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Socrates And The Socratic Method Analysis

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The philosopher Socrates and his thought process have shaped Greek philosophical thinking for generations. He is revered by academics and feared by others due to his complex method of thinking and attempt to understand the deeper workings of life. He believes that knowledge is directly related to virtue so in order to live a virtuous life one must seek knowledge. The main goal of Socrates’ philosophical work and teaching was not to get someone to realize a particular fact but rather to entice philosophical thinking and ultimately strive for perfection of the human character. The Socratic method was just a means to an end for Socrates and the end was this excellence. The Socratic method is a process of questioning in which Socrates would have …show more content…

In fact, the teacher would embrace and cherish the error due to it being a step in the right direction in this complex progressive idea. Socrates once said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. This admission of ignorance became known as Socratic irony, this is a point of view designed to make the Socratic method function. However I find the awareness of ignorance to be a very interesting topic. There is nothing admirable about simply being ignorant but to be fully conscious about said ignorance results in a higher level of thinking and once again this admission is not seen as a downfall but as a move toward greatness in consciousness and ultimate …show more content…

The series of questions Socrates asks appear to be very simple, “is it thanks to justice that people are just?” Of course it is in Hippias’ mind, anything that is just must be so as a result of justice. The same questions are asked for wise people being so thanks to wisdom and good things good thanks to goodness. The conversation takes a turn for deeper philosophical thought when Socrates uses Hippias’ words against him – “That is, thanks to actual entities. It couldn’t be thanks to non-entities.” What is noticeable here from Hippias’ dialogue is that he does not see the deep-rooted issue and difference between essence and example. The turning point in this dialogue, where we finally see what is being processed inside Socrates’ head, is when he begins to speak about beauty. We see Socrates asking higher order questions, are all “beautiful things beautiful thanks to beauty?” Hippias plays right into Socrates’ hand by agreeing that they are beautiful thanks to an actual entity. What Hippias fails to recognize is the difference between essence and example. “What is beauty?” Hippias asks: “Isn’t that the same as asking what are beautiful

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After reading Plato’s Apology and Crito, I can conclude that according to Socrates human virtue is knowledge (wisdom). In this paper I will present two disputes that’s Socrates uses to prove what human virtue is. In Apology, one argument Socrates makes is that he is not wise. Socrates starts this off by explaining how Chaerephon went to the god Delphi, and Delphi asked if he knew any man that was wiser

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Political activists and philosophers alike have a challenging task of determining the conditions under which citizens are morally entitled to go against the law. Socrates and Martin Luther King, Jr. had different opinions on the obligation of the citizens in a society to obey the law. Although they were willing to accept the legal punishment, King believed that there are clear and definable circumstances where it would be appropriate, and sometimes mandatory, to purposely disobey unjust laws. Socrates did not. Socrates obeyed what he considered to be an unjust verdict because he believed that it was his obligation, as a citizen of Athens, to persuade or obey its Laws, no matter how dire the consequences.

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When someone performs a task efficiently, satisfaction is there, either it was an unjust task or a just one. The example of the pruning knife really made a mark in my brain, yes the pruning knife is made for pruning, but a knife can complete the task even though it is not its peculiar virtue. Socrates also gave a few examples and then automatically claimed that his argument worked for all things. I think that his conclusion is true in a sense, but to fully prove his conclusion his premises had to have more examples that could apply to everything as he

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1745 Words | 7 Pages

This could mean that Socrates had understood, or at least on the way to understanding what is the good and how to obtain it. This interpretation also explain Socrates´s behavior, as recounted by Alcibiades. Socrates spend most of his time either thinking(220D), or talking and philosophizing with others(221D, 222E).He seem to show extreme calmness and unrivaled self control( 221B). He does not desire physical beauty, money,power, or anything else that Alcibiades might be interested in(216E), and seem to only be concerned about giving speeches and

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1226 Words | 5 Pages

The discourse of Socrates and Euthyphro In Euthyphro, Plato recites a conversation Socrates has with Euthyphro by “the Porch of the King” (Plato, 41). The Greek philosopher and his religious interlocutor Euthyphro mainly talk about the true meaning of piety, although it is less of a conversation and more of Socrates challenging Euthyphro, after the latter claimed that he knew everything about religious matters, and therefore piety. Socrates explains his need for Euthyphro to teach him by explaining that this would help him defend himself against the “indictment” he faces because of Meletus (Plato, 45).

