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Socrates
Socrates was a Greek, enigmatic philosopher who was famous for his contribution in ethics. He was Plato and Xenophon’s mentor and was acknowledged as one of the founders of Western philosophy.
1,381 Questions
Who was Socrates and why was he important?
Socrates was a philosopher who concentrated on teaching young men. After a life of hard work, serving in the army and public service, he became seen as an enemy to the state because he was influencing the young people to think for themselves rather than follow the accepted ideas and causes blindly.
His example and leadership in self-examination and independent thought underpins that part of today's academic community who think rationally and do not pursue group-think causes and self-interest.
What action of socrtaes surprises crito?
Socrates surprised Crito by deciding to accept the death penalty rather than escaping from prison. Crito thought Socrates should escape because he believed it was unjust for Socrates to die, but Socrates upheld his principles and chose to abide by the law.
Why did Socrates teach people?
Socrates taught people because he thought that the world needed more knowledge and he taught philosophy because he wanted people to know answers to questions that he thought they would never look into those questions. He wanted them to know the answers in case they actually came across those questions.
Socrates's goal was to seek wisdom and encourage self-examination in others. He believed in the importance of questioning one's beliefs and values in order to live a more examined and virtuous life. His method of dialectic questioning aimed at stimulating critical thinking and uncovering deeper truths.
Who was a student of socrates who taught that democracy was not a good system?
Plato was a student of Socrates who believed that democracy was not an ideal system of government. In his work "The Republic," Plato argued that democracy could easily lead to tyranny and advocated for a philosopher-king ruling class instead.
Why Socrates doesn't fear death?
Socrates believed in the immortality of the soul and that death was a transition to a higher state of existence or reunion with the divine. He saw death as a natural part of life and not something to be feared, as he believed that true wisdom comes from recognizing the limitations of the physical world.
Who corrupted the youth in Athens?
Socrates had corrupted Athens youth because he made the youth question many things.
The ancient Athenian teacher and philosopher who was accused of corrupting the youth was?
Socrates was the ancient Athenian teacher and philosopher who was accused of corrupting the youth. He was brought to trial and sentenced to death by drinking poison hemlock in 399 BCE.
How is a Socratic Seminar different from a debate?
Socratic Seminar is a structured classroom practice that promotes critical and creative thinking, intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and scholarly habits of mind. The main goal of Socratic Seminar is to build deep conceptual understandings of texts and ideas, where the word "text" is used loosely to refer to a piece of writing, visual art, music, movement, etc. In seminar, the teacher shifts his or her role to that of facilitator or questioner, so that the students can move from passive reception of knowledge to actively constructing meaning and understanding. They will build on others' ideas, cite the text, ask questions and voice their own opinions. With practice, the students become self-sufficient and together they can tackle even the most challenging texts.
Participants in Socratic Seminar are meant to engage in dialogue, which is different than both debate or discussion. Debates and discussions are both fine practices and they have their own goals and purposes. Debates are typically characterized by two sides in oppositional or competitive roles, where each team attempts to prove their entrenched view. Dialogue is characterized by a cooperative atmosphere, where all of the participants attempt to work together to form greater shared understandings. Classroom discussions often look similar, but they are typically meant to broaden a topic, whereas Socratic Seminars are meant to deepen.
Crito tries to persuade Socrates to?
Crito tries to persuade Socrates to flee Athens and avoid his impending execution. Crito argues that it is unjust to let Socrates die when he has the opportunity to escape, and that his death would be a loss to his friends and family. Socrates ultimately refuses, choosing to abide by the laws of the state and accept his fate.
What is the name of the best disciple of socrates?
The best-known disciple of Socrates is generally considered to be Plato. Plato went on to become a renowned philosopher in his own right and founded the Academy in Athens.
Why was socrates' method of teaching revolutionary?
Socrates discussed with people without trying to impose his opinion on them. He used the elenctic method (Gr. μαιευτική μέθοδος) to help people reach to the truth by themselves. By asking questions he could lead you and could make you understand the truth which in some way was already in your knowledge but without you realizing it. This is the best way to really know something - only if you reach to the truth on your own (rathen than being told so) will you trully be a master of that truth.
What is happiness according to Socrates?
Happiness was eudaimonia or human flourishing. He would say that a person who was just would be eudaimoniaic because being just is a good in and of itself. Happiness would not necessarily be a state of mind like feeling happy after eating chocolate cake (or whatever one desires to consume) but a general way of being excellent through justice or virtue.
