Greek Critics
(Socrates)
Socrates (470-399 BC):-
- Socrates is born in Athens.
- He was Greek philosopher who is credited as one of the founders of Western Philosophy.
- First moral philosopher of the Western ethical tradition of thought.
- According to Socrates, if you are a wise person then you feel you know nothing.
Socratic Method:-
- His most important contribution to western thought is his dialectic method of inquiry known as “Socratic Method” or method of “Elenchus”.
- He applied this method in examining key moral concept such as Good and Justice.
- He engaged his companion is some serious questions by questioning he tries to correct the error and teaches the truth.
Ideas of Socrates:-
- Care for your soul.
- Knowledge is necessary to become virtuous and virtue is necessary to attain happiness.
- All evils acts are committed out of ignorance.
- Committing and injustice is far worse than suffering and injustice.
His views on Democracy:-
- In book six of “Republic”, Plato describes Socrates falling into conversation with a character called Adeimantus and trying to get him to see the flows of democracy by comparing society to a ship.
- If you are heading on a journey by sea asked Socrates, who would you want deciding who are in charge of the ship? Anyone or People educated in the rules and demands of seafaring? The latter one, says Adeimantus. The responds Socrates so why do we keep thinking that any old person should be fit to be a judge or ruler country?
- His point is that voting in an election is skill not a random intuition. And like any skill it needs to be taught systematically to people. Letting the citizen vote without an education is as irresponsible as putting them in charge of ship sailing in a storm.
- He insists that only those who had thought about issues rationally and deeply should be let near a vote.
- In 399 B.C. the philosopher put on trial in the charges of corrupting the youth of Athens and of impiety. As a punishment sentenced to death caused by the drinking a mixture containing poison Hemlock.
