Socrates On Education

With so many people starting to follow and listen to the message that Socrates delivered so frequently, there would be twice as many people who thought that he was trying to corrupt the youth. This would not be the case for those who listened to and accepted what Socrates had to say and this started to create a cultural clash. The older generations of Athens that included the likes of leaders, politicians, and parents, would begin to criticize Socrates for implementing this new way of thinking into their children and fellow citizens. “Either I do not corrupt the youth or, if I do, it is unwillingly,” (The Apology, 86). Socrates didn’t willingly try to corrupt the youth, he just hoped to broaden the mind and vision of the people of Athens. Socrates also put a lot of energy and focus on the idea of wisdom, and how being wise should be a person’s number one priority. "Let us reflect in this way, too, that there is good hope that death is a blessing, for it is one of two things: either the dead are nothing and have no perception of anything, or it is, as we are told, a change and a relocation for the soul from here to another place." (The Apology, 88). Socrates was most concerned with his soul, and he felt that this is will live on with him forever. Wisdom should trump the honors that you can receive from war, and the lust for materialistic

Socrates was a Western Ancient Athenian Greek philosopher who lived from 469 BCE until his death in 399 BCE. He was a student to another philosopher, Sophists, Socrates was different from most Greek philosophers he wanted to get at the truth and find out how one can truly be ‘good’ and moral in life. “To Socrates the soul is identified with the mind; it is the seat of reason and capable of finding the ethical truths, which will restore meaning and value of life” (ADD IN-TEXT CITATION SEMINAR). We continue to use many of Socrates teachings today, such as, ‘The Socratic method’, which is known as asking a question and within these questions you lead it to the answer you wanted to hear, many uses this as a teaching technique and is shown to be highly effective. A great number of Athenians looked up to Socrates and considered him the wise man of Athens, he had many followers whom would ask questions and seek answers. As popularity and following of Socrates grew so did accusations. The charges laid on Socrates by the Athenians were unjust and therefore his death was highly wrong in the eyes of true democracy that Athens was apparently known for. In this paper, I will discuss how Socrates was wrongfully convicted for the corruption of the youth despite having many young followers, introducing new Gods while still being considered an Atheist, and the main reason he was seen as a threat to Athens was that he brought change to the city.

Through several dialogues Plato gives readers accounts of Socrates’ interactions with other Athenians. While some may think of him as a teacher of sorts, Socrates is adamant in rejecting any such claim (Plato, Apology 33a-b). He insists that he is not a teacher because he is not transferring any knowledge from himself to others, but rather assisting those he interacts with in reaching the truth. This assistance is the reason Socrates walks around Athens, engaging in conversation with anyone that he can convince to converse with him. An assertion he makes at his trial in Plato’s Apology is at the center of what drives Socrates in his abnormal ways, “the unexamined life is not worth living for a human being” (38a). Socrates, through aporia, looks to lead an examined life to perfect his soul and live as the best person he can be. This paper looks to examine the ‘unexamined life’ and the implications rooted in living a life like Socrates’.

Many of Socrates’ statements suggest that the moral education offered to each class is substantially different. For example, Socrates asks Glaucon, ‘In the city we’re establishing, who do you think will prove to be better men, the guardians, who receive the education we’ve described, or the cobblers, who are educated in cobblery?’ (456d). Socrates suggests that his city will be harmonized through persuasion (431e-432a) and he claims that the city will run smoothly with relatively few laws (427a). No one will ever find the need to think, speak, or behave in an unacceptable manner because they will not have the mental capability of even thinking to do such a

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."

The problem with Socrates concerns the problem with the role of value and reason. Nietzsche believes that the bulk of philosophers claim that life is a corrupt grievance for mankind. Nietzsche reasoned that these life deniers were decadents of Hellenism, as a symptom of some underlying melancholy. For someone to paint life in such a negative light they must have suffered a great deal through the course of their own life. Furthermore, these no-sayers agreed in various physiological ways and thus adopted the same pessimistic attitudes towards life. Socrates was ugly, alike decadent criminals and by ways of these similarities was decadent as well. Nietzsche also claims ugliness as a physiological symptom of life in its decline supported by studies in phenology.

His disapproval of Socrates’ teachings also reemphasizes the theme of the obvious disconnect between intellectualism and practicality, as well as philosophical knowledge and reality. Aristophanes provides his readers with an example of Unjust Argument, which is is full of spectacle and understanding which one finds impressive until you realize that his arguments are mere spouts of seemingly significant nonsense that have no actual, authentic importance. Aristophanes is unquestionably taking aim at specific philosophies and teachings of Socrates’ that he believes are potentially harmful to adolescents. The play personifies Socrates's fictional school and its instruction as morally harmful due to the fact that the knowledge it is teaching is ignorance within itself. As on can tell from the text, Socrates is portrayed as supporting the Unjust Argument. Aristophanes explains the Unjust Argument is essentially made up of using purely rhetorical arguments to manipulate people into supporting one’s ideas no matter how moral or truthful one’s beliefs are. The play shows us the potentially devastating consequences of learning perceived knowledge and buying into false intellectualism. Although, it is undeniable that Socrates concerned himself with the practice of logic

Opening Statement] In Plato’s The Republic his mentor, Socrates, discusses what the ideal education should include. He claims that “the rearing in music is most sovereign,” and makes an argument to defend his stance (80; bk.3, ln.401, par. d). Education for Socrates is not informative (this is how “education” is mostly viewed in modern times; just filling one’s mind with information), rather, he sees education as a formative tool to shape the soul of an individual. Socrates views music in a much broader sense than what would typically come to mind. “Music” in the Republic refers to both literary education and the conventional song/melody. Socrates’ beliefs on musical education are true because music is formative, music teaches temperance and good morals, and most importantly, he is correct, because the Bible itself teaches the importance of music.

