is (in sources of the latter not the former) also described subsequently as myops,[23] or muope. [24]

The word, μύωπός is used by Plato (and Socrates, or vice-vera), to communicate a metaphor, [9] where metaphor is thought in the modern aspect, by some to be "..deviant and parasitic upon normal usage..", [25] which is perceived as a classification of thinking, belonging to the classical perspective, by others, as "an essential characteristic of the creative use of language", which is thought to be typical of romantic positions on the subject, [26] in order of Socrates, to describe his activities, as necessary to arouse the unmoving (c.f. inert [27]) city-state Athens, [28] this being a good thing for the city, and so, necessitating his activities for the good, [29] against the bad position of his prosecution, incipient at a time after the return of democracy (during the year 403 or 402) to the government, after the governing of the Thirty (Tyrants). [30]

Bible

The Book of Jeremiah uses a similar analogy as a political[citation needed] metaphor: "Egypt is a very fair heifer; the gad-fly cometh, it cometh from the north" (46:20, Darby Bible).

Modern politics

In modern politics, a gadfly is someone who persistently challenges people in positions of power, the status quo or a popular position.[31] For example, Morris Kline wrote, "There is a function for the gadfly who poses questions that many specialists would like to overlook. Polemics is healthy."[32] The word may be uttered in a pejorative sense or be accepted as a description of honourable work or civic duty.[33]

See also

Bibliography

search criteria:

https://logeion.uchicago.edu/ (Ἁ @ μυωπός):

"gadfly in french", published by Linguee

(sources included as examples); criteria: "application of labels in mental illness" using Google:

  • (p.1); J Pasman (‎2011) — The Consequences of Labeling Mental Illnesses on the Self-concept: A Review of the Literature and Future Directions, Social Cosmos volume 2, pp. 122 - 127 "...People are being labelled; they are seen as being mentally ill instead of having a mental illness...labelling theory, the stigma of being labelled.." (synopsis) ‎→ file:///C:/Users/dell/Downloads/27-94-1-PB.pdf
    • (p.2); c.f. W.W. Meissner (Dr) (1981) — p.614 "Prognosis ..is that paranoid schizophrenics have .. than non paranoids..", published by Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 7 Issue 4

The conversion of a courtezan A watchword to maidens (Robert Greene 1592): [34]

..Youth is apt to yield to sweet persuasions, and therefore cousin, think nothing more dangerous than to gad abroad...I, whom wanton desires had drawn in delight, still presumed in my former follies, and gave myself either to gad abroad, or..

search criteria: "gadfly" ((1o) accessed 2020-1-30)

criteria: "burial practice in ancient greece flies" ((2o) accessed 2020-1-30)

(Greek language) Plato - Apology 30e, Platonis Opera, editor John Burnet, published by Oxford University Press 1903 ((3o) accessed 2020-1-30) using "Πλάτων απολογία 30e-31a"

Ψυχή, Θυμός, and Metaphor in Homer and Plato - Douglas Cairns "..The etymology of ψυχή, cognate with ψῦχος and ψυχρός, suggests an original reference to the cold breath of death..." Dossier Platon et la psychè ((4o) accessed 2020-1-30) using "fly metaphor in Plato"


criteria: "sect worship in ancient Greece" ((1o) accessed 2020-1-31)

criteria: "sect warship in ancient greece" ((2o) accessed 2020-1-31)

"Socrates insect" > "Socrates in sect" - John Lockhart Ross (1859) - Man, considered in relation to a present and future state of being, AN ANALYSIS OF THE ANCIENT SYSTEM OF ETHIC-p.127, published by J.F. Hope 1859, ((3o) accessed 2020-1-31) "..the different philosophical schools and sects in Greece.."

