Socrates : The Problem With Socrates

2. During his main speech, to explain why he chose to live the life he did at risk of being “in danger of death” 28b, Socrates uses an example from the Iliad in which a young man chose to avenge his friend's death at the risk of immediate destruction as opposed to surviving. 28D paraphrased. This example of a life of integrity allows Socrates to demonstrate that all men should “remain and face danger, without a thought for death or anything else, rather than disgrace.” 28e. It is in this same moment that Socrates explains that were he not to live the life he has lived that he would be disobeying a god.

2. What do you think Socrates would think about Nietzsche’s account of the good life?

Socrates is remembered for drastically altering philosophical ideology by implementing personal, existential thought into Greek society. Actually, Socrates was nicknamed the Athenian Gadfly, because he felt that the gods must have put him in front of the Athenian people so that the citizens wouldn't lack spiritually, and felt like he was a gadfly annoying a horse. Before Socrates, philosophy consisted more of ‘what is out-of-one’s control’ such as skepticism about the universe and its nature. Socrates flipped the script from external, tangible ideology to internal thought and how it effects the human collective, hence procreating the concept of Ethics. He pioneered morality as a science. Socrates was such an influential philosopher that any thinker before Socrates is

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.

In Phaedo, Socrates defines what he believes the life of a philosopher is. When discussing this topic with his followers, he establishes that “being serious about the so-called pleasures, such as those of food and drink, goes [least] with being a philosophical man” (Phaedo 64D). Instead, he states that “those who philosophize rightly make dying their care” (Phaedo 68A). Through these claims, Socrates establishes that ideal philosophers isolate themselves from certain concepts, such as pleasure, that we associate with being human. Socrates’s views on what happens after death give insight into why he promotes this nature of a philosophical life. He believes that death is the “release and separation of soul from body” (Phaedo 67D). He further uses the argument of contraries to contend that there are opposites in nature and these opposites have “becoming[s] from each member of the

Nietzsche does not dispute the influence that Socrates has imposed on the world. Rather, Nietzsche disputes the philosophy that he has imposed on the world, believing it to be detrimental to humankind. In this paper, I argue that Nietzsche finds Socrates and his philosophy to be life-negating and causal of decline, while any form of existence should be life-affirming and empowering, though such a form has yet to exist in the modern era. In order to prove this, I will first examine his critique of Socrates, demonstrating that Socrates, as an individual, belonged to the lowest level of society in Athens as a consequence of his repulsive figure, and therefore, created his philosophy not with the intent of enlightenment, but as a ressentiment (i.e. resentment) towards the Athenian aristocracy. Second, I will examine

There are times in every mans life where our actions and beliefs collide—these collisions are known as contradictions. There are endless instances in which we are so determined to make a point that we resort to using absurd overstatements, demeaning language, and false accusations in our arguments. This tendency to contradict ourselves often questions our character and morals. Similarly, in The Trial of Socrates (Plato’s Apology), Meletus’ fallacies in reason and his eventual mistake of contradicting himself will clear the accusations placed on Socrates. In this paper, I will argue that Socrates is not guilty of corrupting the youth with the idea of not believing in the Gods but of teaching the youth to think for

therefore, should comply with the laws of the state. Speaking for the laws, Socrates says the proof of his love for the state lies in the facts that he raised his children there, never left the city, did not show interest in visiting any other city states, and most importantly, shunned the idea of exile in exchange for his life during his trial, saying he would rather die than leave Athens. By these arguments, Socrates shows that from the state’s POV, he is a loyal citizen who has chosen to live under its rules and to disobey the rules which have been accepted and instilled in him since birth, would be changing his own belief system, to benefit him in a time of need.

I believe the city was afraid that Socrates was going to educate more people to be anti-democratic, and so they wanted to make an example; that being anti-democratic is wrong. They were also afraid that “if he wasn’t punished the gods (Zeus, Apollo, or Athena) would come to the city and be very anger.” Being afraid of someone who has a different view, I feel still doesn’t make him

Nietzsche strongest argument was that, “Human nature is always driven by “the will to power””, but religion will tell one otherwise, saying that one should forbid their bad desires. Nietzsche is quite critical in particular towards Christianity since it was stated as the religion of slaves and pity by Nietzsche, caused by limiting one’s personal development since they were too obsessed with the treasures of the afterlife. Having said that, Nietzsche also referred to Buddhism as the nihilistic and the “desire for nothingness” religion, however he does praise certain aspects of the Buddhist teaching in comparison to Jesus’. Last but foremost, Nietzsche proves Socrates death to be at the hands of the acceptance of slave morality. For those who practice religion are guaranteed to fall as a slave rather than to become their own master due to all the restriction and standards set up by God. I simply do agree with Nietzsche due to all the evidence connecting back to each and every religion and philosophers. One must strive to reach and achieve their desire in order to be satisfied with one’s life. As people say, “no pain, no gain”, therefore one must live through all the suffering to accomplish greatness in their lives and make the most out of the given life. One can conclude, the practice of religion led many to the acceptance of slave

Nietzsche was concerned with a genealogical project to determine the birth of values through an assessment of the historical. He was able to conclude morality as phenomena that has “become” and was not always evident, as it is motivated “by the drive for preservation” and “the intention to achieve pleasure and avoid displeasure” as he states in the chapter Deconstruction of Metaphysics in his book Nietzsche and

Socrates, when put on trial with his life on the line, exclaimed to those condemning him that “the life which is unexamined is not worth

Friedrich Nietzsche was born in Friedrich, Germany in 1844, later died in 1900. Nietzsche literature and history philosophy was considered to be worst sophist. All moral philosophers have been soporific, misleading. In other words, do not believe in just anything a “God” tell you because there is no God. Nietzsche was a moral theorist as new moral theorist many try to adopt moral theory and add science aspects. But not consider idea of conscience in same way as former moral theorist have in the past. Being a moral theorist in regards to actually raises doubt that there is such thing as morality. There are two known moralities, Master and Slave morality. These moralities came based on what Nietzsche said, “to be a human is to be a beast, and tube a superior beast, a person must be able to attack, control, happiness, exploit the weak. All societies have a class and within the class, known as ruling caste. The ruling caste originated from barbarian caste in state of nature. Where violence and power is wanted greatly. The hire you are in the caste you are considered to have more power, or in Nietzsche case you have more knowledge. Having more knowledge is the only way a person can reach true happiness. Nietzsche created these steps to Astuteness moral castration. The steps consist of making virtue the goal, set up standards for the virtue, opponents are ungodly, suffering

Throughout Twilight of the Idols, it is apparent that Nietzsche felt that when the weakest portions of society band together, perverting and distorting the natural order, the situation becomes nihilism. Christianity is a symptom of this tendency, but in the example of Socrates we have the typical model of the slave revolt against master morality and the most significant aspect of modern nihilism. The most important thing to know about Socrates, according to Nietzsche, is that he was ugly. This physiological fact accounts for his entire orientation towards life in the Greek Polis. He sought to take revenge upon the beautiful culture of the Greeks, and in a "masterful" departure from nature, he developed the art of logical arguments. It was in the practice of logic and argumentation that Socrates saw his opportunity to overpower the authority of those around him and to thus secure a position of moral superiority to them. Anyone can learn logic, and since logic is directly opposed to unsubstantiated appeals to authority, Socrates and his followers were advocates of a kind of a type of nihilism which invited

1.) Socrates Nietzsche’s critique that Socrates suffered life is fair. He wrote that Socrates put on a good demeanor towards life. The Allegory of the cave shows that actually Socrates suffered life. Plato has Socrates describe prisoners who lived bounded near the barrier of the cave.