Socrates: The Most Integral
analytical Essay
757 words
"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing" is a famous quote from Socrates, that describes him very well as the intelligent, humble person that he was. Socrates was born on 469 B.C. in Athens, Greece. He was well known throughout the world for his dialogues and the work of his followers and students such as Xenophon and Plato. He built the foundation for the Socratic Method as well as Socratic Irony. Although everything known about him is second-hand, and we do not have any of his philosophical writings, he is still known as one of the most important philosophers who changed the world. Socrates is often seen as the person who created the foundation for philosophy in the West. The influence of Socrates views can be seen during the time of Renaissance, where his works were often reflected in paintings and other works of art, he is often represented as a great Saint, because of all of his exemplary accomplishments. Philosophy is “The study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. Socrates is known as one of the greatest philosophers to ever have lived because he studied knowledge, reality, and existence to the point where he constructed a famous method used to find the answer to any problem, no matter the subject. This famous method is one of his greatest works and is known as the Socratic Method. This method involves breaking a problem into a series of questions, consequently the solution is usually found by answering all of the sub questions. He then used this method to examine moral ideas like justice, and began to question Athenian politics. This method later led to create hypothesis and the Scientific Method, which are widely used in modern scienc... ... middle of paper ... ...never been discovered. References Hughes, S. (2007). Socrates. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://onlinephilosophyclub.com/socrates.php Kemerling, G. (2011). Plato: Forms. Plato: Forms. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/2f.htm Kemerling, G. (2011). Socrates. Socrates. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm Nails, Debra, N. (2005, September 16). Socrates. Stanford University. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/ Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Definition of philosophy in English. Retrieved November 12, 2013, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/philosophy Pettinger, T. (2012, September 4). Socrates Biography. Biography Online. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/socrates.html
In this essay, the author
- Opines that socrates was an intelligent, humble person who created the foundation for philosophy in the west. the influence of his views can be seen during the renaissance.
- Explains that socrates studied knowledge, reality, and existence to the point where he constructed a famous method to find the answer to any problem, no matter the subject.
- Analyzes how socrates questioned the morality of the athenian society and politics, and was sentenced to death because of his vast wisdom.
- Explains that socrates had always questioned the morals of the athenian politicians due to his impression that the only people fit to govern. he objected to any government that declined his visualization of a government of only philosophers.
- Explains that socrates was the most integral philosopher b.c. because he taught plato, xenophon, and aristotle, the other three important philosophers of the time.
- Cites hughes, s., kemerling, g. and nails, n.
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- The Life of Socratesanalytical essaySocrates (470-399 BC) was a credited philosopher born in the city of Athens to father Sophroniscus and mother Phaenarete. Despite his world-renowned contributions, he did not leave any written accounts of his life. His story was taught through the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, along with Aristotle and Aristophanes in various forms of dramatic texts and histories. Among others, Plato wrote many dialogues that quoted Socrates’ exact words. Much of what we know comes from this greatly influenced student. However, Plato being a literary artist, leads many to think that he brightened up Socrates’ teachings as a result of his positive bias. For this reason, much of his history remains uncertain.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that socrates was a credited philosopher born in athens to father sophroniscus and mother phaenarete. his story was taught through the writings of his students plato and xenophon, along with aristotle
- Analyzes how ancient texts have come to various conclusions about how socrates made a living, or where he worked.
- Explains that socrates was famous for questioning his students in an unending search for the truth. he understood that if the series of progressing questions lead to a contradiction, it would force the student to examine their own beliefs and comprehend their knowledge.
- Explains that socrates' method of questioning was based on the belief that his wisdom was limited to the awareness of his own ignorance.
- Analyzes how socrates' oracle contradicted his belief that there was no man wiser than him. he was aware of his ignorance, making him the wisest.
- Explains socrates' life as a moral critic and social "gadfly" began after the reading of the oracle. he was unorthodox about the political and religious views which lead athens.
- Describes how socrates was convicted of corrupting the minds of athenian youth and raising a new generation of men who would fail to follow tradition. he fought against the law and argued that the convictions were unjust.
- Explains that socrates' contributions lived long past his years after conviction. the socratic method is prominently used in modern courts to distinguish facts from opinions.
- Analyzes how socrates' greatest contribution to modern law was his perception of justice as something one should not follow merely because it is of policy. his actions led to death, but his teachings were later revived in both medieval europe and the islamic middle east.
- Explains that socrates was mentioned in many dialogues written by other philosophers of various regions.
