Compare And Contrast Socrates And Sartre

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Socrates and. Sartre: Contrasting Views Across Centuries Philosophers are known for their unique and divergent views on people and the world as a whole. As a result of their unique ways of thinking, they often held contrasting views and beliefs that have been debated over the centuries. One of the earliest well known philosophers was Socrates. He was so firm in his beliefs that he was executed and became a martyr instead of denying them. However, even with the sacrifice of his own life, no one could say that Socrates lived a perfect life, although his teachings were extremely influential. Other prominent philosophers had different points of view and insisted Socrates went about his life incorrectly. An influential philosopher of the twentieth century, Jean-Paul Sartre, would have a lot to say about Socrates and how he lived his life. It is evident that Socrates’ actions and beliefs did not align with Sartre’s chosen way of life. This difference is emphasized by how Socrates believed he had a purpose in life, how he believed in the gods, and how he refused to leave prison when presented the opportunity. One of the accusations against Socrates in his trial facing execution, was that he did not believe in the gods. However, this allegation was completely erroneous. His steadfast …show more content…

This belief is completely contrasting to that of Sartre. Sartre believed that one must create his or her own path and develop what type of person he or she desires to be. He did not accept the idea that we were made given a purpose in life. Thus, a reason for being is not something that any person or any god can dictate for us (Stevenson 232). From Sartre’s point of view, Socrates was not be able to realize his unlimited freedom to choose his own path in life because he believed the gods gave him his purpose, rather than deciding his own fate for

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