2) Socrates did not always think that he was wise, many people labeled him as a teacher. Socrates did not really care for this label. He did not really think that he knew much. Socrates had a friend named Chaerephon who went to the oracle the God of Delphi. Cheaerephon asked the oracle is there any one wiser then Socrates, the oracle answered no (21a). Socrates did not understand this and set out to prove the oracle wrong. While out to prove the oracle wrong Socrates realized he is wise but not because he knew everything, but because he realized he knew nothing and didn’t act as if he did.…
Doesn’t the same hold for all the other things? Don’t you call shapes and colours admirable on the account of either some pleasure or benefit or both?…
After all this, Socrates goes on to the story about a man returning from the afterlife and describing it. At the end of the story, he says that because he and his companions have established that the soul is immortal, and because this story speaks about the immortality of the soul, it is even more important for people to be just and seek good and true knowledge in their life. This, in turn, will bring them much happiness in both this life and the…
Socrates prefaces his argument with by justifying the suggestion that philosophers, who live their lives rejecting their bodies, are in fact better off dead. Therefore philosophers…
“The most intriguing people you will encounter in this life are the people who had insights about you, that you didn't know about yourself” (Alder). This quote can be used to show why the great Greek philosopher, Socrates is deemed as being so intriguing. During his time, Socrates was seen as a great threat because he tended to break free from the normal way of thinking and inevitably, people became afraid of him. Socrates was eventually put to death on account of “corrupting the youth” and being an “atheist,” which were false claims against him to cover up the fact that his accusers simply didn’t like him or his ways. When reading Plato’s Republic, Socrates is shown as being very intriguing because of: his humble ways, his Socratic method,…
Socrates is known as the lover of wisdom and the lover of beauty. His speech is a response to Agathon who comically states that love is beautiful and young, the opposite of Socrates. Socrates inquires is love considered to be a love of something or of nothing? He compares that to how a father is a father to his children and a brother is a brother to his siblings. Socrates expresses that love’s desire suggests that one does not own what he or she loves. Socrates further explains this by giving the example of a healthy man having the desire to remain healthy. One’s desire for things is for the future. The desire rests in the preservation and not the lack thereof. This statement of love being a love of something shows that there is a connection…
I personally think that with the arguments Socrates has provided, gave me a clue on how to care for the soul and not the body. The body shouldn’t be of main concern considering it is not something that is really essential in life. I liked how when Socrates’s accompanies was in confusion of something, he would change that in a sense of breaking the reasonings down to them thoroughly.…
Socrates states that the human soul is immortal and it is reborn again, but it’s never destroyed. Socrates also points out that the soul has learned everything that is to know. Therefore, when we “learn” about something, it is merely just a “recollecting” what our soul’s have learned in the past. This idea is essentially the basis of the argument between Socrates and Meno. Socrates tries to prove this to Meno by calling over one of Meno’s servant and confirms that the boy has no knowledge of mathematics. At first, the boy seemed to have no knowledge about Socrates problem. But, through step-by-step questions, the boy was able to provide a correct answer to Socrates problem. Therefore, Socrates states that, since he had no knowledge of geometry in his life, he must have already known it and he was able to…
Upon receiving his verdict of 'guilty' and being sentenced to death, Socrates presents a speech to show why one should not fear death. He explains to the jurors they have helped him become a martyr and shows them how death will be a positive thing. "What has happened to me may well be a good thing, and those of us who believe death to be an evil are certainly mistaken" (Apology 40b). Socrates then goes even farther and argues why death is a blessing, as death must consist of one of two things: "either the dead are nothing and have no perception of anything, or it is, as we are told, a chance and a relocating for the soul from here to another place." He argues "if it is complete lack of perception, like a dreamless sleep, then death would be a great advantage" (Apology 40c). Else Socrates explores death as being a "change from here to another place" and upon relocating to this other place being able to question the great minds of Orpheus, Musaeus,…
Viewing the painting “The Death of Socrates” by Jacques-Louis David, one can perceive many different subject matters, both literally and metaphorically. The obvious is seen within the setting of the painting. The clear illustration of where the event is happening provides the onlooker with a glimpse into a different time and era. Conversely, the artist has taken the liberty to hide deep meaning inside the work of art through less apparent means. Symbolism through art work has endured from early works to contemporized ones, here is no different. Taking the two aforementioned into consideration gives us a glimpse into both the symbolic and factual significance of the occasion.…
Socrates statement, “the unexamined life is not worth living”(Plato, Apology Part 38) emphasizes the importance Socrates placed on self-awareness and seeking knowledge. Only by doing this are we are able to understand the difference between right and wrong, have true purpose and direction in our life, and live “The Good Life.” Socrates refused not to live his life in pursuit of truth (philosophy) even if it meant death as the penalty. He would rather die than be forced to stop seeking knowledge. In fact, he asked his friends to punish his sons if they grow up placing more importance on riches, or anything, more than virtue, or misrepresent themselves (Plato, Apology Part 42).…
He talks about the situation of a student and a gymnastics teacher. By common sense, we know that the student should listen, fear, and trust the teacher and his instructions, and should not be taking any advice regarding gymnastics from the public because they don’t understand it and don’t have experience in it. Thus, Socrates’s premise holds. Then, he dives into a more specific issue in the premise which is having understanding. He approaches it with a two parts situation, physical and moral, referring to it as “a parallel instance.” The first part says that taking advice from the public, who doesn’t have an understanding regarding the asked issue, will more likely result in a physical harm because they either have no reason or weak reason to their advice. The second part talks about “The higher part of man,” the moral part, where taking advice from people without understanding of moral issues like just and unjust is more likely to produce a person with weak morals which is harmful, too. Therefore, we should listen to the opinion of certain people who have…
I argue that what Socrates tells the jurymen, “keep this one truth in mind, that a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death…” is meant to imply that regardless of what kind of people will tarnish a good man’s reputation, it will have no effect on their legacy. I truly believe that Socrates was advocating that the legacy of a good man will continue to impact the lives of all individuals that are willing to accept and listen to what they had to offer as good individuals. Regardless of how Socrates will be punished in the court of law, or how individuals may curse his name all the way to his grave, his legacy will still be carried on to his followers, and everything that he has stood for.…
1. What are the needs of the political community? What must all political communities do to insure their survival? What about Philosophy? What does philosophy seek? How does it go about this process?…
Socrates, A famous Greek philosopher, Socrates, once said: “Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire, the other is to get it..” It’s true that…