When Plato Asked Socrates About the Difference Between Love And Marriage

A field vs. a forest

Socrates (left) and Plato (right) as the members of The School of Athens, painted by Raphael (1509–1511) | Image by Wikipedia, altered by the author

Ancient Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato defined Western critical thinking as we know it. Still, two and a half millennia later, most people wouldn’t know much about them without Google.

Socrates is the father of Western philosophy. He questioned everything and everyone, including himself. His famous quote: “I know that I know nothing” (Latin — “Scio me nihil scire”) denotes that the more you know, the more you realize how much you still don’t know.

Socrates believed that nothing motivates you like happiness. He also thought you can’t become wise until you truly know yourself.

In the end, he died like a hero. Ancient Greeks believed he insulted the Gods and corrupted young Athenians with his teachings, so Socrates went to court to defend himself. He lost the case and had to drink poison hemlock. On his last day in prison, his friends came and offered Socrates a route to escape. But he said no, thank you. The next day he bravely drank hemlock as if it were mere wine.

His most famous disciple was Plato — the father of philosophical idealism and the founder of Western spirituality (Foucault, 2005). Plato founded the first organized school in Western civilization where he taught many…