Essay About Socrates Views On Virtue And Happiness

Essay about Socrates Views on Virtue and Happiness
There are certain truths of the world that cannot be ignored or overlooked. Many philosophers have
spent countless years discussing, debating and evaluating such truths. One such influential
philosopher is Socrates. Born in Athens in 469 B.C.E, he spent most of his time at the marketplace
and other public places engaging in dialogues about truths of life. Among many other things, he
discussed virtue and happiness and how closely they are related. According to Socrates, virtue is
absolutely necessary for perfect happiness because virtue brings a type of happiness that other things
could never bring. In this paper, I will explain the aforementioned idea of Socrates on virtue and
happiness and through evidence from Plato's Apology which is ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This idea of goodness and virtue goes anything beyond worldly values and ideals. "A good man
cannot be harmed either in life or in death"(41d), says Socrates further explaining that no matter
what, "a better man [cannot] be harmed by a worse"(30d). Having virtue gives you a certain
happiness that is well beyond life or death or worldly values and goods. So, how exactly does a
person become virtuous? Socrates offers suggestions and explanation for this question as well.
Socrates claims that one cannot be virtuous accidentally. Just because you commit a virtuous act
does not make you virtuous. An understanding of the concept of virtue is equally important as the
virtuous act itself. One needs to understand the nature of virtue which requires reflection of virtue
and this reflection is only possible once you grasp your own ignorance about the nature of virtue.
This understanding of one's own ignorance is human wisdom. So, since being perfectly happy
requires being virtuous and being virtuous requires human wisdom, human wisdom is necessary for
perfect happiness. So as a person begins to acquire human wisdom which is merely an
understanding and acknowledgment of one's own ignorance, they are on their road to acquiring
perfect happiness. So what happens to people who cannot acquire human wisdom and in turn cannot
be virtuous? Are they denied happiness
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Socrates And Aristotle 's Views On Democracy
The United States is known for its many liberties to all, liberties that lead to all sorts of bad
according to Socrates and Aristotle. Plato–Socrates in The Republic and Aristotle in Politics criticize
democracy, a form of government that tries to equalize all. Centuries have passed and many of the
democratic elements described in their works apply to current democratic regimes in particular the
United States.
Socrates believes that democracy is the second worst type of government. Democracy is having
"...complete freedom and dignity."(p.261 C5) and "...no notice of the law." (p.261 D5) It is the
avoidance of anyone's control. Those in democracy are motivated simply by pleasure that
accompanied freedom and dignity. There is an analogy in the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Aristotle says that justice is thought of as equality among all, there is a disregard to merit (p.172). In
a society, there is usually more poor people and because there is this demand of equality then the
majority rule (p.174). Mob rule is then authoritative. All governments have their forms, which are
good and are bad. Democracy to Aristotle is not the best regime because it is ruled by the poor or the
ones that need from the government. Government is not chosen by those who pursue virtue, but
instead pursue wealth. The democratic principle is that of freedom, wealth, and birth. Not virtue. He
believes the best regime would not be exactly a democracy but a polity that would be a combination
of freedom, wealth, birth and virtue. The best regime has ideal conditions in which it becomes a
predictable regime and consists of values, choices, the inanimate, elements of the class of workers,
and the education of rulers. Democracy has a big defect in that it does not have intelligence or
wisdom. It is the rule of many. It is based on the idea of happiness by following pleasures (p.48).
Democracy comes into play when the majority revolt against the oligarchy because of the ideas of
freedom. The problem with it is that people are pursuing their pleasures, not thinking of the state as
a whole. There is unity based on pleasure. Before long, everyone is pursuing their own pleasures and
there is an undermining of authority

Socrates And Good Brahmin's View On Philosophy
A comparison of both Socrates' and the Good Brahmin's attitudes and my view on philosophy
Dr. James Frey
University of the People Introduction
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence,
knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. (Wiki, n.d.). For years there have been philosophers
of this earth who seek to answer these fundamental questions and come up with varying views on
these vital questions. For this assignment I will compare and contrast the philosophical views of
Socrates' Apology and Allegory of the Caves and Voltaire Good Brahmin's along with my own view
on Philosophy.
The Apology is an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I am one to questioning and dig deeper. I learn based on my experiences and not merely based on
what I have been told. I like explorations, I hate living in caves, I love seeing the light for myself.
True happiness for me is not an illusion, but rather facing the harsh realities of the world that I live
in. Finally I do concur with Socrates when he said "the unexamined life is not worth living"
(Goodreads n.d.).
References
Wikipedia (n.d.) What is Philosophy? Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy
Sparks Notes (n.d.) The Apology. Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/apology/summary.html
Dixit Bhatta (January 15, 2014) Comparing Socrates' Philosophy with Voltaire's.
Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from http://bhattadixit.blogspot.com/2014/01/comparing–
socrates–philosophy–with.html
Mashell Chapeyama (n.d.) Philosophical Concepts. Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from
http://www.academia.edu/5542134/Philosophy
Benjamin Jowett (n.d.) A Republic. Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.8.vii.html
H I Woolf (n.d.) Voltaire: Story of a Good Brahmin. Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from
http://www.k–state.edu/english/baker/english287/Voltaire–Story_of_a_Good_Brahmin.htm

