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Similarities between Buddha and Socrates
The concept of worldview essay
The concept of worldview essay
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Recommended: Similarities between Buddha and Socrates
Buddha, the ‘Enlightened One’ vs. Socrates, the ‘Ethical One’ The term “world-view” is difficult to define because it is a complex phenomenon with many interpretations. As we understand it, a world-view is a model of reality- a creation of thoughts and beliefs about the universe. Socrates and Buddha each had their own ways of defining their respective worldviews. Socrates believed that all human beings were in search of ever lasting happiness that could only be achieved if an individual’s path of life was in alignment with the nature of his soul. Whereas, Buddha had a logical and conceptual comprehension of man and that death was inevitable for all members of society. Although both philosophers were unique in the making of their attitudes and beliefs, both shared similar ideas that focused on freeing the mind of the negative aspects of society. Socrates view of the world around him saw corruption overtaking the innocence of the human soul. He noticed that people were in search of an unattainable reality, only focusing on materialistic and unimportant things. If people focused more on the quality of their lives rather than the time they had left on earth, Socrates believes that they would become more virtuous beings and capable of happiness, the most important …show more content…
To him, the soul was what makes each one of us human and the part of us that distinctly creates our authentic identity. He claims that the soul gives one reason and knowledge, a mechanism only possible for mankind. In light of his beliefs, Socrates and the Greeks viewed the soul superior to that of the human body. Socrates was almost certain there was an afterlife, but uncertain of what it held inside. He knew that if one led a life of virtue and honor, rather than one of narcissism and the constant search for political and social power, then one would enter the golden gates of a divine
The third chapter of The Buddha Meets Socrates asks, “Is science a distraction?” To answer this question, the text addresses three major underlying questions: what is science, what is the purpose of science, and can science lead us to truth? The chapter incorporates several Western views, comparing and contrasting them with the Buddhist view elucidated by the Karmapa. The first question as to the identity of science is developed through a traditional Western view, invoking the minds of Socrates, Descartes, and Kant. To what end science proceeds is then questioned with respect to Nietzsche with reference to Socrates, and is compared with the views of the Karma. Lastly, regarding the pursuit of truth, the eastern and western thoughts clearly
He views death as a separation of the soul from the body when the body and soul are together it is life. He believed this so powerfully, that he did not only fear death but welcomed it. Socrates believed that he had to live a life full and hope for death. He had to convince his disciples Cebes and Simmias to be okay with his death since they did not believe in his beliefs. Socrates believed that men were the property of the gods and stated, “it is gods who care for us, and for the gods, we human beings are among their belongings. Don't you think so?” (Phaedo, 62b). Cebes was in an agreement with Socrates on that argument. They both believed that if a man kills himself he will be punished. Cebes suggest that when the soul leaves a body, it may dissipate, no longer existing as one unit. However, Socrates argues that in favor of this myth, souls after death will eventually return to the world in other bodies. Everything that comes to come from its opposites that is explained in the first argument. Simmias then argues that destroying a body will destroy the soul in it. Cebes declares that there is no proof that the souls are immortal and suffer no negative effects after each death and rebirth. Socrates tries to convince his friends with the Argument of Opposites and the Theory of Forms. Socrates hopes that the theory of forms will help explain causation and proof of the
Throughout the book “The Republic”, Socrates discusses a number of topics, including immortality of the soul, reincarnation, and nature of the god’s. All in all, the topics that are argued are connected in many ways. More importantly than those topics, Socrates main argument is about a just society and a virtuous way of living. Many people who read “The Republic” consider the many points that Socrates has to offer and yet others do not. Some might agree with the ways a just society should be run but if people would think in the terms of twenty-first century, they would have some problems in agreeing with Socrates’s view of a just society. Every topic Socrates presents has a point and his main argument is about a just society and a virtuous way of living, whether it be from the soul, reincarnation, and other natures of god.
...hat death is a passing on of the soul to another place. To Socrates, no matter which belief was true, death was a benefit. The fate of Socrates left some speculation. When Socrates accepted his fate and died he made one of two responses to the court and those involved in the case. Either Socrates accepted his accuser’s arguments, or Socrates defied his accusers till the last breath. Either way, people saw Socrates as a figure that helped to change world views by forcing people�s answer to be justified. Any person can change a worldview. The best way to do this is to ask the question “why” and apply it to everything in the known world. When people question everything in the known world, the answers that arise can change the thinking of everyone in that world. Many ancient Greek philosophers questioned everything and changed people’s worldview from mythos to logos.