References

  1. ^ Hjördis Becker-Lindenthal, in, (Katalin Nun, Dr Jon Stewart editors) — Volume 16, Tome I: Kierkegaard's Literary Figures and Motifs: Agamemnon to Guadalquivir, p.259, published by Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 28 October 2014 (revised) ISBN 1472441362, ISBN 9781472441362 - accessed 2020-01-27 (sourced using "Socrates the gadfly" see: Tejera (1995))
  2. ^
  3. ^ "Apology 30e".
  4. ^ a b c
    • Bibliographical: Lilian Bodson (October - November 1983) "..all agree that Aristotle was the first scholar to give an extensive account of these smallest of creatures...Since he was the first to study insects extensively, or, at least, to compile and enlarge upon what was already known about them (Byl, 1980; Chroust 1973; Grayeff 1956), Aristotle .. defining them .. giving their order a specific name .. defined them as a zoological class on the basis of two general criteria: wings and mouth parts.." " & Aristotle — The beginnings of Entomology in Ancient Greece, The Classical Outlook Volume 61, No. 1 - accessed 2020-01-27
  5. ^ Surindar Paracer, Vernon Ahmadjian — Symbiosis: An Introduction to Biological Associations, p.3, published by Oxford University Press 6 July 2000 (1st 1996) ISBN 0198027885, ISBN 9780198027881 - accessed 2020-1-30
  6. ^ Bibliographical, (sources used to indicate an example of)
  7. ^ the relevant source is 3., 1.-3. indicates the route of sourcing to arrive @ 3.
    • 1.Χλόη Μπάλλα — Δημόσιος ρήτορας ή ιδιωτικός συνομιλητής; Η στόχευση της πλατωνικής διαλεκτικής, pp.258-259, published by University of Crete: the department of Philosophy and Social Studies - accessed 2020-1-30 "...Δεν είμαστε σε θέση να γνωρίζουμε αν αυτή η διαφοροποίηση του πλατωνικού Σωκράτη από τον εσμό των ρητόρων αντιστοιχεί σε κάτι που ο ίδιος τόνισε στην πραγματική απολογία του, ή αν πρόκειται για ένα συμπέρασμα στο οποίο μοιραία κατέληξε ο Πλάτων ύστερα από την έκβαση της δίκης..." (We are not able to know whether this differentiation of the Platonic Socrates by the rhetoric corresponds to something that he himself emphasized in his actual apology, or if it is a conclusion that Plato reached fatefully after the outcome of the trial) - translation made using google translation, &, http://www.fks.uoc.gr/english/index.php - accessed 2020-1-30 (sourced using "Αναζήτηση: Περιεχομένου 30e-31a")
    • 2. translations made by google translation: "fly" : πετώ, "μύωπός τινος τινος" : myopia, "— 30e μύωπός τινος, οἷον δή μοι δοκεῖ ὁ θεὸς ἐμὲ τῇ πόλει προστεθηκέναι τοιοῦτόν τινα, ὃς ὑμᾶς ἐγείρων καὶ πείθων καὶ ὀνειδίζων ἕνα ἕκαστον οὐδὲν παύομαι τὴν ἡμέραν ὅλην" : "- 30e Muscle worm, which you see in this city is added to it, as a cheerful and persuasive cheerleader, and I miss it all day." (sic)
    • 3.criteria: "μύωπός τινος worm" : John P. Harris — Flies, Wasps, and Gadflies: The Role of Insect Similes in Homer, Aristophanes, and Plato, Volume 15 Issue 3 of Mouseion 2018, LIX–Series III, pp. 475-500, published by the University of Toronto Press online February 11, 2019, DOI: 10.3138/mous.15.3-09, (n.b. the url of this source terminates @ "Code=mous")
  8. ^ Kenneth F Kitchell Junior (2014) — Animals in the Ancient World from A to Z, p.91, published by Routledge June 23 2014 ISBN 1317577434, ISBN 9781317577430 - accessed 2020-01-27
    • Bibliographical: Lilian Bodson (October - November 1983) (included as a source within this article)
  9. ^ a b c d e Schneider & Williams, in, (Bo Carlsson, Susanna Hedenborg editors) The Social Science of Sport: A Critical Analysis, On the evaluation of quality: metaphors (i), published by Routledge October 24 2018 (reprint), ISBN 1317450558, ISBN 9781317450559 - accessed 2020-01-28
