Socrates, one of the philosophers mentioned in the times before the Renaissance, was born around 470 BC, in Athens, Greece. He was the son of Sophroniscus, a stone mason, and Phaenarete, a midwife. He received basic Greek education and was taught to be a stone mason like his father. It’s said that he was a mason before he became a philosopher. He married a younger woman, her name being Xanthippe, and had three sons, Lamprocles, Sophroniscus, and Menexenus. Socrates is said to, by his own words, have had little to nothing to do with his sons’ upbringing and was much more interested in the intelligence of Athens’ young men. He was also a soldier, serving in the armored infantry. He was in three military campaigns, saving the life of a popular Athenian general during one of them. He compared his punishment after his trial and the way he refused to back down to the situation of a soldier, who wouldn’t retreat even if it meant death. …show more content…
He believed people were only happy when they acted according to their reason. He didn’t believe that people would deliberately act in a way that would make them unhappy. In Sophie’s World, an important quote that can back this up is “Socrates, whose mother was a midwife, used to say that his art was like the art of the midwife. She does not herself give birth to the child, but she is there to help during its delivery. Similarly, Socrates saw his task as helping people to 'give birth' to correct insight, since real understanding must come from within. . . . Everybody can grasp philosophical truths if they just use their innate reason.” Socrates said that people knew the world through reason, and believed that very
Socrates was born in Athens in 469 B.C.E. He had a son that was not known to many people. Very little is known about Socrates early life, but we know we he was taught by a pupil by his father. Until the age of 40, we have zero evidence on what happened during his life in that life
He talked to ordinary people about ordinary subjects. He talked about how to make friends, how to treat children, how to support female relations in bad times, how to receive the greatness of his country, the evidence for the existence of God, what knowledge is, and whether goodness can be taught. He had all the right intentions and all he wanted was to make people realize was their capacity of logical solutions to the level of their capacity. All the cross-questioning, which seemed so tiresome, so negative, had a positive purpose. Here is his own description of it: "I spend my whole life in going about and persuading you all to give your first and chiefest care to the perfection of your souls, and not till you have done that to think of your bodies, or your wealth; and telling you that virtue does not come from wealth, but that wealth and every other good thing which men have, whether in public or in private, comes from virtue. " (Portrait of Socrates, 1979) Socrates, he is the questioner, the tester, the man who finds it intolerable to lead an uncritisized life or disillusionment or annoyance with human stupidity but from positive beliefs.
Socrates has a unique position in the history of philosophy. On one hand he is the most influential on another he is the least known. In his later life he is seen to stalk the streets barefoot, to spite shoemakers. He went about arguing and questioning people and revealing inconsistencies in their beliefs. He began teaching students but never accepted payments for doing so. This was possible because of the inheritance left by his father. Socrates wrote nothing of himself so we are dependent upon the works of both his students and associates who present a view as close to
Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher, credited with founding modern philosophy. He was a genius who created Socratic irony and the Socratic method, as well as posthumously influencing all of modern society and government since his death in 399 BC. Socrates’ ideas of politics and government are still referenced today. He was a groundbreaking mind that was accused on the grounds of corrupting the youth of Athens, as well as impiety. I believe that he was rightfully convicted in accordance with the laws of ancient Athens.
Socrates found his purpose through oracles and dreams by a divine power, “…since I was trying to find out the meaning of the oracle, I was bound to interview everyone who had a reputation for knowledge.” (Apology 22a), from the oracle of Apollo, Socrates believed that his purpose was to philosophize. Socrates would question reputable wise men and try to prove the oracle that he (Socrates) was not the wisest man. After interviewing men with a high reputation, Socrates began to expose them for their ignorance and their deficiency. He also determined that his wisdom was of no value, yet he was the wisest mortal. He also established that there are three levels of wisdom; “real wisdom” (the highest), being “wisest among men” (the middle), “not being wise, but seeming wise, especially to oneself” (the lowest). Even after establishing his purpose and proving the oracle, he felt as if he should still philosophize (Mission from God, pg. 20). Along with morality, Socrates had the belief that our purpose in life was to examine how to live, he thought that we must come
Socrates was the son of common Athenians. His father was a stone-mason/ sculptor, his mother a midwife. Socrates was also a stone-mason by trade and was to follow in his father’s footsteps. It was still yet unknown to Socrates in his early years that his ‘career’ would be that of a philosopher.
