- Socrates never wrote anything. All
of his ideas were written down by his student, Plato.
- Known as one of the wisest men of all
time.
- Socrates himself served in the military
as a hoplite, or heavy-armed foot-soldier, at the siege of Potidaea,
at the battle of Deliurn, and at Amphipolis. We know from Symposium
that Socrates was decorated for bravery.
- Socrates believed that " ... no one
knowingly does wrong."
- Socrates believed in the necessity of
doing what one thinks is right even in the face of universal
opposition, and the need to pursue knowledge even when opposed.
- "Socrates considered it a duty
imposed on him by the Delphian god, to cross-question men of all
degrees, as to their knowledge, to make them conscious of their
ignorance, and so put them in the way of becoming wise."
- It is said that about 557 people
attended the trial of Socrates.
Death:
Socrates's habit of engaging in discussion with the citizens of Athens
ultimately led to his demise. The parents of the young aristocrats
did not like the influence Socrates was having on their children. He
was charged with lack of piety and corruption of the city's youth.
He was found guilty and sentenced to death. He died in 399 BCE after
drinking hemlock poison.
"Socates is guilty of crime; first,
for not worshipping the gods whom the city worships, and for introducing
new divinities of his own; next for corrupting the youth. The penalty due
is death."
Student of:
Archelaus.
Family:
Son of the Sculptor Sophroniscus. Husband of Xanthippe, father of
several children.
Lifetime:
Socrates served in the
Peloponnesian War, dabbled in politics, and then became a
stonemason.
His financial inheritance from his father
allowed him to devote his life to philosophy.
Socrates spent most of his life engaged in
discussion with the young aristocrats of Athens. He used this
discussion to learn about the nature of topics such as morality and
justice, and to inspire deeper reflection upon these topics to battle
ignorance.
Accomplishments:
Invented the process of Philosophical Dialogue.
Socrates did not create any philosophical
works of literature. In fact, his life and method of philosophy are
only known to us due to Socrates' prominent role in Plato's
Dialogues.
Other:
Socrates was particularly interested in what are often called the five
cardinal virtues (held to be such by Socrates' Greek contemporaries),
namely, piety, wisdom, temperance, courage,
and justice. |