Courage will be taught by censoring fearful stories of the Underworld and Hades so that the guardians will be fearless of death (Republic, 386b). Moderation and self-control will be taught by removing stories of gods and heroes living in excess (Republic, 390a-d) and of men lamenting (Republic, 388a-d). The modes and rhythms should follow similarly, culminating in an education of music and poetry that teaches these ideals of courage and moderation. Physical training must be simple as a good soul that is trained in music and poetry will produce a good body (Republic, 403d). This combined with the practice of moderation and self-control in food and drink (Republic, 404c) will create the physical aptitude needed to guard the city and fight wars. Socrates ends his dialogue about the guardians’ education by emphasizing the importance of the harmony of education in music and poetry and physical training in making the soul moderate and courageous (Republic, 410d-e). Socrates wants the guardians to embody goodness and for goodness to become a natural instinct and inclination. This is then the development of a sense of shame. Guardians who are raised in this manner will feel a strong sense of shame when confronted by ideals that are opposite to their nature such as cowardice and licentiousness. Thus, it is evident that purifying these stories and correct physical training will teach the guardians courage,

Philosophy can be defined as the pursuit of wisdom or the love of knowledge. Socrates, as one of the most well-known of the early philosophers, epitomizes the idea of a pursuer of wisdom as he travels about Athens searching for the true meaning of the word. Throughout Plato’s early writings, he and Socrates search for meanings of previously undefined concepts, such as truth, wisdom, and beauty. As Socrates is often used as a mouthpiece for Plato’s ideas about the world, one cannot be sure that they had the same agenda, but it seems as though they would both agree that dialogue was the best way to go about obtaining the definitions they sought. If two people begin on common ground in a conversation, as Socrates often tries to do, they are

Education is a main factor that Socrates discusses throughout his trial in the “Apology” and in “Meno.” One of the main factors discussed in both texts are the role of teachers in society and if Socrates is a teacher. Socrates also relates past stories or experiences when giving his dialogues. This allows him to explain his thoughts and reasons on certain topics. One final factor that plays a role in both the “Apology” and “Meno” is the role of the gods through the dialogues. Teachers, stories, and the role of gods all play a key role in the “Apology” and “Meno” as Socrates attempts to explain and expand upon his views of education.

Commonly the most widely renowned teachers in history often are remembered as the most intriguing teachers in history. Scholars often ask, what made their teaching style so different, or what was so unique about this educator? Perhaps the most investigated teachers of the world often left the smallest written mark on the world. No exception to this, is the philosopher, Socrates. Widely known as one of the greatest Athenian philosophers, he never wrote anything down, and is theorized as illiterate. The only record of this man lies in his student, Plato’s Dialogues, as well as references from other writers of the

Socrates spent his time questioning people about things like virtue, justice, piety and truth. The people Socrates questioned are the people that condemned him to death. Socrates was sentenced to death because people did not like him and they wanted to shut him up for good. There was not any real evidence against Socrates to prove the accusations against him. Socrates was condemned for three major reasons: he told important people exactly what he thought of them, he questioned ideas that had long been the norm, the youth copied his style of questioning for fun, making Athenians think Socrates was teaching the youth to be rebellious. But these reasons were not the charges against him, he was charged with being an atheist and

The gymnastic education that Socrates prescribes is not as complicated. He rather merely says that it would be sufficient for their purposes that those being reared to be guardians maintain a healthy diet and follow a simple exercise plan from youth. What is more emphasized by Socrates is that there should be balance in the study of both gymnastics and music, and that these studies should be properly harmonized. Those who neglect gymnastics will tend be soft, but on the other hand, those who likewise neglect music will tend to savagery. As Socrates says, “this ferocity only comes from spirit, which if rightly educated, would give courage, but, if too much intensified, is liable to become hard and brutal.” He continues, “On the other hand the philosopher will have the quality of gentleness. And this also, when too much indulged, will turn to softness, but, if educated rightly will be gentle and moderate.” Thus the traits that make a good guardian are developed and nurtured through a good balance of musical and gymnastic education.

Another great influence on Education was the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle who came later after Confucius, who was born in Stagira, Chalcidice. Aristotle was first a student in Plato’s philosophy school for around twenty years. Later on he was a philosophy teacher in Atarneus which is located in Asia Minor. Aristotle is known for his school named “Lyceum” which is located in Athens, and he is also known for teaching Alexander the Great who can later. According to Curren from his writings about “Aristotle on the Necessity of Public Education” and Burnet from his writings about “Aristotle on Education: Being Extracts From the Ethics and Politics found in the Encyclopedia , Aristotle deceased from the existing idea of childhood in Greek antiquity at that time, just like his teacher Plato. That philosophy was about children being educated as small adults, and so they were taught with adult literature considering their minds as able to absorb and task like those of the adults. According to Aristotle, the goal of education is to struggle to achieve the greatest goodness and happiness being a member in a city. Most of his philosophy about educating children could be found in the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics; and here he relates to politics as he considers human beings naturally to be political. That is in the social sense, as no one could become happy outside of a community. A person become an individual when he/she becomes an active