Socrates: Father of Western Philosophy

Socrates (469-399 BC) may be considered the father of western philosophy.  Interestingly, Socrates never wrote down any of his thoughts; however he spoke openly to young Athenians and his students, most notably Plato, who would eventually spread the ideas of Socrates throughout Greece, and eventually the Western world, and through thousands of years to today.

Perhaps his greatest gift to the world is his Socratic Method,which is a form of dialog, or dialectic, made famous through the writings of Socrates' greatest pupil, Plato.  This method would typically have Socrates answer questions in the form of another question, which would have the original questioner think for themselves and come closer to their own answer (the truth) with regard to the given subject.

As an individual, Socrates was known for the employment of virtues, especially humility, frugality and simplicity.  For example, Socrates supposedly loved going to the market.  When his students asked him about this, Socrates replied, "I love to go and see all the things I am happy without."

Most central to Socrates' philosophical thought may be his insistence that wisdom is defined as the awareness of our own ignorance, especially via the acquisition of self-awareness or self-knowledge.

Unfortunately, Socrates' influence on the Greek youth led to his trial and ultimate death, which would eventually reach the level of martyrdom through the accounts of his pupils, most notoriously, Plato.  Socrates was seen by the Athens politicians and aristocracy as a bad influence on the minds of young Athenians, especially with regard to Socrates' refusal to denounce his own philosophical and intellectual beliefs.

Socrates was given the ultimatum of changing his so-called "corruptive behavior" or die by drinking the poisonous hemlock.  Socrates chose death...

Here are some selected thoughts of Socrates:

I do nothing but go about persuading you all, old and young alike, not to take thought for your persons or your properties, but and chiefly to care about the greatest improvement of the soul.  I tell you that virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private.  This is my teaching, and if this is the doctrine which corrupts the youth, I am a mischievous person.

The unexamined life is not worth living.

Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.

The soul, like the body, accepts by practice whatever habit one wishes it to contact.

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.

If I can assign names as well as pictures to objects, the right assignment of them we may call truth, and the wrong assignment of them falsehood.

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Related Post:  Can We Help Being Deceived?

Image by Shannon

Comments

[Herbert Takhmazya]

Hi, i couldn't find a way to contact you directly, but I was wondering you take guest posts.

[Kent @ The Financial Philosopher]

Herbert:

I do not currently accept guest posts but I may change this policy in the future.

Thanks for your interest...

Kent