Socrates lived his entire life in Athens, Greece when he was advocating his philosophical views on life. He asked the fellow Athenians hard questions about truth and justice. Compared to the rest of the Greeks, Socrates had a quite different perspective on how humans should live their lives. Specifically on how happiness is obtained. While the rest of Athens believed that happiness is a gift only given to the lucky ones by the Gods, Socrates’ idea was that happiness was attainable through effort and rationality. To the Greeks this idea that anyone could obtain happiness for themselves was considered punishable for the fact that it was overreaching pride. However, Socrates claimed that people must turn away from focusing on the body and physical things, but instead focus more on our souls. Socrates’ philosophy was that once a person obtains actual happiness that they will produce a divine-like state of
Socrates was born in 470 BCE in Athens, Greece. His father was Sophroniscus, a sculptor and stone mason from Athens and his mother was a midwife by the name of Phaenarete ("30 Interesting Socrates Facts" 2014). Socrates original profession was masonry and sculpting, before becoming a philosopher.
Socrates is the ancient Greek thinker who laid the early foundations for Western philosophical thought. His "Socratic Method" involved asking probing questions in a give-and-take which would eventually lead to the truth. Socrates was born in Athens and fought as a foot soldier in the Peloponnesian War with Sparta, but in later years became a devotee of philosophy and argument.
the blazing one, spending time with the Empress and building up a very strong Platonic friendship. The Empress comes to realize that her improvements were for naught and, if anything, created contentions and divisions among all of the "-men." She comes to the Duchess for advice because she fears that they will rebel against the monarchy. The Duchess advises her to revert to the original form of government that seemed to work with one law, one religion, one language and one monarch. The Empress takes her advice and all is right in the world once again—begging readers to inquire as to the Empresses’ reasoning for her change; why change a system that had already worked? Additionally the Empress actually enters our world (her own native
He values those who seek knowledge and understanding of the world around them. He is saying that naive people who follow others blindly without question do not live a life worth living. I also believe, his statement means that people need to be aware and identify the meaning of their life. By identifying the meaning of their life, people will discover the purpose in which their life must serve. Socrates is making the point that every life should serve some purpose.
His early life started out in Ciria Greece in 470 B.C the reason why we know this is because again of his followers. He grew up not in a noble family and received no high class education and a lower class family. Socrates father was a stonemason and a sculptor and he learned his father's sculpting ways. His first job started out as a sculptor for many years until he gave it up on philosophy and was paid to be a philosopher. Later on in life he married and had three sons which he had no connection with, but a short time after he joined the greek army and was in the infantry and later after the war ended he then turned to philosophy.
Socrates shows everyone that they do not know what they want in life. I do not think that Socrates knows what he wants either, but he knows that. As he said in Apology the only thing that separates him from everyone else is that he knows he does not know anything. He is this crazy man who really does not have anything. He is not beautiful nor does he have a career. Either way men find themselves wanting his attention. Alcibiades says, “Socrates is the only man in the world who has made me feel shame” (216B). The attraction that Socrates provokes is much greater than that of any
Born in Classical Athens, Socrates was raised in a society that respected the teachings of the Greek Gods and those who considered themselves wise. Socrates’ mission “was to expose the ignorance of those who thought themselves wise and try to convince his fellow citizens that every man is responsible for his own moral attitudes” (Plato, iv). Socrates sought to teach the common man the value
Socrates was born in 469 B.C.E., in Athens, Greece. He was a loyal citizen of Athens who also served as a soldier as required for Athens males. His philosophy, or as it was called, his Socratic Method, laid the stones for what became to be known as Western philosophy. However, Socrates remains one of the most powerful, yet misunderstood and enigmatic figures of philosophy.