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In this paper, I will argue that Martin Luther King Jr. is a modern day Socrates. In order to obtain a proper definition, I will describe three main characteristics that a modern day Socrates must possess; these characteristics include determination, a desire to shape minds, and wisdom. First, I will describe exactly why these characteristics of Socrates are important by providing supporting evidence from Plato. Afterwards, I will describe why Martin Luther King Jr. possesed said characteristics; in doing so, I will give evidence from The Letter from the Birmingham City Jail to support my claims. Determination drives change.

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Socrates & Snowden Socrates was a true believer that true pleasure only comes when individuals live a moral life. He believed that an individual’s inner life, or the soul, is the most important part of life. Each person must keep his or her soul healthy, by seeking truth, self-knowledge, justice, and goodness. Socrates believed that any soul in search of fame, wealth, and power becomes ignorant, sickly, and weak (Claudia, 270). He was concerned with strengthening his inner self by examining and criticizing it.

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His goal was to make the court understand his beliefs prove which type of knowledge is worth knowing. When talking about the wise man he examined, Socrates said, “Neither of us actually knows what Beauty and Goodness are, but he thinks he knows, even though he doesn’t; whereas I neither know nor think I know.” This shows that Socrates proved he was more wise than the titled wise man because instead of faking the knowledge, that wasn’t too important, he accepted that he did not know which would result in him then seeking for

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In order to establish my thesis, I will start by stating and explaining the argument that Socrates presents, I will

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In this second quote, Socrates is saying that he possesses a certain wisdom given to him by the god to spread his philosophy and belief in the city of Athens. Here is a third piece of evidence to support my point from “ The Apology”. “Afterwards I went to talk to one person after another, sensing how odious I had become to them. I was sad and fearful; but I felt it was necessary to make the god’s work my highest priority.” (Lines 56-58)

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Socrates bases this view of justice on the worth of living a good life. “And is life worth living for us with that part of us corrupted by unjust actions” (47e) If we corrupt our soul with injustice, our life would not be worth living, therefore one must never commit an injustice. “When one has come to an agreement that is just with someone, one should fulfill it.”(49e) It is this agreement with the Laws that Socrates would be violating, if he were to

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Socrates started his life as an average Athen citizen. His parents worked, making an honest living. But as Socrates grew up, he began to realize that his mind questioned things and wondered how come no one else questioned the same things or at least think about the answers to the questions that were not answered. So, as his mind kept wandering, he began to acknowledge the questions that were not answered and sought for those answers. He ended up believing and teaching things to other people, whether it went against the way the Athen government or not, he still continued his work.

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The existence and continual study of Socrates’ philosophy regardless of differing accounts is astonishing in itself since it survived not through the specific philosopher, but through other people. Which is a testament of the impact that a man, such as Socrates, can make. When we think of Plato, who is regarded as a father of western philosophy, we are quick to think of his major work The Republic, his student Aristotle, and his writing on Socrates. (We think of his writings on Socrates as mere footnotes in philosophical thought without examining them.) “Nothing comes from nothing,” Parmenides proudly claimed, and this philosophical doctrine applies to Plato’s thought.

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Socrates is quoted as stating, “An unexamined life is a life not worth living” (38 a). Socrates was a founding figure of western philosophy, and a stable for many ideas. He lived in Athens, Greece teaching his students, like Plato, questioning politics, ethical choices, and many other things in Greek society. In the Trial and death of Socrates: Four Dialogues by Plato, it explores the abstract questioning Socrates had towards many of the normal social properties, which led to his trial, resulting in his death. The most important aspects discussed in the dialogues is the questioning of what is pious and impious, what it means to be wise, and good life.

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Philosophical thinking uses three acts of the mind: understanding, judgement, and reason. In order to have a sound argument all of the concepts must be applied. Socrates didn’t want to please the people by saying or doing what they wanted him to say or do. Socrates thought it was not important to seek wealth or fame; he was concerned with truth and virtue. He wanted to create an impact on humanity by relying on the truth and shining a light in people’s lives, even if they put him on trial.

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