Socrates A Tyrant

Socrates, the philosopher credited with forming the very bedrock of Western thought; whose very name is synonymous with the classical period in Greek philosophy surprisingly never actually wrote a single word. His works continue to live on in his teachings alone. He founded no school, taught in no classroom and accepted no fee, however his pursuit of truth, his intellectual methods and most importantly his incessant questions have survived the ages in the minds, and on the lips of his students. In fact, it was this very pursuit of truth through incessant questioning—the Socratic dialectic—which led to his rise as a teacher and wise man amongst Athenian society, and ultimately to his demise. To us Socrates appears as the perfect embodiment
Although Socrates was considered an intelligent man and a great teacher, perhaps the greatest teacher of his time, Socrates did not consider himself wise in all matters. In fact after questioning a man who had a great reputation for being wise Socrates explained, “The fact is neither of us know anything beautiful and good, but he thinks he does know when he doesn’t, and I don’t know and don’t think I do; so I am wiser than he is by only this trifle, that what I do not know I don’t think I do” (Mitchell 31). By revealing that the prominent citizens of Athens—those in positions of respect and power—were not as wise as they claimed to be, by proving that they thought they knew something that set them apart from the common man, but in actuality they did not, Socrates acquired many enemies. Moreover, since Socrates’ favorite target was the intellectual elite he acquired many enemies with the power and political influence to silence
Unfortunately for Socrates, the only thing worse to the Athenian elite than being exposed as charlatans and fools, was being exposed in front of an audience. The youth of Athens quickly began losing respect for those they had once admired as one by one their true ignorance was revealed under the relentless barrage of questions from Socrates. The prominent citizens of Athens were losing their air of authority and along with it the obedience of their youth. In fact it wasn’t long before the young men of Athens began imitating Socrates, questioning those who claimed to know much but actually knew little to nothing. The victims of this questioning—the Athenian intellectual elite—blamed Socrates for this latest humiliation and accused him of corrupting the young. Truthfully Socrates’ crime was not one of corrupting youth so much as it was opening their eyes to the truth. The Athenian elite were more concerned with Socrates revealing the truth of their own ignorance and corruption, with maintaining the status quo and with it their grasp on authority than they were with him corrupting the minds of their