Born in 469 B.C in Athens – Greek, Socrates remains to be one of the great philosophers in history and is often associated with being the father of today’s philosophy (Hanlon, 2017). He played a key figure in developing of the Western civilization as he brought order into moral chaos and intellectual during the fifth century B.C by setting the right relations and achieving the balance between the ultraliberals and ultra-conservatives. His ideals and ideas on cognitive simulations and thought continue to influence conjecture of theories today despite dominating the western civilization for many centuries (Hanlon, 2017).
Socrates conduct was exemplified by the virtues that he taught, as he was a man whose wants were few, had great capability to endure, frugal, noble, magnanimous, and was gifted with a self-control that was remarkable (De Marzio, 2007). Although he lived for only seventy years, he gave sufficient proof in his performance of his duties and in war of moral and physical courage that any philosopher should have. While at his trial, he portrayed his consistency and firmness, moral dignity, and without fearing or favoring anyone he did what in his mind, thought was right. Besides being condemned by his own people that he was poisoning the youth, he had showed charity to everyone, respected the authority and was loyal to the State and even called onto others to obey the laws just as he did (Hack, 2015). Furthermore, he proved this when some of his friends wanted to help him escape after his condemnation but he refused citing that he could not betray his own benefactors by being disloyal and break the laws.
Despite having not written anything, Socrates remains an enigma who was inscrutable who has played a significant role in writing and conceiving philosophy. Most often, he considered himself to be a “philosophical midwife” whose mantle was not to let individuals know the truth but help them reveal their hidden truths (Santayana, 2014). What makes his model to be the philosophers was the fact that his main concern to eliminate fallacious arguments and sophistry that threatened the scaffolds of the State and morality and undermined knowledge by critical thinking (Chaffee, 2005). Therefore, as a philosopher, he looked onto the reflections and relinquished skepticism in them, sought to reveal the truth in the political fallacies, and at all times preferred human reasoning in various situations. Above all, he had faith in using practical methods to solve his difficulties in his entire mission and aimed offered not a theory but an example that could be practiced and followed by his students (Santayana, 2014). As proof, his philosophical models can be witnessed on his benefactors’ writings like Plato, Aristophanes’, and Xenophon’s.
References
Chaffee, J. (2005). The Philosopher's Way: Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas.
Pearson Prentice Hall.
De Marzio, D. M. (2007). The care of the self: Alcibiades I, Socratic teaching and ethics education. Journal of Education, 187(3), 103-127.
Hack, R. K. (2015). God in Greek philosophy to the time of Socrates. Princeton University Press.
Hanlon, A. (2017, June 15). Philosophers Report: Socrates, The Father of Western Philosophy. Retrieved June 09, 2018, from Prezi.com: https://prezi.com/29s72mfltw7i/philosophers-report-socrates-the-father-of-western-philosophy/
Santayana, G. (2014). Some Turns of Thought in Modern Philosophy. Cambridge University Press.
