Socrates was a mythical and great philosopher and a source of wisdom. He never bothered to record his ethical and metaphysical ideas, preferring to proclaim them to everyone he met. Everything we know about him, we know through the works of his famous student: Plato. This article is a brief description of Socrates’ life and views.
His life
Socrates was born in Athens and was the son of a respected sculptor and stonemason. Because of his father’s prestige, Socrates had access to the best education available in Athens. He simply learned everything there was to learn at the time about geometry, poetry, arithmetic and astronomy.
He also served in the army as a hoplite, or foot soldier. As a soldier, Socrates was highly respected by his friends and fellow citizens because of his courage and endurance at the siege of Potidaea during the battle of Delirium. Ultimately, it was not Socrates’ courage and strength in battle, but his views and teachings that would cost him his life .
Views
Socrates spoke to everyone, regardless of age and social status. His enemies described this teaching method as ,endless chatter,. Later, history would label these conversations as a form of philosophical inquiry called the Socratic method.
Socrates himself called his method telenchus, or roughly translated ,cross-examination., He never took a position himself, but usually questioned the opinions and views of others. The cross-examination exposed the contradictions in their arguments and showed that their positions were incorrect. Socrates’ sole premise was that he was certain that he knew nothing.
Socrates was known in Athens as ‘the wise man of the market place’. He saw it as his duty to help the Athenians get rid of their generally accepted but incorrect view, whether they liked it or not. When Chaerephon consulted the oracle at Delphi about Socrates, he asked if there was anyone wiser than him. The oracle replied in the negative. This was an incentive for Socrates to continue with his philosophical way of life. A fateful decision, as it turned out.
Are dead
Socrates was accused in 400 BC of corrupting the Athenian youth. He was also accused of not believing in the gods of the state. He was later found guilty and sentenced. In Athens it was customary to carry out the death penalty for certain philosophical views with hemlock (a kind of poison).
Socrates had the chance to avoid punishment, but he bravely refused to flee. Plato later said that Socrates would rather die in Athens than live in exile.
Socrates in the present
Socrates lives on in the present and into the future because of his questions. He could not be satisfied with the answers provided by astronomy, religion and mathematics and encouraged his fellow citizens to ask critical questions about everything, gods, themselves, values and so on. What is good? What is aesthetic? what is fair? These are some of the questions Socrates wants us to ask, questions that still seem relevant today.
It is thanks to Socrates that philosophy deals with dreams, values and human problems.
Quotes
Some important quotes from Socrates at a glance.
- “I am the wisest man there is, because I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.”
- “Envy is the ulcer of the soul.”
- ,Do not make friends quickly, but remain faithful to a friendship once made forever.,
- ,I am not Athenian or Greek, but a citizen of the world.,
- “A life that does not look critically at itself is not worth living.”
- “One should eat to live and not live to eat.”
- “My belief is that it is divine to desire nothing.”
- “Think for yourself if you want to find yourself.”
- “A human life is like a dewdrop on a leaf.”
- “There is nothing like justice.”
- “Be what you want to be.”
- “Beauty is a short-lived tyranny.”