An Examination of Socrates
Born in Alopeke to a stonemason and a midwife, Σωκρατης (Sokrates, aka Socrates) was, by conventional measures, an unremarkable man. According to his student Plato, Socrates was ugly, unkempt and unhygienic. He possessed a short and stocky frame with bulging eyes, almost never bathed and was smelly all the time.
Socrates was the living antithesis of the Classic’s obsession with confidence, poise, elan, flair and sophistication. Look no further than the majestic busts of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and statues of Pompey, or the powerful rhetoric of Cicero for evidence.
This makes Socrates’ fame and enduring legacy all the more impressive, considering that he made his name in spite of stacked odds. But, as we will come to see, Socrates was anything but popular in his time.
Socrates was historical heavyweight, dubbed the Father of modern Philosophy. He represents an inflection point in the arch of philosophical studies because of his thinking was original and influential — much of what we call ‘common sense’ today (e.g. inductive reasoning) came from this man who lived 2000 years ago.
On the point of originality, Socrates was critical of those who blindly followed common wisdom. His name is derived from σως (sos) meaning “whole, unwounded, safe”, and κρατος (kratos) meaning “power”. I’m no Classicist, but I venture…
