Essay On Socrates Philosophy Example For Students

Essay On Socrates Philosophy THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SOCRATESPhilosophy was both serious and dangerous, Socrates chose to ignore both. Ignoring the first made him one of the most engaging of all philosophers, ignoring the second was to cost him his life. He was born in a middle class home in Athens, in 470 BCE. His parents were Phaenarete and Sophroniscus. His mother had a reputation for her patient and intuitive skill in delivering babies in and around the neighborhood. The latter, his father was a craftsman, stonecutter by trade. As a young boy, Socrates was teased in school about his appearance, and often would prey to the Gods to make him beautiful both inside as well as outside. He was known for asking many questions as a child, because he was very curious about things, what they were, what importance they had? Crito noticed that Socrates in a way was beginning to think as a philosopher, always looking for the meaning of things. As Socrates gradually began to mature and grow older, he did not see much of his friends. They would always be down at the gymnasium working seriously at the outdoor exercises. He did not like to work out like his friends or be a stonecutter like his father because he knew that sort of thing was not for him. He thought about everything in a more abstract way. The Gods during Socrates time seemed to be further away from humanity, they did not disguise themselves as humans to help or punish them anymore (1). He only knew of them from old stories, myths, and Homer. He had a voice in him that stopped him from doing certain things as he was about to, and he thought that that was gift from the gods. He knew that goodness was the very mark of the gods and that is why he tried his best to be just towards everything and everybody. As a teen Socrates talked and studied with many other accomplished scientists and philosophers, whose names are not known. Later, from when he was eighteen to twenty-four he was in the military in the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. Along with, the rest of the army, he walked fourteen miles in one day to make it to Athens on time. In the tents, he always won the philosophical arguments between his friends, for he had pondered the subjects himself many times. If it had not been for Pythion, an experienced guide of Greece, they would probably not have made it to Athens on time. After the long march, Socrates first military adventure, he again comfortably settled in Athens. He and his father along with many other people, including prisoners, foreigners and the unemployed had taken up a public contract to build the Acropolis. The Athenians were proud mostly of Pericles, because he was the one who founded and organized it. Anaxagoras, a scientist nicknamed the mind, who walked around Athens daily, had found a rock that had fallen from the sky and had concluded that there were no gods, but that the sun was hot metal and the moon earth. He was put on trial by the majority, who was religious, but Pericles sent him away to Asia Minor where he lived to the last of his days in peace. Socrates agreed with Anaxagoras, but wanted more answers and explanations. He listened to many other scientists and philosophers, but when Anaxagoras book came out in writing, he read about the Mind and that it was the control of all living things, everything else was a mixture. Socrate s read on to many other writings, but soon found himself confused in all the abstract concepts. Then, he understood that he had to ask himself the question why instead of how, which developed his philosophical view and style. At the time when Socrates was reaching his late thirtys he became more prudent about life. Chaerephon, one of his friends, went to the Oracle at Delphi to ask it if Socrates was the wisest. The Oracle said he was. When this news reached Athens many people in high offices felt hatred against Socrates. However, Socrates himself said that God was the wisest and next to him, the man who thinks that, God is the wisest and not himself. Socrates was serving the army again, and one day when they were taking a rest, he awoke early in the morning and stood in the mud across his tent on and high hill, his feet planted, for a whole day. He did not say a word, until the next morning, when he gave a prayer to the sun and resumed his normal activities. No one asked why he had done that. Upon return to Athens he gave up stonecutting completely and invested his money and regularly, as if by set hours, he went to the gymnasium to talk to passerbys about many different reflective concepts. Crito once said Socrates is the only one of all Athenians who knows where he is going and is all packed up, ready to go.Socrates asked himself why he was and concluded that he was on a mission given to him by God. His mission was to find someone wiser than himself, but soon he realized that he was in a way wiser than the Sophists, who were considered extremely sensible, since he himself admitted that he was not smart, but had been ignorant un til now. He decided that the experts in goodness were not those who taught it, but those who possessed it. Socrates questioned many people, yet he never found a universal truth for every situation or thing. Socrates, as mentioned many times, walked the streets of Athens daily. On one occasion, he met Alcibiades, a higher-class boy somewhat arrogant and spoiled. Consequently, they met regularly at the Acropolis and spent many hours together meditating on ideas. When they went to war together they fought and rested together. Alcibiades saw beauty inside Socrates he had never seen anywhere else before. He did not choose to go to Socrates city, a place were the wise, the good, and the philosophical people ruled, for he would be a mere slave by his way of life in Athens. Because he chose to be the center of attention by deciding to go into politics, which to Socrates was the worst lifetime career a person might take on, due to the fact that in politics one must lie and be self-governing. Socrates was blamed when Alcibiades mimicked sacred rituals of Athens and was put on trial. He fled from Athens to Sparta, helping them win a war against Athens, but afterwards came back to Athens pardoned, but committing another crime against the state fled to Persia, where he was killed. european post EssaySecondly, Socrates never corrupted the youth. He taught and developed it more than anything. Simply because a couple of his students or listeners committed treason against the state it did not mean that he was corrupt. Socrates train of thought was and is different from that of many people. He was a gifted human who having been killed instinctively by the people, because one kills or is afraid of that which is greatly different from him/her. Socrates was to civilization as virtue is to the soul. CONCLUSIONIn a passage in Crito, there is a debate between Socrates and his friend. His friend says in war and in court and everywhere, you must do whatever the statecommands, persuade her that otherwise is right. Socrates here could have said, How can I persuade her if free speech is shut off? This would probably have caused some surprise from his defamers. He also could have gained acquittal had he not be so audacious in court. Essentially, Socrates was a good citizen who committed no great or serious crimes against the state. He was illegitimately accused and killed. James Hulse has a quote by Soren Kierkegaard of Socrates, one may say of Socrates that just as he journeyed through life constantly between caricature and ideal, so he continues to wander between them after his death.(7) Had this trial taken place in 1998 in the United States there would have been many objections to it and the outcome, since there is free speech and free choice of belief this trial would not have lasted a day in court. Unfortunately, it did not take place in 1998, and was a mistake from the beginning. Nevertheless, everyone learns from his or her mistakes eventually. Most portraits represent Socrates as the great ironist of philosophy. He knows but ironically denies that he knows. He teaches but ironically denies that he teaches. He claims that knowledge is identical to virtue, ironically disclaiming the one yet implying that he possesses the other. Even when he is on trial for his life, he is what he says he is not and is not what he says he is. He is perpetually masked in order to stir up in those he examines a fertile and productive search for virtue. (8)ENDNOTES1Cora Mason, Socrates: The Man Who Dared To Ask (Boston: The Beacon Press, 1957) 22-27. 2Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues (New York: Dover Publications, 1992) 20-25. 3Plato 30-35. 4Plato 41. 5Leo Strauss, Socrates and Aristophanes (New York/London: Basic Books Inc., 1966) 311. 6Strauss 14. 7James W. Hulse, The Reputations of Socrates (New York: Peter Lang Publishing Inc., 1995) 0. 8C.D.C. Reeve, Socrates in the Apology: An Essay on Platos Apology of Socrates (Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, 1989) 184.