Socrates: A Great Political Philosopher
Date: 23 April, 2020
Early life of Socrates
Socrates was born at Alopece near Athensabout 469 BC. His father, sophoniscus, was a sculptor and his mother name was Phaenarete as a midwife. Socrates is regarded as the hinge of Western philosophy. As a mark to denote his importance philosophers before his time were called pre-Socrates. He also turned the focus of philosophy from the physical world to the human, particularly the moral. Socrates is known for the most influential and controversial figure in Greek Philosophy. The basic ideas of Socrates continue to be fundamental for a philosophical quest, largely through the writings of Plato, Socrates has become a symbol of freedom, individuality and courage.
He had wonderful control over his body and mind, like St. Paul who says “so fight I as not beating the air, but I buffet my body and bring it into bondage”.
Socrates was one of the greatest philosopher.
Socrates and philosophy
He propounded four basic aspects of philosophical contribution. Firstly, the concept of knowing oneself, he recognised the difficulty and importance of self – knowledge of understanding and knowing one’s future known as moral dimension, equating knowledge with goodness. Second, He also focused on an unexamined life is not worth living, the role of philosophy is to assist an individual in reflecting on his or her own life. Rational reflection is the primary definitions of the task of philosophy. Third, also focus on understanding avete “virtue, and according to him a basic question was, can virtue be taught?
Lastly, his mode of philosophical thinking considered as a ‘Socratic method’ and saw himself as a catalyst in the search of the truth.
Socrates and sophists
During his lifetime, He was often in conflict with a group of itinerant teachers called sophists, the sophistic teaching lead to the confusion of thought, corruption of morals and scepticism, men claimed to know everything, when in reality they knew nothing. They created an atmosphere of foreign to the holy land of Athenians. Citizens were unable to receive justice at courts. Wealth, luxury, indifference, immorality, atheism and selfishness had resulted in bringing chaos to Greek life. A crisis faced the people.
Socrates and politics
According to Socrates, only philosophers can rule the masses since he has vision, virtue to lead the people for their betterment. He was in favour of a democratic government.
Also, according to A. A. Long, “There should be no doubt that, despite his claim to know only that he knew nothing, Socrates had strong beliefs about the divine”, and, citing Xenophon’s Memorabilia,
Also, according to A. A. Long, “There should be no doubt that, despite his claim to know only that he knew nothing, Socrates had strong beliefs about the divine”, and, citing Xenophon’s Memorabilia,
According to Xenophon, he was a teleologist, who held that god arranges everything for the best.
Socrates last years of life witnessed, Athens was in continual influx due to political upheaval. The Democratic government was overthrown by a junta known as Thirty Tyrants, captained by Plato relative, Critias, who was also a friend and student of Socrates. Thirty Tyrants ruled for around a year before reinstating of democracy. Many scholars are still in dilemma about the position of Socrates in a democracy which is still philosophical debate. In Plato’s Republic, it’s expressed that Socrates was not fond of the idea of Philosopher king and Socrates refused to pursue conventional politics he contests that who is he to look into the affairs of other individuals when he is not sure about himself.
Socrates last years of life witnessed, Athens was in continual influx due to political upheaval. The Democratic government was overthrown by a junta known as Thirty Tyrants, captained by Plato relative, Critias, who was also a friend and student of Socrates. Thirty Tyrants ruled for around a year before reinstating of democracy. Many scholars are still in dilemma about the position of Socrates in a democracy which is still philosophical debate. In Plato’s Republic, it’s expressed that Socrates was not fond of the idea of Philosopher king and Socrates refused to pursue conventional politics he contests that who is he to look into the affairs of other individuals when he is not sure about himself.
Socrates always believed that he was a philosopher looking to explore truth and does claim that he did not know fully.
About the knowledge of Socrates “I know that I know nothing” the oldest interpretation is that his wisdom was limited to an awareness of his ignorance.
The Socratic Method and his contributions added to him as a father of political philosophy, ethics or moral philosophy. The Socratic Method has often been considered as a defining element of American legal education.
About the knowledge of Socrates “I know that I know nothing” the oldest interpretation is that his wisdom was limited to an awareness of his ignorance.
The Socratic Method and his contributions added to him as a father of political philosophy, ethics or moral philosophy. The Socratic Method has often been considered as a defining element of American legal education.
Greece was the place famous for Politics and its philosophers.
Socrates and His Mentors
Socrates opines that most of the ideas are not his own rather influenced by his Mentors Prodicus the Rhetor and Anaxagoras the philosopher. He was influenced by his mother and Diotima, a witch and priestess from Mantinea taught him all he knows about eros or, love; and that Aphasia, the mistress of Pericles taught him the art of rhetoric.
Socratic Rhetoric
Many scholars agree that Socrates have not written anything and his idea and thought can be traced from writings of Plato and Xenophon, also known as Socratic dialogues. To know the real-life Socrates, the difficulty is that the old sources are mostly in the form of either philosophical or dramatic texts. There are nothing confirmed histories, contemporary with Socrates, that talk of his own time and place. Many historians sceptic about the sources that do mention crates do not necessarily claim to be historically precise and are partisan. Like for instance, those who persecuted and convicted have left no testament. Also, historians face challenges of reconciling the various evidence from the extant texts to attempt an exact and consistent figure of Socrates life and work.
Socrates Death and his criticism
As mentioned above about his controversial nature he was criticised badly by contemporary philosophers and scholars. However, Xenophon mentions Socrates “arrogance” and that he was “an expert in the art of pimping” or “self – presentation”.
He was a great seer, prophet, teacher, reformer and philosopher of his age. He laid the basis for a great system of philosophy. The Athenians poisoned him (being charged for corrupting the young minds) but Plato took his master’s place and taught his truth after him “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again”.
He was a great seer, prophet, teacher, reformer and philosopher of his age. He laid the basis for a great system of philosophy. The Athenians poisoned him (being charged for corrupting the young minds) but Plato took his master’s place and taught his truth after him “Truth crushed to earth shall rise again”.
Read our other articles:
1. Plato: Biography
2. Mary Wollstonecraft
Note: References are taken from credible and trusted source.
