Early Life: Socrates Was Born in Ancient Athens, Greece. His "Socratic Method," Laid The Groundwork For

Socrates was born in ancient Athens, Greece.
His "Socratic method," laid the groundwork for

Western systems of logic and philosophy. When the political climate of Greece turned, Socrates
was sentenced to death bBorn: c. 469 B.C.E.
Died: c. 399 B.C.E.
Athens, Greece
Greek philosopher and logician
The Greek philosopher and logician (one who studies logic or reason) Socrates was an important
influence on Plato (427–347 B.C.E. ) and had a major effect on ancient philosophy.
Early life
Socrates was the son of Sophroniscus, an Athenian stone mason and sculptor. He learned his
father's craft and apparently practiced it for many years. He participated in the Peloponnesian
War (431–04 B.C.E. ) when Athens was crushed by the Spartans, and he distinguished himself for
his courage. Details of his early life are scarce, although he appears to have had no more than an
ordinary Greek education before devoting his time almost completely to intellectual interests. He
did, however, take a keen interest in the works of the natural philosophers, and Plato records the
fact that Socrates met Zeno of Elea (c. 495–430 B.C.E. ) and Parmenides (born c. 515 B.C.E. ) on
their trip to Athens, which probably took place about 450 B.C.E.
Socrates himself wrote nothing, therefore evidence of his life and activities must come from the
writings of Plato and Xenophon (c. 431–352 B.C.E. ). It is likely that neither of these presents a
completely accurate picture of him, but Plato's Apology, Crito, Phaedo, and Symposium contain
details which must be close to fact.
From the Apology we learn that Socrates was well known around Athens; uncritical thinkers
linked him with the rest of the Sophists (a philosophical school); he fought in at least three
military campaigns for the city; and he attracted to his circle large numbers of young men who
delighted in seeing their elders proved false by Socrates. His courage in military campaigns is
described by Alcibiades (c. 450–404 B.C.E. ) in the Symposium.
In addition to stories about Socrates's strange character, the Symposium provides details
regarding his physical appearance. He was short, quite the opposite of what was considered
graceful and beautiful in the Athens of his time. He was also poor and had only the barest
necessities of life. Socrates's physical ugliness did not stop his appeal.
Socrates.
Reproduced by permission of the
Corbis Corporation
.
His thought
There was a strong religious side to Socrates's character and thought which constantly revealed
itself in spite of his criticism of Greek myths. His words and actions in the Apology, Crito,
Phaedo, and Symposium reveal a deep respect for Athenian religious customs and a sincere
regard for divinity (gods). Indeed, it was a divine voice which Socrates claimed to hear within
himself on important occasions in his life. It was not a voice which gave him positive
instructions, but instead warned him when he was about to go off course. He recounts, in his
defense before the Athenian court, the story of his friend Chaerephon, who was told by the
Delphic Oracle (a person regarded as wise counsel) that Socrates was the wisest of men. That
statement puzzled Socrates, he says, for no one was more aware of the extent of his own
ignorance than he himself, but he determined to see the truth of the god's words. After
questioning those who had a reputation for wisdom and who considered themselves, wise, he
concluded that he was wiser than they because he could recognize his ignorance while they, who
were equally ignorant, thought themselves wise.
Socrates was famous for his method of argumentation (a system or process used for arguing or
debate) and his works often made as many enemies as admirers within Athens. An example
comes from the Apology. Meletus had accused Socrates of corrupting the youth, or ruining the
youth's morality. Socrates begins by asking if Meletus considers the improvement of youth
important. He replies that he does, whereupon Socrates asks who is capable of improving the
young. The laws, says Meletus, and Socrates asks him to name a person who knows the laws.
Meletus responds that the judges there present know the laws, whereupon Socrates asks if all
who are present are able to instruct and improve youth or whether only a few can. Meletus
replies that all of them are capable of such a task, which forces Meletus to confess that other
groups of Athenians, such as the Senate and the Assembly, and indeed all Athenians are capable
of instructing and improving the youth. All except Socrates, that is. Socrates then starts a similar
set of questions regarding the instruction and improvement of horses and other animals. Is it true
that all men are capable of training horses, or only those men with special qualifications and
experience? Meletus, realizing the absurdity of his position, does not answer, but Socrates
answers for him and says that if he does not care enough about the youth of Athens to have given
adequate thought to who might instruct and improve them, he has no right to accuse Socrates of
corrupting them.
Thus the Socratic method of argumentation begins with commonplace questions which lead the
opponent to believe that the questioner is simple, but ends in a complete reversal. Thus his chief
contributions lie not in the construction of an elaborate system but in clearing away the false
common beliefs and in leading men to an awareness of their own ignorance, from which position
they may begin to discover the truth. It was his unique combination of dialectical (having to do
with using logic and reasoning in an argument or discussion) skill and magnetic attractiveness to
the youth of Athens which gave his opponents their opportunity to bring him to trial in 399 B.C.E.
Read more: https://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Socrates.html#ixzz5tRjTx3Q5

y hemlock poisoning in 399 BC. He accepted this judgment rather than fleeing into exile.

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Socrates was born in ancient Athens, Greece.

His "Socratic method," laid the groundwork for

Read more: https://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Socrates.html#ixzz5tRjTx3Q5

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