Socrates is known as one of the most eminent Greek philosophers, but history has also told that the man was primarily infuriating. Born in 471 B.C.E, Socrates followed the life of a traditional Greek citizen by working as a mason and a hoplite until he became a popular instructor of philosophy. The man was not fond of traditional religion, and began questioning concepts of life, such as justice, knowledge, and wisdom. This incessant questioning eventually led to his execution by the Athenian government in 399 B.C.E. Socrates gained many followers before his death, and the most renowned example is Plato. Much of what we know today about Socrates was originally recorded in 380 B.C.E. by Plato in his dialogue, The Republic. That same dialogue depicts Socrates in such detail that it is able to capture the reasoning for Socrates execution twenty years earlier. For centuries, Socrates has been viewed by the world as the founder of Western Philosophy. This title originates from his ingenious questioning of concepts that rule our daily lives. This questioning also placed him in a legal trial that later led to his execution by poison. Socrates was despised in Athens over many of his views, but his corruption of the young angered the populace the most. The youth of the polis began to question their knowledge, and the government knew that action had to be taken. After much deliberation, Socrates was sentenced to death by poison.
The manner in which Socrates corrupted the youth is depicted in The Republic through the his incessant
…show more content…
Through examples of his questioning, empty statements, and overall corruption of knowledge, Plato’s depiction of Socrates informs the audience of why the founder of Western philosophy was executed by the Greek government. Years after Socrates’ death, he remains alive in numerous arts created by a variety of