The main similarity between Socrates, Buddha and Confucius, is that they stressed the importance of honor and integrity. All three of them taught a form of the golden rule. The golden rule is “Do not do to others what you would not like them do to you” (Clarken, 2010). Socrates was a philosopher in Athens, and he encouraged people to reflect on ethics, morality and knowledge (Tignor et al. p.197). Morality and ethics are what people believe is right, and what people believe is wrong. Buddha also known as Siddhartha Gautama, believed in the ascetic life, and that life is full of faith to reach nirvana. Nirvana is enlightenment and the absent of pain (Tignor et al. p. 177). To be able to reach Nirvana, people have to follow Buddha’s teachings known as the four truths and emptiness. Confucius believed that humans behaved ethically because it is in their makeup to do so. He also highly believed in respect for the elders or
According to Socrates the soul is what differentiates humans from all other living things. This entails the ability to think about who we truly are, to reflect on our life 's experiences, and to attain wisdom, virtue, and happiness in order to live a good life. Hence, one of the most famous philosophical and bold claims made by Socrates, according to Plato, during his trial for heresy summed up his belief that, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” It can be perceived from this that if we go about our lives without reflecting on the decisions we 've made or how things came to be the way the are, we are no better off than we were before and this kind of “blind” life is unworthy of the time on earth it so lived. As explained by John Chaffee,
Socrates, the Athenian native ex-hoplite and his successors more often than not focused on three main schools of thought, religion, politics, and the spiritual essence. Socrates was not a defender of the gods, and by no means an atheist, which he will later, in part, be put to death for. Through Socrates many years of philosophizing religion his most notable accomplishments were; mans existence on two planes and the immortal soul. He believed man existed on two planes, a physical plane, the human form in which people carry out their lives, and the spiritual form, the more concentrated immortal essence that is internal to all.
For instance, he suggests, when the soul leaves the body, it may be dissipated like breath or smoke so that it no longer exists as one coherent unit. Socrates ' answer begins with a consideration of the myth that the soul exists in some other world after death, and that after some time it returns to animate another body in this world. If this is true, Socrates suggests, then the soul must cohere after death, since otherwise it could not return to animate another body. Socrates ' task, then, will be to show that the souls of the dead may return to this world in other
He talks about virtue like it is the result of living “The Good Life.” He says, “For I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons and your properties, but first and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul” (Slayer). In brief, Socrates is saying that in order to have true “virtue” one needs to be consider where they are in the standards of morality, rather than the standards of material gain (Slayer). Additionally, Socrates also argues, “I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue come money and every other good of man, public as well as private.” He is basically saying that anything worth obtaining in the world is only worth obtaining justly because without “virtue” one will have nothing of value
Socrates had multiple ideas that would later significantly impacted the world. One idea that changed our society was the idea that human choice was influenced by happiness. He believed that humans make choices to make themselves happy. Another proposal that Socrates stated said that human make decision based off of what they will achieve from it. This means that human make decisions to make themselves have the upper hand, rather than making
Since Socrates only taught by means of public conversation and oration, most of what we know about him we learned from his student; Plato. Unlike other philosophers of his era, Socrates didn’t concern himself with issues on how or why the world worked; he pondered things like how man should live and what morality means. Socrates was hailed as the inventor of the branch of philosophy known as ethics. It is exactly his concern with
Perhaps the most important of Socrates’ lessons that is still as important as it was in his day is for one to believe in themselves above all else. He lived and, perhaps more importantly, died for his belief. He was an immovable mountain in his time and stood for what he considered right regardless of long-standing
Plato believed that the body and the soul were two separate entities, the body being mortal and the soul being immortal. In Plato’s phaedo, this is further explained by Socrates. He claims that by living a philosophical life, we are able to eventually free the soul from the body and its needs. If we have not yield to our bodily needs, we should not fear death, since it can than permanently detach the soul from the body. The most convincing argument for the immortality of the body is the theory of recollection, which shows that we are already born with knowledge of forms and that learning is thus recalling these ideas. If we are already born with knowledge this implies that are soul is immortal, since it would otherwise be a blank page.
In my opinion, Socrates’ analysis of human nature is very true as it ultimately brings us
Socrates felt that, above all, one should be a good citizen and always do the right thing (Plato 18). However, many in his time did not worry about doing what was correct. Socrates realized this, and understood that they did not care to look into their actions and beliefs. Their first thoughts were on the goals that they had, such as money and pleasure, rather than the thought of whether or not the goals they held were actually what should have been considered important and right (Plato 26). Socrates knew that, unless they took the time to question their lifestyles, they would never do the right thing. By living a life that was being examined, the citizens would be living a life that was, for the most part, also right. Socrates believed that a life that was not right was not worth living, which is why he also felt as though an unexamined life would also be not worth living.