Name: Socrates
Where lived: Alopece, Athens, Greece
When lived: 469 – 399 B.C
From whom was influenced: Pre-socratics, atomists, sophists
Who inspired: All philosophers, especially Aristotle, Kant, Nietzsche, Hegel
Other information : Socrates was a mentor to Plato
Biography :
Viewed by many as the founding figure of Western philosophy, Socrates is at once the most exemplary and the strangest of the Greek philosophers. He grew up during the golden age of Pericles’ Athens, served with distinction as a soldier, but became best known as a questioner of everything and everyone. His style of teaching—immortalized as the Socratic method—involved not conveying knowledge, but rather asking question after clarifying question until his students arrived at their own understanding. He wrote nothing himself, so all that is known about him is filtered through the writings of a few contemporaries and followers, most notably his student Plato. Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death. Choosing not to flee, he spent his final days in the company of his friends before drinking the executioner’s cup of poisonous hemlock.
Text :
‘’I will begin at the beginning and ask what the accusation is which has given rise to this slander of me, and which has encouraged Meletus to proceed against me. What do the slanderers say? They shall be my prosecutors, and I will sum up their words in an affidavit. "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others." That is the nature of the accusation, and that is what you have seen yourselves in the comedy of Aristophanes; who has introduced a man whom he calls Socrates, going about and saying that he can walk in the air, and talking a deal of nonsense concerning matters of which I do not pretend to know either much or little - not that I mean to say anything disparaging of anyone who is a student of natural philosophy.’’
Socrates’ defense, by Plato
Being two of the 21 distinct figures included in ‘’School of Athens’’ fresco by Raphael (1509 – 1511), Socrates and Plato had a high regard one for another and developed a remarkable mentor-mentored relationship.
Plato's metaphysics and epistemology appear to have been originally influenced by Presocratic thinkers. As a young man, however, Plato became a student of Socrates and turned his attention to the question of what constitutes a virtuous life.
The text above is an extract from ‘’Apologies of Socrates’’ written by Plato, an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens.
Referring to Socrates’ trial, highlights the injustice that stems from an ancient era, embracing intolerance of diversity of thought. A reality experienced by many modern societies.
References :
You can visit the links below :
You can read the book Thomas C. Brickhouse and Nicholas D. Smith, "Plato's Socrates " 1996.
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