Socrates Research Paper

Socrates put one’s quest for wisdom and the instruction of others above everything else in life. A simple man both in the way he talked and the wealth he owned, he believed that simplicity in whatever one did was the best way of acquiring knowledge and passing it unto others. He is famous for saying that “the unexplained life is not worth living.” He endeavored therefore to break down the arguments of those who talked with a flowery language and boasted of being experts in given subjects (Rhees 30). His aim was to show that the person making a claim on wisdom and knowledge was in fact a confused one whose clarity about a given subject was far from what they claimed. Socrates, in all his simplicity never advanced any theories of his own

Socrates is believed to be one of the greatest philosophers of all time and he is credited as being the founder of western philosophy. This paper will explain some of his views to the most fundamental questions of today’s age. These questions will include topics about morality, the human condition, solution, and death. After Socrates’ views on these topics are explained, a critique will be done on his answers. I will start out by explaining exactly who Socrates is, and the time that he lived in. To start out, we will first examine Socrates’ view on morality.

The execution of Socrates is not justified. The charges that were brought against Socrates had taught all his adult life, without molestation, in a state that was well known for its democracy and fairness. The Athenians were not brutal people and executions were rare. Socrates had to drink a poisonous hemlock in order to die, a non-brutal method of death. We must understand Athens past in order to make judgment. I believe that the form of punishment was very extreme in this impressionable city and very uncommon and unalike the portrayed view of the typical Athenian. Socrates

In 469 B.C. a man by the name of Socrates was born. Socrates was a very wise man that cared about doing the right thing. He believed that the best ways to develop ideas was in the give and take of conversation, and that the best way to educate people was to ask them a series of questions leading in a particular direction (now named “Socrates method). Socrates had been quick to identify the drawbacks of democracy, and he had also been the teacher of two men who in different ways harmed Athens: Alcibiades and Critias. Which made the parents of the children that Socrates had taught very upset and angry. Granting all this, it lead to the Trial of Socrates 399 B.C. During this trial Socrates expressed his view of death by using his question-and-answer method, for which he was famous for and what seemed to have gotten him in trouble. Socrates did not write so we have to depend on on what others wrote, and by doing that we now get to see the diverse ways people read and understand what was written about his speech. My chosen primary source, Socrates View on Death, is important, because it gives one view of Socrates speech while my outside source, Ancient Greece, gives a slightly more in depth view.

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was tried by a jury and found to be guilty of ‘failing to recognized the gods established’ and ‘corrupting the youth’. His sentence was to drink a poison known as hemlock, his death was a execution by suicide. The poison used is known as Poison Hemlock, the scientific name being: Conium Maculatum. This poison slowly paralyzes the body until reaching the heart and effectively stopping it.

Socrates was born to a middle-class Athenian family. “Phaenarete, a midwife, and Sophroniscus, a stonemason welcomed Socrates into the world in 469 B.C.E” (Ambury). Socrates grew into a young man with an odd physical appearance. He did not have the male beauty that was sought after in his culture. Although, he didn’t seem to mind much as he was focused on enlightenment. Socrates would spend much of his time searching for truth. Socrates goal was to discover the truth behind the creation of the earth, the people, and the role of the gods. In searching for truth, he created a new method known as the Socratic Method. Plato became one of his students and was intrigued by his new way of thinking. “Socrates would later fight in the Peloponnesian

The portrayal of Socrates, through the book “the trial and death of Socrates” is one that has created a fairly controversial character in Western history. In many ways, Socrates changed the idea of common philosophy in ancient Greece; he transformed their view on philosophy from a study of why the way things are, into a consideration man. Specifically, he analyzed the virtue and health of the human soul. Along side commending Socrates for his strong beliefs, and having the courage to stand by those convictions, Socrates can be commended for many other desirable characteristics. Some of those can include being the first martyr to die for his philosophical beliefs and having the courage to challenge indoctrinated cultural norms is part of

In Plato’s: The Apology Socrates was charged and put on trial for impiety, as well as accused of committing many other crimes. I will first explain the most important issues of why Socrates was sent to death. Then I will argue the position that Socrates is innocent, and should not be have been found guilty.

By viewing the painting The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David, Socrates’ loyalty to the Athenian government was far more important to him than his own death or friendship. He was more interested in teaching his students about his belief in reason and the law of justice before he died. Still, the students and friends were arguing with him and trying to convince him to renounce his teachings. Socrates was strong in telling his students how it was for the good of society that he drinks the poison hemlock. He was not going to change what he was teaching all along when he truly believed in the democratic Athenian government laws. Socrates’ loyalty to the government was much stronger than the ties of friendship or acquaintances.

Socrates has had a profound influence on Western philosophy, along with his famous students Plato and Aristole. This essay is going to cover the following topics: Why was Socrates such a decisive break in philosophy? What do those who came before him share in common such that we call them 'pre-Socratics'? And what about Socrates sets him apart? Much of Socrates' contribution is mainly in the field of ethics however, his influence in the fields of epistemology and logic is also noteworthy.

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

Interestingly about the work of Socrates is that its not known very well, since nothing was recorded during his time. Everything that we know about Socrates has come through the writings of his greatest pupil, Plato. Socrates was a

The name Socrates was a household name back in 469 – 399 BC even though he didn’t create any philosophical system, established no schools, and didn’t found any important persons (“Socrates”). Reasons for Socrates fame was because of his free ideas that he shared and his out of the norm personality that drew in peoples attention. Secondly many people agree that Socrates is the father of philosophy. Socrates is said to be the first Western philosopher to have left to posterity any sense of his individual personality, and he is a main figure in the subsequent development of philosophy . Because of his persistence in preaching his word and not contradicting himself, people trust his stern ideas and are able to relate. Finally, many different religious figures saw Socrates as a patron for their religion and morals.. The second-century Christian apologist Justin stated that Socrates was a forerunner of Christianity, also in medieval Islam Socrates was a respected philosopher and was symbolised as a defender of monotheism against idolatry (Taylor). Muslims and Christians both saw Socrates as someone to be put on a pedestal to set an example which says a lot. The philosophical ideas and the influence of ethics in society by Socrates are still able to be today as well as they were back then.

Socrates was after the pursuit of truth. Because of this he called everything into question(Philosophypages.com). He believed that ultimate wisdom came from understanding oneself. He believed that the perfect government would come about if it was led by people that had a complete understanding of themselves because they would be able to make the best choices. He believed that knowledge and virtue were inseparable. He said that you could define virtue as right knowledge, and that right thinking and right doing can be distinguished from each other, but they can not be separated.(Sproul 31) Socrates also developed the Socratic Method which is still used to this day. The Socratic Method is the method in which you ask provocative questions in order to try to get your opponent and your audience to think through the problem and to develop their own conclusion(Biography.com). He searched for specific definitions by asking people around the city, from the common to the richest of nobles. Socrates also created ethics based on human reasons. He was deemed the wisest man in Athens by an oracle, but after much thought he realized that he was ignorant but unlike the common man, was wiser for accepting his ignorance and he came to the conclusion that ignorance was the beginning of knowledge. He believed that logic was what was left when the facts are exhausted.

The philosopher Socrates was born 470 BC, in Athens, Greece. He worked as a stone mason for years before finding out that he loved philosophy. His family did not support his job change because it left him and his family in poverty. One of his students Plato says the Socrates would not accept any kind of payment, being the reason for his poverty. Socrates was said to have always taught about the importance of the mind and the unimportance of the body. He thought that philosophy should get practical results, for the greater good of the human race.