 Socrates makes a move that will become familiar in other dialogues. The anxious fathers have consulted generals, and Socrates thinks the fathers are on the right track; they should consult an expert (185a), but for some time Socrates leaves it unclear what subject the expert should be expert about. The anxious fathers had not expressed concern about ethics, but Socrates takes their question as ethical. He assumes that the purpose of any form of military training is to instill courage in the soul (185e, with 190d), and he infers they are seeking an expert in that. He then introduces this basic premise: an expert in instilling X must know what X is (190a).