806 wordsRead More - Socrates and Propertiesanalytical essaySocrates and Properties By Characterizing himself –Socrates- as both ignorant and wise, he presents us with one of the most striking paradoxes. Like so many of the other philosophers, is provocative in that its apparent self-contradiction hides an important idea for us readers to discover. Though out this text Socrates ignorance results from his belief that he has no knowledge of moral idea, or moral properties, such as justice, virtue, piety, and beauty. He asserts that, if only he knew the relevant definitions, he would be a moral expert who could answer philosophical questions about moral properties- questions such as is a certain action just?
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how socrates presents us with one of the most striking paradoxes: his ignorance results from his belief that he has no knowledge of moral idea, or moral properties.
- Opines that socrates does not hold a consistent epistemological view through out the book.
- Opines that socrates has no method, though his manner of examining others can produce important negative and positive results. he claims to possess knowledge that certain things are true, but not know why or how it is true.
- Opines that the paper will try to answer one of may question specific positions and arguments s make.
- Argues that socrates' interest in definitions and his skepticism about clams to non-definitionally based moral knowledge come from his belief that a person cannot have knowledge about moral property unless he first knows the fundamental nature of the property.
- Explains that socrates' method of asking questions and leading to answers was achieved by "elenctic arguments only demonstrate the inconsistency of the interlocutors’ initial moral claim."
- Analyzes how socrates succeeded in discovering that a great many people "think they know something when in fact they don't know anything." one needs to practice elenchos oneself to lead an examined life.
- Analyzes how socrates describes meno's question as suggesting that his own methods of argument, the dialectic elenchos, are different, more serious and effective.
- Analyzes how socrates developed the dialectical process for gaining knowledge. he used an inductive method of argumentation in order to develop universal definitions.
- Argues that socrates' epistemological view is more sophisticated than philosophers explain it to be. textual and philosophic considerations reveal that he recognizes three intellectual states: expert knowledge, lesser knowledge and supported belief.
- Analyzes how socrates sees an emptiness in the arrogance we sometimes show when we claim to know that an action is courageous or an activity is pious.
- Analyzes how socrates doesn't abandon philosophy because it is of utmost importance to humanity. human wisdom lies in realizing that we are ignorant of the definitions of moral properties.
- Opines that socrates intends for his ignorance claims to be understood bradly, suggesting that his definition requirement ranges over all moral knowledge and not just tough cases or general statements about property.
- Explains that the new view asserts that socrates recognizes two different types of moral knowledge: expert knowledge that stems from knowledge of definition, and lesser knowledge produced in some way other than definitions.
- Explains socrates' view of ethics as a rational process, where reason is central to ethics, and where reasoning is considered as the basis by which decisions are made.
- Analyzes how plato maintains a virtue-based eudemonistic ethic, stating that human well-being is the highest aim of moral thought and conduct.
- Opines that moral intellectualism is present in all greek though, not except the great ethical system of plato.
- Opines that socrates was the instigator of the conflict between philosophy and politics.
- Analyzes how socratic philosophy offers an alternative and prepares the way for the alternative of absolutes.
- Analyzes how philosphy debunked what the city thinks they know in order to refute the god. socrates is subtly admitting his guilt.
- Concludes that the delphic oracle was a definite turning point in socrates' life.
- Concludes that the paper examines three philosophical problems that some philosophers have credited to the priority of definition principle.
3231 wordsRead More - Socrates: The Use Of The Socratic Methodanalytical essaySocrates was known to be a philosopher in ancient Greece, specifically Athens, who laid down the foundations of western philosophy. He was born in 469-470 BC and died by execution in 399 BC for his philosophies. His ideologies are extremely appreciated today for many uses. His philosophies are guidelines on how we should live, but Socrates never once wrote his teachings down. The majority of his work was documented by Plato, who was one of Socrates followers. Many considered Plato as one of his students, but Socrates was documented to have not taught for money or opened his own academy of philosophy which suggests that Plato was not an actual student of his. The main source of information about Socrates and his work is not documented by him
In this essay, the author
- Explains that socrates was a philosopher in ancient greece, specifically athens, who laid down the foundations of western philosophy.
- Explains socrates' method of asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. the sophists were seen as the wisest men in athens and they believed that their advice and opinions were worth more than real experts.
- Describes the socratic method, which is used to logically assess an individual's ideas and beliefs on matters such as knowledge, reality, and existence.
- Analyzes how socrates uses the socratic method to cause euthyphro to disagree with his original statement on what pious or a holy act is.
- Analyzes how socrates used the socratic method to make euthyphro change his definition of something he is meant to be an expert on five times.
