Socrates was born in Athens in 470 B.C. His mother was Phaenarete and his was
Sophroniscus. Socrates married Xanthippe. They later had three sons; Lamprocles,
Sophroniscus, and Menexenus. It is believed that Socrates was a stone mason until he started his journey to enlightenment. Socrates lived in the time known as the Golden Age of Greece.
This was a time where there were new ideas in democracy and arts and new ways of thinking.
Socrates was one of the most influential thinkers in the fifth century. He wanted genuine knowledge instead of victory over his opponent. He used the same logic developed by the
Sophists to find a new purpose and pursue the truth. He was willing to call everything into question. He also was determined to have an extensive
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Second, he would focus on a key word in the discussion and ask for clarification, such as "What is wisdom?". Then he would tell the other person he was confused and ask for help before the conversation progressed. Socrates would listen to the person’s definition of the key word, and then ask for additional clarification. This usually led to the person changing their definition, which would then start the questions from Socrates again. This would continue until the person either realized they didn’t know what they were talking about, and the person would leave the conversation or continuing to search for the answer. Socrates also had his own method or arguments. There were three different ways he would challenge a definition. First, he would find a structural flaw in the definition. This would be if the problem was circular, such as “Justice is what a just person does.” (Lawhead 51) Another type of flaw is when a part is identified with the whole. Such as when justice is used to explain virtue when it is only part of virtue. (Lawhead 51) Definitions can also be flawed if instead of defining the word, a list of examples is given. Second, Socrates would argue by using reductio ad absurdum, which means reducing to absurdity. He would do this by believing his companion’s statement was true, and then showing how it implies an absurd conclusion or a conclusion that contradicts itself. Next, Socrates would use a counterexample to show that the definition …show more content…
Socrates was put on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth in Athens. Socrates was a very controversial figure and was not well liked. He wasn’t liked because the challenged people’s ways of thinking and he also was very critical of the gods that the Athenians worshipped. At that time, people were supposed to fear the gods and to make sacrifices to them and hold festivals to honor them. Some people think that Socrates may not have been convicted due to questioning the gods but because of his untraditional interpretation of the gods and his allegiance to the daimon. Socrates said he heard a voice from when he was a child. The daimon was only heard by Socrates in his own mind. The jurors were very concerned about the daimon, because they thought it might be hostile to Athens. Socrates’ daimon was one of the main reasons he was indicted on the charges of worshipping new
Socrates was a great thinker and debater dedicated to truth. He spent his golden years walking the streets of Athens in pursuit of wisdom. Socrates lived the destiny that was revealed to him in the Oracle. He created and perfected his own cross-examination technique; we today know it as the Socratic Method. He was thorough and unrelenting. His subjects were often humiliated. Socrates would methodically disprove anyone he thought was wrong. In his eyes, most of the people he interviewed were blind. It did not matter if one was wealthy and influential or if they were young and impressionable. Socrates could question anyone and turn him or her inside out. Unfortunately, he did so without regard to the
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
Since he had asked the audience at the beginning of his defense to not interrupt him even if something he said disturbed them, he now uses that to his advantage to and asked himself a question as if it were from a thoughtful member of the jury. The fictional person, Socrates uses to once again work his words around the court to make them think in the way that he wishes them too. He infers that his primary argument was sufficient and uses the query to lead into his next topic of discussion: his wisdom. Socrates’ has already made it know to the court that he is a wise man and he has eloquently persuaded them that he is not as bad a man as rumors would have them believe. During the second part of his argument, Socrates addresses in greater detail than the previous, his view of philosophy and takes a stance defending it. Interestingly enough, this is still being used to clear Socrates’ name and acquit him of his “crimes.” He seeks to clarify the reason that rumors about him came about in the first place. He speaks first of the Delphic Oracle and how the god told Chaerephon, regarding Socrates, that no man was wiser than he and how in an effort to bring a counter-argument to the god, the philosopher set out to interrogate men considered wise. Socrates also cites that another source of the Athenians’ distaste towards him was rooted in the youth that he taught, who
The place in which Socrates’ died however was an Athenian jail cell. Before Socrates’ death, he was accused by three men of spreading ideas to the youth of Athens that the gods didn’t exist; this lead to a massive trial of Socrates involving 500 Athenian citizens. The accusers were given three hours to present their case and evidence of Socrates’
Socrates lived in Athens, Greece for the entirety of his life (B.C. 469-399). His main objective in life was to teach people how to think critically about questions concerning truth, justice, and happiness. He believed that an unexamined life is a life not