Why do many people consider Socrates to be a martyr for truth and integrity?
Many people view Socrates as a martyr for truth and integrity because he chose to die rather than compromise his principles or beliefs. He remained steadfast in his commitment to questioning authority and seeking wisdom, even in the face of death. His unwavering dedication to honesty and intellectual honesty has inspired generations to prioritize integrity above all else.
What did socrates propose as an alternate punishment at his trial?
Free meals for the rest of his life in the Prytaneum
What did Socrates consider the real task of philosophy?
Socrates believed that the real task of philosophy was to seek self-knowledge and to question assumptions about the world in order to find the truth and lead a virtuous life. He emphasized the importance of critical thinking, self-examination, and ethical inquiry in the pursuit of wisdom.
What did Socrates father do for a living?
Socrates's Father was a stone carver and His mother was a mid wife
Why does Plato feel that Socrates was a Sophist?
Plato believes that Socrates was mistaken for a Sophist because of his thought-provoking questioning style and his focus on challenging conventional beliefs. However, Socrates differed from the Sophists in that he did not accept payment for his teachings and sought after truth rather than personal gain. Plato aimed to distinguish Socrates from the Sophists by portraying him as a philosopher who pursued wisdom and virtue, rather than being motivated by debate or rhetoric.
What punishment did Socrates propose to the court?
He proposed maintenance in the Prytaneum, which means that he receive free meals, an honor ordinarily reserved for Olympian athletes and other state benefactors. Such meals would be provided in the Tholos, the official state dining room. He then said his punishment should be a fine of thirty minae. Since a mina was equal to 100 drakhmai, and a drakhma was the average daily wage, 30 minae would have been 3000 days' wages, or over eight years' salary.
Where did Socrates live while doing most of his thinking?
While doing most of his thinking, Socrates lived in Athens in Greece doing hard labour as a stone- cutter, in the middle of his people and in the open. When we live in the middle of people, we usually discuss things, i.e, in Greece then, whatever was under the Sun, and when we discuss the same things often, we become committed. That is what happened to Socrates and his Times.
Was Socrates a good philosopher?
Socrates and Three Generations of State :
A philosopher is assessed not by the beauty of his words, but by looking into whether his objectives were achieved or not. His arguments on how a more republican and disciplined State could be constructed were considered comments from shade and shine against the Athenian State which was indisciplined, no republican and steeped in corruption and favouritism. Such was the distance between the State and him that he was executed for this reason.
When it was the time of Plato, his student, follower and friend, Plato instituted the Academy and moved classes from the Socrates' wonted market place to a fixed walled space which had the novelty of teachers coming to a fixed place where students only needed to go and where classes progressed according to a predetermined syllabus, all these replacing the ancient system of students residing with the teacher in his house, and later coming to be known as the academic system of education. Knowledge became such fashionable that the aristocratic Athenian noble young men could not be married away if they had not studied in the Academy. Socrates, through Plato was nearing the State.
Though the Greek school of thought from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander to Anaximander was each one of them brilliant, Aristotle was the most lucky to get equipped with what Socrates predicted as the prerequisite essential for building a model republic - a soldier student. In his times the Academician thoughts had become such pervasive and persuasive that the King Philip of the just-across-the-strait semi barbarian state of Macedonia invited Aristotle to be the teacher of his intelligent son Alexander. The rest is history. Thus Socrates became the State just in three generations which was fast. Thus in achieving his objectives Socrates was a good philosopher.
What is Socratic method and what is its legacy?
The Socratic method is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. Its legacy includes influencing the development of Western philosophy and education by emphasizing seeking truth through questioning and dialogue, rather than relying solely on authoritative statements.
How did Socrates feel about the pursuit of knowledge?
Socrates believed that the pursuit of knowledge was essential for living a virtuous life. He famously stated that "the unexamined life is not worth living," suggesting that self-reflection and the pursuit of wisdom were crucial for personal growth and understanding. Socrates encouraged questioning, critical thinking, and continuous learning as a path to knowledge.
Did Socrates like or dislike democracy?
Socrates was critical of democracy because he believed that it could be easily manipulated by demagogues and lead to unjust decision-making. He was also concerned about the influence of majority opinion over truth and reason.