  10. ^ a b Richard C. Russell, Domenico Otranto, Richard L. Wall (2013) — The Encyclopedia of Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Stomach Bot Flies (Diptera: Oestridae, Gasterophilinae, p.325, published by CABI 2013 - accessed 2020-1-30
  11. ^ Richard C. Russell, Domenico Otranto, Richard L. Wall (2013) — The Encyclopedia of Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Stomach Bot Flies (Diptera: Oestridae, Gasterophilinae, p.325, published by CABI 2013, ISBN 1780640374, ISBN 9781780640372 - accessed 2020-1-30, sourced from "Oestridae" of R.V. Short, in, (Colin Russell Austin, Roger Valentine, editors) — Hormonal Control of Reproduction, pp.115-116, published by Cambridge University Press 1984 (reprint), ISBN 0521275946, ISBN 9780521275941 - accessed 2020-1-30 Bibliographical: from Short: "...Perhaps they think it is a stinging bee.." — search criteria: "horse thought" → "horse thinking": Temple Grandin - "..Animals, who are wordless, likely visualize their thoughts.." - (source not opened) published by Horse&Rider - accessed 2020-1-30
  12. ^ a b Lilian Bodson (October - November 1983) "..all agree that Aristotle was the first scholar to give an extensive account of these smallest of creatures...Since he was the first to study insects extensively, or, at least, to compile and enlarge upon what was already known about them (Byl, 1980; Chroust 1973; Grayeff 1956), Aristotle .. defining them .. giving their order a specific name .. defined them as a zoological class on the basis of two general criteria: wings and mouth parts.." " & Aristotle — The beginnings of Entomology in Ancient Greece, The Classical Outlook Volume 61, No. 1 - accessed 2020-01-27
  13. ^ Walter William Skeat - "M.E. — (Middle English English from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries inclusive)..".."gad (I) a wedge of steel, goad...M.E. gad a goad" — The Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, pp.xi179, published by Wordsworth Editions 1993 (reprint) ISBN 1853263117, ISBN 9781853263118 - accessed 2020-01-27
  14. ^ Louise Rayment (July 2014) — A New Context for the Manuscript of Wit and Science, Early Theatre 17.1 (2014), 49–73 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12745/et.17.1.3 - accessed 2020-1-29
  15. ^ (made by Her Majesty (the Queen) or by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of his duties) The Royal Household - Henry VIII (r.1509-1547), published online by the Crown - accessed 2020-1-29 (with; https://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/162240/Crown-copyright.pdf using "published by The Crown")
  16. ^ pp.38-9, of, The Moral Play Of Wit And Science, And Early Poetical Miscellanies. From An Unpublished Manuscript ; Edited By James Orchard Halliwell, Esq. F. R. S., F. S. A., Hon. M. R. I. A., Hon. M. R. S. L., Etc, published by the Shakespeare Society 1848 (President : Earl of Ellesmere), pp.v,39 - accessed 2020-1-29
  17. ^
  18. ^ Jeremy Bell (2015) — p.115 of Taming Horses and Desires Plato's politics of care, in, (Jeremy Bell, Michael Naas; editors) — Plato's Animals: Gadflies, Horses, Swans, and Other Philosophical Beasts, published by Indiana University Press May 1 2015, ISBN 0253016207, ISBN 9780253016201 Studies in Continental Thought - retrieved 2020-1-28 (sourced using "Socrates gadfly")
  19. ^ Demetrios Moutsos (1980) — Greek μύωψ and τζιμούριον Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung 4. Bd., 1./2. H. (1980), pp. 147-157, published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (GmbH & Co. KG) - accessed 2020-01-27 (sourced using: "μύωψ"
  20. ^ Αναζήτηση: Περιεχομένου, republished within the Perseus Project - published by University of Chicago - accessed 2020-1-27, re-accessed 2020-1-28, greek language description of University of Chicago (original link description is English language) taken from ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI, - accessed 2020-1-28
