Socrates

Biography

Socrates was born circa 470 BC, in Athens, Greece. We know of his life through the writings of his students, including Plato and Xenophon. His "Socratic method," laid the groundwork for Western systems of logic and philosophy. When the political climate of Greece turned, Socrates was sentenced to death by hemlock poisoning in 399 BC. He accepted this judgment rather than fleeing into exile.

Childhood and Early Life
There isn’t much detail about the birth and life of Socrates. The only three sources of his much unknown life were the dialogues of Plato and Xenophon and the plays of his contemporary, Aristophanes. Socrates was born in 469 BC. His father,Sophroniscus was an Athenian stone mason and sculptor. His mother’s name was Phaenarete. His way of living is still unclear till this date. Many ancient texts state that he didn’t work. According to Xenophon's Symposium, Socrates considered discussing philosophy as the only important occupation and art. While Aristophanes claimed that Socrates used to accept payment for his teachings and was running a school, Socrates’s disciples Plato and Xenophon denied the same. Some later sources said that Socrates took over the family profession of stonemasonry from his father and even crafted the statues of the Three Graces, which claimed to be standing near the Acropolis until the 2nd century AD.
 
Some of Plato’s dialogues mentioned that Socrates attended military services. He even served in three military campaigns at Potidaea, Amphipolis, and Delium. As described in Symposium, Alcibiades stated how Socrates saved his life in the battle of Potidaea. His valor was also recounted by Athenian General, Laches in the battle of Delium as mentioned in the dialogue Laches. Little accounts of his life refer that in 406 BC, Socrates was a member of boule, which was a council of citizens to look out for daily matters of the city. His tribe,Antiochis held the Prytany on the day the Generals of Battle of Arginusae were accused for abandoning of the slain and the survivors of foundered ships to pursue the defeated Spartan navy. Socrates opposed the unconstitutional demand of the collective trial of the Generals, but by the end of his Prytany, six of eight Generals were condemned to death.

Works
Socrates foremost contribution to the Western intellectual process was his Socratic method, which he used on various occasions to examine the concepts like justice and goodness. It involves solving a problem by breaking it into a series of questions. The answers of them usually brought forward the answer that the seeker required. The formulation of hypothesis in today’s scientific method was derived from this approach. During his trial for corrupting the minds of young Athenians, he used his Socratic method to show how the jurymen were wrong headed. Socrates believed in immortality of the soul and claimed that God had sent him as a divine emissary. He also said that virtue cannot be taught as successful military fathers couldn’t produce sons of their own qualities. According to him, moral excellence was a divine legacy than parental nurturing. The above mentioned saying only shows his wisdom as he was aware of his own ignorance. Socrates claimed to have the knowledge of “art of love”, which he connected in the light of philosophy.
 
Socrates never asked people to be wise, instead to follow the path of a lover of wisdom. He very often compared himself as a true matchmaker, but distinguished himself from a panderer. Even though he never stated himself as a teacher, he usually led his respondent to a clearer conception of wisdom. He claimed his role as a midwife, who is barren of theories but knows how to give birth to other’s theories and to determine their worthiness. According to Socrates, the best way to live a happier life was to focus on self-development than the pursuit of material wealth. He always emphasized on brotherhood and building friendship, as he felt it was important for people to grow together as a populace. He even died following the will of his community, hence strengthening the role of the community. His teachings always show that humans possess certain virtues and these virtues are important qualities that a person should have. He stressed that virtues are the most valuable possessions of human beings and life should be spent in the search of goodness.