A Reading of Werner Jaeger’s Socrates in Paideia

Abstract This article examines Werner Jaeger’s interpretation of Socrates in Paideia as both a reconstruction of the ancient philosopher and an episode in the modern reception of Greek thought. It analyses Jaeger’s use of Platonic and Xenophontic sources, his attempt to reconcile divergent Socratic traditions, and the humanistic assumptions that guide this interpretative procedure. It then contrasts his approach with more recent Socratic scholarship in order to assess its principal strengths and limitations. The comparison examines whether the educational unity Jaeger attributes to Socrates supplies sufficient grounds for reconciling the divergent ancient testimonies. Finally, the article considers the reception of Jaeger’s Socrates in European and Latin American contexts, particularly in authors such as Giovanni Reale and Eduardo Nicol. In this way, it seeks to recover the historical significance of Jaeger’s interpretation while also reconsidering its place within the modern tradition through which Socrates and paideia have continued to be read and reformulated.