Socrates Research Paper

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“I know that I know nothing.” says the man who has influenced modern Western philosophy and literature, has changed the way people have though with just simple questions regarding everyday words like “good” or “justice”, and has been put to trial and sentenced to death just on grounds of “defying the gods and corrupting the minds of the young.” Socrates was an influential Greek philosopher born around 469 B.C. in Athens, Greek. Despite his immense influence of philosophy and how it was understood, Socrates himself did not write anything. He simply asked questions. We know about his lessons today through the works of those who admired him: Aristophanes, Xenophon, and Plato.
Socrates was the son of Sophroniscus, a stonemason and sculptor, and Phaenarete, a midwife. His family had a poor social status and also received basic Greek education. Socrates learned his father’s trade before becoming a philosopher. He married a younger woman named Xanthippe in 435 B.C. and had three sons: Lamprocles, Sophroniscus, and Menexenus. According to Xenophon, Socrates was not an active family person. His wife thought that becoming a philosopher was not a sufficient trade to support their family and that Socrates had barely anything to do with his sons. Ironically Socrates was interested into changing the way young Athens boys thought during that time period.
Socrates had also served in the Athenian army in the armored infantry. This was also due to an Athenian law that makes all men available for military service from age 18 to 60. In 441 B.C. he served in the military campaign against the island city of Samos because the island was rebellious toward Athenian authority. After the Athenians took control of Samos, Socrates went back to ...

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...rates also became associated with some very influential figures in Athens. Some include well known politicians and business men. Socrates began a new mission, as he called it. It began when his friend Chaerephon meet an oracle, or a prophet, in Delphi. Chaerphon asked the oracle if there was anyone wiser than Socrates and to which the oracle said "No one." Socrates didn’t take it like the oracle said, that he was the wisest wan on Earth. Socrates thought there was a deeper meaning towards it. Socrates decided that he was the wisest man because he realized his ignorance. He realized that because he was self-aware of the fact that he could not answer some of life’s questions and nature mysterious he was “wise" in that sense. When Socrates asked the leaders of Athens questions he believed all their answers were false because there is no way they knew the right answer.

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