Socrates was one of the most influential thinkers in the West, even though he left no writings of himself, it was possible to reconstruct an accurate account of his life from the writings of his Greek students because he always engaged them. He was a man with a very strong conviction because he lived his life for the pursuit of knowledge, true wisdom, God’s will, and piety. Though he never wrote anything, his soul source of knowledge about him came from one of his students, Plato. Socrates was born in 469 B.C. in a village on the slopes of Mount Lycabettus, where his father was a sculptor and his mother a midwife. He soon became an apprentice and aid to his father and he continued it throughout a brief period of time until he
With that being said, he also believed that humans should examine their lives. Therefore, Socrates would hold gatherings that allowed men to express their stands, and have heated discussions. However, he was the type of person that would get you thinking even if you didn’t want to, and sometimes Socrates would embarrass his opponents. Socrates also came up with a strategy called “Judo” that dealt with the opponent’s defenses, basically letting his opponent do the work for him. This was an attack that Socrates would give to arrogant men. Once the men admit to their ignorance, Socrates would enlighten them. The Socratic Method is a process of questions and answers in order to find the significant truth or reasoning behind the actions. Socrates would use the technique to give the big minded a dose of reality. That was to remind them of how ignorant, they actually
Socrates was born in 469 BC in Athens (where he lived all his life) as
E. He did this by first engaging in a conversation that the person though they knew a lot about. They would tell Socrates everything they knew. However, Socrates would be constantly looking for inconsistencies in the conversation. All of his dialogs would be just
Socrates was born Athens in the year (469 – 399) BCE. Socrates hadn’t wrote anything about his life. However his student wrote down his life and ideas. The main student who wrote about Socrates is Plato. Socrates was a son of Sophroniscus. Socrates raised in a poor family, so he learned the basic Greek education and then moved to be a stone man like his father work. He worked as craft man for many years before he advocated his life to be an Athens philosopher Socrates. (2015). In addition, Socrates was a solider in the Athenian army. He participated in three military campaigns during the Peloponnesian War, at Delium, Amphipolis, and
If there ever was a list people who sought to explore and understand wisdom, knowledge, and life with a passion, Socrates (470/469 – 399 BC) would most likely be at the very top of that list. As a philosopher, Socrates never wrote any philosophical works of his own and he conducted philosophy by engaging conversations with anyone who would talk with him. These discussions that are detailed in Plato's Dialogues usually involve Socrates asking questions that eventually make his conversant question their own beliefs. Unfortunately, the self-doubt and possible embarrassment that many felt after conversing with Socrates was impactful enough that the Athenian assembly eventually agreed to have Socrates put to death. Socrates had many chances to escape his punishment, but he choose to accept his fate and face death. He even regarded cowardice and hypocrisy as fates worse than death. For this, Socrates is as influential for his character as he is for his philosophical ideas. All of Socrates' conversations seem to have a common theme. What is it besides the search for what is true and correct? There is a relation that must take place for one to acquire true understanding.
Socrates was wise in respect to the fact that he never accepted a “truth” that was told to him, without getting incontestable evidence to back it up. He made the realization that people believed in things without even knowing where their ideas came from. In ancient Athens, citizens believed in many gods and myths associated with them.
Socrates was a great philosopher who had an incredible impact on philosopher of his time and even philosopher today. He lived in Athena from 469 B.C.E to 399 B.C.E. He taught his ism of life on the street to anyone who cared to listen. His philosophy basically was that everyone is responsible for his or her own moral attitudes. He was a critic of democracy. He asked simple questions that had difficult result to people who were considered wise at the time. His precept were based on discovering the Truth , understanding life, and talk about the elements that make up a good life. Socrates was brought to trial with many explosive charge for his teachings and philosophy. Who would know that Socrates trial would have such an impact on philosophy today?
One method that Socrates used often was the question and answer method. The method usually consisted of Socrates starting a conversation with someone and asking them questions so that Socrates can develop a better understanding of the subject. This is called the Socratic Method. Using this method does not guarantee an answer, but it does raise even more questions. When someone uses the Socratic Method they are using their critical thinking skills. It makes a person think and it gives them a different way of looking at the
So, as told by Plato, Socrates began his defence before an Athenian jury on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of the city. However, the real aim of these accusations seems to have been to challenge the way in which Socrates had conducted his life—a life dedicated to the continuous debate of various ethical issues and the attainment of wisdom and truth. Indeed, Socrates’ importance to the development of philosophy, considered by many to be the greatest achievement of the Greeks, cannot be understated.