The Socratic Problem Of Socrates - 1462 Words

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. What is known about Socrates comes from writings of other philosophers, such as his follower Plato, and Plato’s student, Aristotle. The Socratic problem is a rat s nest of complexities arising from the fact that various people wrote about Socrates whose accounts differ in crucial respects, leaving us to wonder which, if any, are accurate representations of the historical Socrates (Nails n. pag.). In fact, Socrates wrote nothing. His life was fully dedicated to teaching and philosophizing. However, he never claimed payment for his teaching, and he preferred to walk barefoot and dress with a worn out robe, rat her than idolizing materialistic aspects of life. For instance, he criticized those who based their earthly lives on physical appearance, success, money, and materialism, claiming that the key to wisdom was the understanding of the soul. Socrates’ life was a simple one. For example, his philosophy of life perfectly matched how he lived. In other words, he was what he preached. He was an inspiration for many philosophers of the time, and he is still able to stir up ideas and curiosity in today’sShow MoreRelatedThe Complicated Life of Socrates1183 Words   |  5 PagesSocrates was a classical Greek philosopher that was born in Athens, Greece around 470/469 BC. He served in the Athenian army and fought in many battles. When Socrates retired from fighting in the army, he began focusing on expressing his beliefs. He wasn’t the typical â€Å"teacher† or â€Å"preacher†; he was a very critical and analytical thinker that helped guide his students and the Athenians during his time. Through his teachings and beliefs, Socrates had positive and negative influence on the people duringRead MoreThe Socratic Method And Nietzsche s Objections1390 Words   |  6 Pages The Socratic Method and Nietzsche’s Objections In Plato’s apology, the story is told of how Chaerephon, friend of Socrates, went to the temple at Delphi to ask the oracle a question pertaining to the wisdom of Socrates, and how it compares to the rest of the men on earth. â€Å"He asked if any man was wiser than I, and the Pythian replied that no one was wiser† (Plato). This response was very confusing to Socrates because he recognized that he was not wise at all, and it troubled him for some timeRead MoreBiography of Socrates, An Annotated Bibliography1581 Words   |  6 Pages Bibliographical Annotations FUTTER, DYLAN. â€Å"Socrates Human Wisdom.† Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review 52.1 (2013): 61-79. Humanities International Complete. Print. Dylan, the senior lecturer of the Department of Philosophy at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and author of several articles provides the argument that a satisfactory interpretation of human wisdom can be given in terms of â€Å"philosophia†.He confirms his analysis by its resolution of some enduring difficulties in theRead MoreHow Do the Ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Still Affect Us Today?1114 Words   |  4 PagesHow do Socrates, Platos and Aristotles ideas still affect us today? The most famous gift of Socrates to Western civilization is that of the Socratic Method. Socrates believed in deductive reasoning, or the need to reason about specific facts from principles. The Socratic Method involves the student in the learning process through questioning, and even when the teacher wishes the student to arrive at a specific answer, it is the student who is encouraged to draw the conclusion. The teacher doesRead MoreSocrates, The Philosopher Of Western Philosophy1525 Words   |  7 Pages Socrates; the founder of Western Philosophy, the first user of the Socratic method and Socratic irony, contributor to the field of ethics, and martyr for teaching what he thought was right. Indeed, Socrates is a household name, yet the picture many hold of Socrates may not be true to who Socrates actually was. Socrates considered himself a teacher and a thinker, not a writer, thus he wrote none of his teachings or thoughts down. As a consequence, the only surviving accounts of So crates come secondRead MoreSocrates : The Suicide Of Socrates1405 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates 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. On a day in 399 BC, Socrates ( roughly 71 years at the time) went to trial.Now why would anyone want to send an old man to court? Three answer is that Socrates was accused of refusing to recognize theRead MoreWho Is a True Genius1007 Words   |  5 Pagesmight that ‘genius’ be? Socrates is the name, and according to him: â€Å"An unexamined life is not worth living.† He went around Athens and persuaded others to look and examine themselves while they still have the time; to not be content with who they already are but to keep finding ways to improve the self and enrich the soul. Socrates used the dialectic method (now known as the Socratic method) – a way of investigating problems through dialogue discussion wherein a problem is broken down into seriesRead More Socrates Essay1087 Words   |  5 Pagesconfrontations in political philosophy, the biggest is the conflict between philosophy and politics. The problem remains making philosophy friendly to politics. The questioning of authoritative opinions is not easily accomplished nor is that realm of philosophy - the pursuit of wisdom. Socrates was the instigator of the conflict. While the political element takes place within opinions about political life, Socrates asks the question quot;What is the best regime and how should I live?quot; Ancient thought isRead MorePolitical Philosophy: Steering the Middle Course Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical and the philosophical is obtained. Socrates, founder of political philosophy, believes it necessary to be concerned with the way one should live individually and collectively, but holds it higher to try to understand this way of life. Because he believes it more important to understand this way of life, he lives with the questions of political philosophy at all times, but can never provide assertive answers to the question. Evidently, then, Socrates does not leave a set of theories or doctrinesRead MoreWhat Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece?1494 Words   |  6 Pages| What Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece? | Natalia Gonzalez | | Mr. Pellegrini, 2A | 3/24/2010 | [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] | What Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece? In the leading city of Athens 2,500 years ago during the Golden Age, a peculiar philosopher was born into