Socrates’ philosophy, documented by Plato, challenged the status quo and believed in dialogue to reveal knowledge. He opposed conventional knowledge and believed in discovering truth through communication. His ideas were controversial and he took his own life. He believed harmful acts arose from unawareness and opposed the idea of pleasing external deities.
Socrates’ philosophy is mostly documented through the writings of one of his students, Plato. As one of the few Greek philosophers who left no written record, Socrates believed in challenging the status quo. His philosophy is mainly based on the idea that dialogue can reveal knowledge and that individuals commit virtuous acts only if they are aware of what is good and what is bad.
As a student of Socrates’ philosophy, Plato revealed some of his former mentor’s ideas in his philosophical teachings. Socrates believed that he was unaware of the truth and possessed no tangible knowledge. The philosopher thought that conventional knowledge was not necessarily the truth. He was also convinced that truth and knowledge must be discovered.
According to Socrates, one of the ways to discover truth and knowledge was through two-way communication. Discussions of widely accepted and practiced beliefs as well as traditions and institutions have helped uncover and question the premises behind them. The discussions were not intended to discredit or shame any particular person or belief. Rather they were a means of questioning what had previously been blindly accepted as truth.
Many at the time found Socrates’ philosophy controversial. Partly this was because although Socrates openly questioned conventional theories and beliefs, he had no alternative response to them. His process of opening up to the possibility that there was another alternative made those who benefited from conventional thinking resent his influence. Socrates did not believe in making any material profit from his philosophical work and ended up taking his own life to avoid public execution.
An important aspect of Socrates’ philosophy is the fact that he believed that individuals do not commit harmful acts out of temptation or spiritual weakness. Socrates thought that harmful and unlawful acts arise from unawareness of what good and evil are. In essence, individuals have done harmful things because they didn’t have the knowledge and tools to know better.
Socrates strongly opposed the idea that certain behaviors should be done to please an external deity or god. He thought that morality or good doing shouldn’t be defined by the supposed teachings of a spiritual icon. The Greek philosopher supported, however, the idea that individuals should not deliberately act against government laws.
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