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| Date |
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469 - 399BC |
| Who |
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Socrates, Greek Philosopher |
| Location |
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Ancient Greece |
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| Early Life |
| Socrates didn't believe in the Art of Writing; he thought that once written there was no debate, the information was unalterable and that this was wrong. There is certainly no evidence of any pieces of work written in his own hand. This means that we have to rely upon other writters for records of Socrates's work, notably the four s cholars, Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon and Aristophanes.. This presents a problem, often these accounts and others do not agree. For example, one account gives Socrates as a Soldier who fought in several wars, including Delium. Another source states Socrates took over the family business of stonemasonry, others claim that for a time he was involved in politics. While another account has Socrates dedicating his entire life to the study of philosophy. If Socrates managed to follow only half of these careers and still develop the principles we credit him for, he was a very busy man. However, for those that believe he actually existed (as he wrote nothing in his own hand), the consensus is that at some point he studied the art of philosophy and brought it into the homes of ordinary Greeks and it is that what he is remembered for. |
| Work |
Socrates is famously quoted for saying that he was 'the wisest person, simply because he knew that he knew nothing.' Another famous image of him is walking through the Greek market place accosting passers by and quizzing them with question such as what is virtue or courage. It is believed that he did do such things, however, this was not uncommon in Greek culture and often philosophers would debate with strangers to achieve progress or the development of their ideas and principles. Socrates believed in the principle that if you didn't understand what something was, you could go no further. For to state a famous example, to answer the question 'can you teach virtue,' you must first know what virtue is and consists of, the answer to which will greatly alter you answer to the initial question. He therefore believed in the great importance of definitions and in understanding the fundamental idea in question, a belief which became one of the greatest legacies of Socrates and which is still reflected in our society today.
Another legacy of Socrates is the teaching method of questioning. He strongly believed that to break an idea or problem down into questions, eventually a solution would appear. Therefore if a teacher continually asked a student questions, each more delving than the last, finally the student would reach the fundamental idea and be able to understand the more complex starting one. This is very similar to the method he used in expanding his own knowledge (and that of the person questioned) by questioning the passers by in the marketplace.
Socrates held many more beliefs than those described above according to the sources. He concluded that the correct way to live your life is to be virtuous and how violence in the name of revenge is wrong in any form. He also believed that if you had enough knowledge and knew what was best for you, no human would ever deliberately do evil. Unfortunately a detailed account would take a book, not just a webpage. |
| Death |
| Socrates lived through a turbulent time in Greek history. He saw the defeat of Greece by Sparta, resulting in the fall of democracy and the implementation of the Thirty Tyrants. This dictatorship, however, only lasted a year before democracy returned. Before this event, Socrates had publically been against the Greek form of democracy and so when it was restored he was seen as 'for the tyrants,' not democracy (this was not actually true, as Socrates believed the tyrants to be worse). Socrates has also made many enemies through his questioning, putting down and criticism of public office. In Ancient Greece charges were brought against an individual by another individual, not the state and so justice could be used as a method of revenge. Whatever the motive behind the charges, Socrates was charged with corrupting the young and defying the Gods, while introducing new ones (the idea of questioning the established morals of a culture). Despite, according to Plato, making an outstanding defensive speech, Socrates was sentenced to death by Hemlock. He then refused an offered escape plan, claiming that no citizen has the right to defy justice and took the poison. |
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