Socrates' Philosophy

 BIOGRAPHY

              Socrates is a Greek Athenian philosopher.He was born circa470 BC in Athens,Greece.We know of his life through the writings of Plato and Xenophon.When he has born his life was chronicled through only a few sources through the dialogues and plays of Aristophanes. His father is an Athenian stone mason sculptor and Phaenarete who named Sophronicus. Because Socrates is not from a noble family he learned his father’s craft at a younge age. He worked as a mason before he devoted his life to philosophy. And one of his philosophy was “I only know that I know nothing”.After years, Socrates married a younger woman who named Xanthipped and bore him three sons who named Lamprocles, Sophronicus, and Menexenus. Based on Xenophon’s characterization of Xanthippe, she was not happy with Socrates’ second profession and complained that he wasn’t supporting family as a philosopher. He served in the armored infantry and known as the hoplite with shield, long spear and face mask. During Poloponnesian War. He participated in three military campaigns, where he saved the life of Alcibiades, a popular Athenian general. He was known for his courage in battle and fearlessness, a trait that saved with him throughout his life. He doesn’t fit the Athenian masculinity. Short and stocky with a snub nose and bulging eyes. However, based on what Plato stated, in the eyes of his students Socrates possessed a different kind of attractiveness, not based on physical appearance but on his brilliant debates and penetrating thoughts. He emphasized the importance of mind over the body. Later on, Socrates was accused on poisoning the youth’s mind. He and his whole family died in poison.

PHILOSOPHY

              Socrates belied that philosophy should achieve practical results for the greater well-being of society. He attempted to establish an ethical system based on human reason rather than theological doctrine. He pointed out that human choice was motivated by the desire for happiness. He claimed to be ignorant because he had no ideas, but wise because he recognized his own ignorance. He asked questions of his fellow Athenians in a “Socratic Method” which compelled the audience to think through a problem to a logical conclusion. Sometimes the answers seemed so obvious, it made Socrates’ opponent look foolish. Because of that, he was admired by some and vilified by others. Many Athenians admired Socrates’ challenges to Greek conventional wisdom and the humorous way he went about it, an equal number grew angry and felt he threatened their way of life and uncertain future.

 ANALYSIS

               One of his philosophy was “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.” The actual meaning is close to: “Nobody actually knows anything, but I actually know this thing, so I know something.” His philosophy is called “Socratic Method but for me it doesn’t really sounds paradoxical because it’s really not so different from Descartes’ saying that he could doubt everything, except for the fact that he was doubting it. Specifically, he was explaining how the charges against him were unjust and how he became hated as he was; his quest to find somebody wiser than him had him annoy half of Athens. The fact that Socrates did not write at all, some people thinks he has a kind of problem on writing down of his thoughts .But the reason is not because he was lazy but it is because he believes that he would have to do alone and reason it with himself. Socrates needed others to express something so that he could analyze it. Socrates was always trying to find the most famous and wisest men and challenge them mentally .He wanted to challenge power and authority. He was known for being anti-social in his times. Based on what I have read, Socrates was accused for spoiling the morals of the times, which is why he was sentenced to death. Aristotle wasn’t. Neither was Plato or other philosophers around him. Socrates was doing something which he did not realize was wrong which had to do with morals as understood by others at the time. To further understand the above, one should take into mind that all texts about Socrates were written by his students, Plato and Xenophon. And the presentation of Socrtaes’ life in such a logical and meaningful way for everyone to read today was done through them, not Socrates.

CONCLUSION

                I conclude that even though Socrates did not write any of his philosophy, he has students that serves as a book of him. I agree with his philosophy that “I only know that I know nothing” because it means that at first, all of  us started with a vacuum mind, but because we are able to ask and learn with the help of others. Therefore we can say now that we know something. For me Socrates is an exemplary figure, who challenges, encourages, and inspires. His Socratic method is to challenge the  students, to examine their beliefs, to revise them in the light of argument, and to arrive at answers through critical reflection on the information presented goes far beyond pedagogical strategy. The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being’ expresses a central human value that the willingness to rethink one's own assumptions, thereby rejecting the tendency to complacent dogmatism.

   "Know thyself."

-Socrates