  21. ^
    • page number here are respective to words shown
  22. ^ All English language, unless otherwise stated:
    • → (2011: p.79)
    • → Van Rooy, 2014 p.10 (Dutch language)
    • → (Shepardson 2015)
    • → (2015 reprint: p.107)
    • → (2017)
    • → (Cid 2018) p.3 (Spanish language) ".. paradigmático “tábano de Atenas” ... una agudeza mental punzante...“tábano” se dice ‘μύωψ’...este vocablo designa al miope, es decir, al corto de vista en el sentido deaquel que tiene dificultades para percibir con claridad los objetos lejanos porque los ra-yos luminosos forman foco en un punto anterior a la retina, de tal forma que los miopescierran los ojos para intentar enfocar. Puede quizás atribuirse la relación entre ambasacepciones al aspecto que la morfología holóptica o dicóptica de los tábanos..."
  23. ^
  24. ^ H. W. Fowler, F. G. Fowler, David Crystal — The Concise Oxford Dictionary: The Classic First Edition, p.536, OUP Oxford, 18 August 2011 (reprint of 1911 edition) ISBN 0199696128, ISBN 9780199696123 - accessed 2020-1-27 μύωψ, ωπος, ὁ, ἡ, (μύω, ὤψ) A closing or contracting the eyes, as shortsighted people do, and so, shortsighted, Arist. Rh. 1413a4, Pr. 959a3, b38, Alex.Aphr. Pr. 1.74., published by University of Chicago, - accessed 2020-01-27
  25. ^ Andrew Ortony (1993) — Metaphor and Thought, p.2, published by Cambridge University Press November 26 1993 ISBN 0521405610, ISBN 9780521405614, (North Western University) - accessed 2020-01-28 (retrieved from earlier concept) (verification of "metaphor as deviant and parasitic upon normal usage")
  26. ^ Booth & Frisbie, using Ortony, in, (Cheryl Jean Glenn, Margaret Mary Lyday, Wendy Beth Sharer; editors) — Rhetorical Education In America,p.164, University of Alabama Press, March 15 2009, ISBN 0817355758, ISBN 9780817355753, - accessed 2020-01-28
  27. ^ search criteria: "inert" - made using search engines google & oceanhero.today - retrieved/accessed (respectively) 2020-01-28
  28. ^ Raphael Sealey — A History of the Greek City States, 700-338 B. C., University of California Press October 28 1976, ISBN 0520031776, ISBN 9780520031777, accessed 2020-1-28
  29. ^
    • Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vol. 1 translated by Harold North Fowler, Plato — Apology Cambridge, Massacheusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1966 - accessed 2020-1-27
      • [30e]:"...to use a rather absurd figure, attaches himself to the city as a gadfly to a horse, which, though large and well bred, is sluggish on account of his size and needs to be aroused by stinging. I think the god fastened me upon the city in some such capacity.." - accessed 2020-1-27, re-accessed 2020-1-28
  30. ^ "..Thirty Tyrants .. try Socrates..", in, Reason and Religion in Socratic Philosophy, p.4, published by Oxford University Press 16 November 2000, ISBN 0195350928, ISBN 9780195350920 (edited by Nicholas D. Smith, Paul Woodruff) - accessed 2020-1-29
  31. ^ Liberto, Jennifer (2007-08-08). "Publix uses law to boot gadfly". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  32. ^ Why the Professor Can't Teach (1977), page 238
  33. ^ "The Gadfly". BBC – h2g2. 2004-10-06. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
  34. ^ Robert Greene (1592), in, — Key Writings on Subcultures, 1535-1727: Classics from the Underworld, Volume 1 The Elizabethan Underworld: A Collection of Early Tudor and Stuart Tracts and Ballads, [1] published by Routledge & Kegan Paul 2002 (reprint; 1st edition 1930 George Routledge & Sons), ISBN 041528676X (set), ISBN 9780415286763 (edited by A. V. Judges) - accessed 2020-1-29 (sourced from First Known Use of gad, published by Merriam-Wewbster - accessed 2020-1-29)
  • The dictionary definition of gadfly at Wiktionary
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