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How Did Socrates Claims To Benefit Athens

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Describe in your own words what service Socrates claims to be providing to benefit Athens and its people. Why would he think his activities would be beneficial? Is he a sham right? Are there other things he might be more productively doing? Socrates was an influential philosopher of ancient Athens. Not only is Socrates known for his ideas, but also due to his unique engagement with his community. Socrates saw himself as a guide because he encouraged others to explore their beliefs, think critically, and strive to become their best self. He believed that people who make poor decisions need someone to guide their actions and explain why their actions are poor choices. He believed this was his mission from God. This essay explores Socrates's claims of how he benefited Athens, why he thought his …show more content…

Another reason I believe his actions were beneficial was because he was different from other politicians and leaders at the time. He respected the community's choices and did not force them to believe exactly what he taught. Socrates made it very clear that participation was voluntary and there was no punishment for disagreeing with these Socrates. This approach respected the community's freedom, creating a safe environment for Athenians to engage with his ideas. Thirdly, Socrates' method of questioning allowed the community to think freely, which promoted intellectual growth. His questioning method required the community to defend their claims, making them think on a deeper level. It also helped the community think about different viewpoints. Overall, Socrates's methods motivate and inspire people to be their best selves and improve the overall community. Socrates constantly critiques Athenian politics, revealing he actually may have thrived as a politician. In this week's lecture, we discussed the reasoning behind why Socrates did not want to be a politician. Socrates first says that his divine sign told him not to. In other words, Socrates is not

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