Introduction
Since time immemorial, man wanted to find truths about the world and its inhabitants. Many ideas by famous philosophers have been researched in the quest to know of mankind behavior and way of life. Religion has been questioned, governments, the economy, metaphysics and human intelligence. Philosophers have done this through analytical and critical minds and provided answers to the questions. I will compare and contrast here below Socrates and Voltaire, who are both renowned philosophers.
Voltaire
His approach to philosophy was based on a theory that the lesser the population was informed of the world, the happier it tended to be and the more content it tended to be with life (Voltaire, http://www.k-state.edu/english/baker/english287/Voltaire-Story_of_a_Good_Brahmin.htm, Para.8). Voltaire, despite his quest for and the achievement of knowledge, was unlikely to find a precise answer about the worldly issues. He rather discovered more of nature as opposed to satisfying his queries and was distraught to have encountered more and more questions. Interestingly, he never was able to discover his purpose or origin of life which made him deduce that ignorance is a blessing.
Socrates
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For example, when someone acts in a incorrect manner and considers their action is for a worthy purpose but later figures out that they were wrong, they are likely never to repeat it again. Unlike Voltaire, Socrates portrayed a constructive attitude towards life and indeed mortality. He was convinced that knowledge brought a lot of benefits to people and they found happiness when they comprehended their purpose in life and ignorance was not at all a
There were many circumstances in the life of Socrates and Marin Luther King which reveals their approach towards changing the world. They took several measures to improve the lives of people but the worst thing is that there end was not good. They both died in the hands of injustice. Socrates said that people should believe on their own caliber and follow the truth rather than following the majority. MLK on the other hand elaborates the topic of just and unjust law and how it is related to the unjust law. Their approaches were not similar but their intentions were same. Now the main question is ‘Is there any way we can response to those various instances of social injustice? What are unjust law and application of unjust law and how should we
During the Enlightenment, revolutionary thinkers called philosophes brought about new ideas as to how to better understand and improve their society. They were all modern thinkers and had the best interests of society in mind. Although each philosoph had his or her own ideas, they all centered around one main theme: equality and human freedom.
I believe Socrates and Voltaire had the same view of the relation between reason and religion. To both philosophers religion was not the same as faith, but a matter of reason.
As the wisest man in all of ancient Greece, Socrates believed that the purpose of life was both personal and spiritual growth. He establishes this conviction in what is arguably his most renowned statement: "The unexamined life is not worth living."
During the late 17th-18th century Enlightenment, people began to question the norms that had previously blindly accepted. Philosophes emerged, trying to find new ways to understand and improve their society. Using observation and reason, these philosophes uncovered natural laws of existence - patterns in nature and human behavior that could be used to understand the truth of all things and could improve human activities. All four of the Enlightenment philosophers emphasized people’s personal freedom in choosing their own political, religious, economic, and societal alignments, as long as in attaining their natural rights, people didn’t infringe on others’, because in doing so, they will benefit the whole society.
The ideas of philosophers and philosophes impacted their culture and ours by changing the way we think, what we learn, and what we believe. With their advances in psychology, literature, and religion, our world has been able to reach new heights in the way we think. Some of the most influential philosophers were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. This paper will go in chronological order beginning with Socrates leading into the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Socrates is considered the father of the enlightenment.
Unlike many other disciplines and ways of studying the world, the philosophical approach can vary from person to person and take many shapes, without restricting itself to one specific method at all time. That quality alone has given enormous freedom and variation to the work of many great philosophers, even on the subject of philosophy. To this end, we now turn our attention to Socrates and Voltaire, two of the great philosophers and their concerns and though on philosophy.
To Socrates, life is not meaningful, unless you have reached a certain level of self-awareness. Socrates believed that wisdom was one of the most important things to pursue, and that if you do not try to pursue the highest level of wisdom you have wasted parts of your life. Socrates also has a strong sense of “virtue” and belief in God. He says “I shall obey God rather than you, and while I have life and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy... Understand that I shall never alter my ways, not even if I have to die many times.”
Socrates is a widely renowned teacher, who has taught and demonstrated a variety of lessons that regard how he views the world. Socrates has described his view on morality, purpose, death, and the ultimate. He has spoken about these views through multiple texts including The Last Days of Socrates and they have been interpreted through the text Socrates by George Rudebusch. Through these worldviews, Socrates has given people the opportunity to expand their wisdom and question the world around them.
“The Unexamined Life is not Worth Living.” This is the famous quote proclaimed by Socrates, a controversial philosopher of ancient Athens. He believed that anyone could lead a significant and meaningful existence by examining his or her own life and ideas very thoroughly. (Soccio)
In Book 1 of Plato’s Republic, Socrates and Thrasymachus engage in a passionate, and often acrimonious, conversation regarding the relationship between a ruler and those he or she rules. The following will explain each of their understandings on the topic, and compare and contrast the ways in which the two men view governance and the ruler-ruled relationship.
Socrates, a Greek philosopher, once said that “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Apology 38b). Like Socrates, Albert Camus believed that a man needs to live meaningfully.
Socrates was considered by many to be the wisest man in ancient Greece. While he was eventually condemned for his wisdom, his spoken words are still listened to and followed today. When, during his trial, Socrates stated that, “the unexamined life is not worth living” (Plato 45), people began to question his theory. They began to wonder what Socrates meant with his statement, why he would feel that a life would not be worth living. To them, life was above all else, and choosing to give up life would be out of the picture. They did not understand how one would choose not to live life just because he would be unable to examine it.
Even with the anticipation of death linguring in his path, Socrates remained composed and curious. During his defense, he made it clear that death was nothing to fear, but rather an accepted inevitability of
"An unexamined life is not worth living." (Plato, trans. 1871, pa.68) As Socrates stands against the court, on his final moments, he stands against his firm beliefs, and his insubordinate teachings. He feels that it is his mission, by God, and his purpose, to seek for this truth within both himself, and other men. It is often asked what makes life worth living? In the eyes of Socrates, this 'unexamined life' is one who lives with ignorance, and is not willing to live through experiences, and constantly searches for the truth. Both self-reflective and self-critical, they walk on a path that seeks for answers to the bigger (and sometimes smaller) questions. The thirst for knowledge and, through examining his own life, encouraging and reflecting on others' lives, and being critical of those who do not examine their own, Socrates drew to the assumption that an unexamined life is certainly just not worth living.