1318 wordsRead More - Apology and the Crito Comparisonanalytical essaySocrates was a great thinker and debater dedicated to truth. He spent his golden years walking the streets of Athens in pursuit of wisdom. Socrates lived the destiny that was revealed to him in the Oracle. He created and perfected his own cross-examination technique; we today know it as the Socratic Method. He was thorough and unrelenting. His subjects were often humiliated. Socrates would methodically disprove anyone he thought was wrong. In his eyes, most of the people he interviewed were blind. It did not matter if one was wealthy and influential or if they were young and impressionable. Socrates could question anyone and turn him or her inside out. Unfortunately, he did so without regard to the individual’s feelings.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that socrates was a great thinker and debater dedicated to truth. he created and perfected his own cross-examination technique.
- Analyzes how socrates' unabashed honesty led to him being brought to trial, which angered the people at the top. plato witnessed the trial and narrated it in the apology.
- Explains that socrates believes that when a man perceives the government as acting wrong, he is entitled to peaceful dissent, but if the man protests and still is not exonerated, then the punishment is certain death.
- Analyzes how socrates' apology is a misleading title. it is his chance to "protest" against ities and make them listen to his side.
- Analyzes how socrates is respectful of the law. crito has formulated an escape plan for him if he will have it.
616 wordsRead More - Comparing Henrik Ibsen's Enemy of the People and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Fiveanalytical essayWest, Grace S., Thomas West. Texts on Socrates: Plato and Aristophanes. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how slaughterhouse-five shows a conflict between morality and science in the case of the bombing of dresden during the second world war.
- Opines that human values are important, but they are lacking in our world today. walter lippmann points to religion as one example of a tradition that is losing its ground in public life.
- Describes west, grace s., and thomas west's texts on socrates: plato and aristophanes.
- Analyzes henrik ibsen's enemy of the people and kurt vonnegut’s slaughterhouse-five.
- Opines that science and technology are too mechanistic and hard to include the human factor. cloning, stem cell research, abortion, and war are examples of technology not including human virtues.
1362 wordsRead More - Anti-Moral Realismopinion essaySoccio, Douglas J. "The Trial and Death of Socrates." Archetypes of Wisdom. 6th ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2007. 124. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that plato believed that good/morality starts from the powerful government and trickles down to the average person. each new supreme court reflects the values of the majority of its members
- Opines that the most powerful individuals or groups of individuals determine the rights and truths of a society. it sounds hopeless and immoral to the powerless folks of the general public.
- Explains that plato believed that change should start with government and then seep into the person. the problem with this thought is that governments do not last forever and societies are never stable.
- Explains that according to the "might makes right" theory, if something wrong were happening, no one would react for fear of being thwarted by the more powerful
- Opines that if a bully hurts one of the new children in school and no one is acting to defend the child, is he/she correct?
- Explains that the average person would not dare change anything if everyone went by the motto of "might makes right." they assume that they have no influence and wave goodbye to passive citizenship.
- Analyzes how the 1942 japanese-american internment was a wonderful brainwashing to hush up the "powerless" public.
- Opines that supremacy is the only way of influencing someone or something, but it is not the best way. if gandhi's words were heeded, the government would follow the bill of rights instead of wave them in the air.
- Opines that "might makes right" is sometimes a truth, but it is cynical and allows for immorality.
886 wordsRead More - Rhetoric, Paideia and the Phaedrusanalytical essayRichard Rutherford's recent discussion of these issues (1995: chap. 9) provides a helpful starting point. He plausibly argues for reading Socrates' second speech in the light of the wider dialogue — not least in the light of the Pha...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how socrates plays the role of elder friend in phaedrus, and in his second speech he seeks to convince him of his potential to rise through the wings of love to a higher state.
- Analyzes how martha nussbaum argued for a reading of the phaedrus according to which the palinode presents socrates' and plato's 'deepest philosophical insights in poetic language'.
- Analyzes how phaedrus' subversion of its own authority and socrates' second speech is suitably nuanced. the dialogue's deflationary account of writing has so often been taken as representing the literal truth.
- Analyzes how the motif of 'the fitting' is prominent in the dialogue right from the start. phaedrus stops to comment on the encomium as extraordinary.
- Analyzes socrates' response to lysias' speech. martha nussbaum suggests that plato is recanting his former beliefs.
- Opines that if one responds positively, one's feelings and aspirations may be given shape as one gives oneself over to a vision of philosophy.
- Cites stanley cavell, carus lectures 1988, chicago and london, university of chicago.
- Analyzes how the phaedrus' interpretive puzzles arise from reading it in terms of a static version of mimesis.
- Analyzes how the dialogue portrays socrates as a lover wooing phaedrus to philosophy.
- Analyzes socrates' effort in unchaining phaedrus from his fixation on lysias, but the latter's response is couched in terms of admiration of the speech rather than of its perfectionist aspirations.
