A brief summary of Socrates
If there is a father of philosophy, it is undoubtedly Socrates. Socrates was a unique individual who was messy and strange. However, he had a brilliant mind. This brilliant mind often led to uncomfortable situations for other people. Socrates, who asked random questions to people he met while walking the streets, had questions that required deep analysis, even though they seemed simple at first glance. While stealing something from someone is seen as an immoral act by most people, does stealing the knife of someone who could kill himself make you immoral?
Sofists of the period earned money by training their students in the art of rhetoric. Socrates, on the other hand, would say that he knows nothing and think, “What can I teach people?” The claim of an Apollo oracle that Socrates was the most knowledgeable person in Athens made Socrates doubt himself. “How can I be the most knowledgeable person in Athens when I know so little?” Socrates thought.
Sokrates’ most important feature was that he constantly asked questions. For him, a life that was not questioned was a wasted life. He did not become as popular a name as his most brilliant student, Plato. In fact, he did not have such a goal. However, the people of Athens believed that Socrates’ teachings were leading people away from religion and causing them to neglect their gods. After the voting, Socrates was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock poison. Socrates said, “I would rather die than live without asking questions,” and drank the poison. Socrates died that day, but he continues to live through philosophy. In the words of Nigel Warburton, “If there is a patron saint of philosophy, it is Socrates.”
Although Socrates lived a common life, his thinking was aristocratic. He advocated the rule of a wise minority. If you find Socrates wrong, would you want the ship you are boarding to be run by a captain who understands the sea, or by someone who is elected by voting?
In Socrates’ view, the biggest problem of Athenian society was the lack of virtue. In other words, it was the lack of ability to distinguish good from evil. Based on this, we can say that Socrates aimed for people to grow up as virtuous individuals. He also advocates that individuals who are already virtuous should be in the government. In this way, the most ideal form of government is obtained. However, it should not be forgotten that the thinking of aristocrats does not completely coincide with the thinking of Socrates. People who will govern the state should come to those positions with their knowledge, not with their nobility.
Socrates, with his sharp tongue and brilliant mind, may have seemed annoying to the people of his time, but he has left his mark on human history.