3343 wordsRead More - Socratesanalytical essayTo question what no man has questioned before, that is a credo which we seemingly impose upon Socrates looking back upon his life. The philosopher Socrates is a commonly known inquisitive character, and is mainly known of because of his trial in 399 B.C.E. (2) But was Socrates really everything we know him as today? Or have the lines between the real Socrates and the Socrates of Aristophanes, Plato and Xenophon been so blurred that we do not know who the real man is. When one initially learns of Socrates through Plato one gets an upstanding view of the philosopher, while when viewing Socrates through the writings of Aristophanes one finds him a crude purveyor of the children. Regardless of which view one takes upon the Socratic question – Who's view is most accurate to Socrates, if any or are all of the authors using him simply as a mouthpiece for their own views (1) – it is easy to see why Socrates has been the hero of intellectuals the world over since before his execution. The life and philosophy of a philosopher cannot be pulled from each other, they are intertwined and can be better understood if one understands both halves of the equation.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that philosopher socrates is a commonly known inquisitive character, and is known of because of his trial in 399 bc.
- Explains that socrates was born to sophroniscus and phaenarete in 469 b.c.e. he was trained in military arts and helped others reach an enlightened understanding of their lives.
- Narrates how socrates was accused of corrupting the youth with his philosophy by anytus, meletus and lycon. he fought in his own defense and lamented that he was only given a day.
- Analyzes how socrates' philosophy is found in his determination that it is better to die than live under restrictions and accept the will of what he believes is a wrong society.
- Opines that socrates had a strong impact on those around him and those who followed him, and it would be hard to prove otherwise.
- Explains that the stanford encyclopedia of philosophy contains information about socrates' life, the socratic question, and the extent to which we contact thoughts associated with him today.
- Evaluates hooker, richard's "greek philosophy: socrates" as a legitimate university source, with some information that was not found in the first site.
- Analyzes how linder, douglas, and rowe, christopher, discuss the trial of socrates.
- Analyzes the relevance of socrates and his methods. it is legitimate and has reliable information.
740 wordsRead More - Plato Vs Socrates Research Paperanalytical essayHis knowledge that he provided to his students has been a great influence on the world today. He influenced Plato and Plato influenced Aristotle. They were his students. Socrates was a teacher and he taught by questioning people. Socrates is asked, "Do you have it in you to tell me whether virtue is teachable?" He replied that this was because he understood that he did not know anything for certain. Socrates in many ways, represents the drive to question and examine. He is forced to examine and question himself by having an open mind. His approach that everyone should have a social responsibility has been taught throughout the 21st century. Philosophy is taught in colleges around the world. In the classroom students and professors can have a real conversation about philosophers and their way of thinking. Socrates way of thinking has been the framework of the way the world deals with problem solving. The questions Socrates asked were
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes socrates' perspective on axiology, where values were set for peoples to live by, or to communicate socially. he believed that happiness can be achieved without virtue.
- Explains that plato was an idealist and created his own ideal form of societal government. he believed that in order to have happiness there must be virtue.
- Opines that socrates maintains the most cohesive worldview and the wisest of all philosophers. he influenced plato and aristotle.
- Explains that philosophy is the way we think about our society, the universe, and the world. socrates laid the foundation of philosophy, while plato expressed his thoughts about how thinkers can make their lives easier.
645 wordsRead More - Defense of Socratesanalytical essayPlato’s “Defense of Socrates” follows the trial of Socrates for charges of corruption of the youth. His accuser, Meletus, claims he is doing so by teaching the youth of Athens of a separate spirituality from that which was widely accepted.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how plato's "defense of socrates" follows his trial for corruption of the youth. his accuser, meletus, claims he is teaching athens youth a separate spirituality from that which was widely accepted.
- Analyzes how socrates tried to convince the jury that he was just an average man and not to be feared, but in actuality demonstrated how clever and tenacious.
- Analyzes how socrates acknowledges the fact that he knows nothing, at least in areas of unlearned knowledge, and has obtained true wisdom, according to the above maxim.
- Analyzes how socrates argues that he could not have intentionally corrupted athenian youth through two premises.
- Analyzes how socrates refuses to change his ways in order to avoid death for two reasons. he feels he is doing the work of the gods and promotes a higher level of thought and wisdom.
- Explains that socrates doesn't fear death, since he figures that death could mean an afterlife that rewards those who are good. his other theory is death equals non-existence, which resembles a deep sleep.
- Analyzes how the stoic man proposes a ludicrous counter-proposal of free meals in the prytaneum. his supporters convince him to settle on 30 minas fine.
- Opines that socrates' analysis of death is not extraordinary, and is completely reasonable. most religions support some form of afterlife that rewards those who are virtuous.
589 wordsRead More