Benjamin Jowett (n.d.) Apology. Retrieved on November 16, 2016 from

Socrates And DiotimaViews On Love In Plato's View Of Love
Plato's Symposium is primarily composed of speeches and presentations in regards to love, with
each speaker proposing their own perception on the topic. Moreover, it is evident that all the
speeches made prior to Diotima's appearance in the text may have been a sort of buildup for
Socrates' recollection of his discussion with her like how Phaedrus argues that love motivates one to
pursue virtuous acts which is a central theme in Diotima's dialogue on love or how Pausanias'
categorizes love similar to Diotima's separation of the various types of loves into stages on a ladder.
Consequently, it is clear that while there may be many differences in their views of love, Phaedrus's
outlook also aligns with Socrates' and Diotima's view to a certain extent. Throughout this paper,
Socrates and Diotima will be referred to as Socrates to avoid unnecessary repetition. Phaedrus'
begins his view of love by stating that it is an ancient deity. He proceeds by quoting the poet,
Hesiod, about how love came into being after the emergence of Chaos and Earth (178c). This would
have been seen as praise since the Greeks equated antiquity with greatness. As a result, he
considered love to be the greatest benefit to humanity. He makes the claim that love is the greatest
by comparing it to other sources of motivation such as familial bonds, honor or reputation, and
money. Phaedrus believes that love outperforms all of the aforementioned incentives. The basis for
his claim is that love essentially

Socrates Argument: An Exchange Of Heated Opposing Views
The word "Argument" is commonly suggestive of an exchange of heated opposing views. Although
this definition is correct in some aspects, an older definition would be a set of reasons given with the
intent of persuading others that an action or idea is wrong or right. One of the oldest practitioners of
arguing, proclaimed by the oracle of Delphi as the wisest man in Athens. Of whom is credited to
have shaped the cultural and intellectual development of the world, is Athenian Philosopher
Socrates. While there is no paper trail of Socrates due to his commitment to living simply, he was
still very influential to everyone in his home city of Athens. Socrates would spend days in the agora,
which is a marketplace in Athens where he would ask questions to those who would speak to him.
Much like an interrogation he would coax this pedestrian into giving their sentiments on different
views and opinions. Thus, was born the Socratic Method of arguing in which a cooperative
argumentative dialogue takes place between individuals ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While he claims he thinks it an admirable thing to teach, Socrates argues that he himself does not
posses the necessary knowledge of human excellence or virtue. This is according to the Internet
Encyclopedia of Philosophy which was founded in 1995 to provide open access to detailed scholarly
information on key topics and philosophers in all areas of philosophy. This non–profit Encyclopedia
that operates through the volunteer work of the editors, authors, volunteers, and technical advisers
has a staff of 30 editors and about 300 authors, of whom hold doctorate degrees and are professors at
universities around the world, most notably from English–speaking countries. Throughout Plato's
Apology you can examine Socratic themes such as; the Unexamined Life, Priority of the Care of the
Soul, and Socratic

Socrates And Machiavelli 's Views On Politics
Socrates and Machiavelli both lived during times of war and political transition. While both
philosophers present a then–radical ideology to reform their state, they differed greatly on how to
achieve that end: Socrates practiced idealism, while Machiavelli advocated for realism. Their
differences of their beliefs are rooted in a conflicting perception of morality. Socrates believes
morality is based on an individual's attainment of goodness and truth, while Machiavelli concerns
himself with a leader's achievement of glory and honor. Because of their moral differences, Socrates
would oppose Machiavelli's concept of a prince and the political system he sought to sustain him. To
start, Machiavelli's realist morality follows a form of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Knowing full well that he could have bargained for a lesser sentence by proposing exile, among
other punishments, Socrates refused, believing that it would not allow him to lead a life worth
living:
"...as I am convinced that I never wronged another, I will assuredly not wrong myself. I will not say
of myself that I deserve any evil, or propose any penalty...if I say exile what a life should I lead
(Apology, p. 72)." So far, both Socrates' and Machiavelli's moralities are in conflict. If Socrates
supported the concept of a prince, he would have heeded Machiavelli's advice by proposing an
alternative punishment to escape death. He would have done so because Machiavelli envisioned a
proactive prince who would take advantage of any opportunity to come out on top. A Machiavellian
prince in Socrates' shoes would have proposed self–censorship and imprisonment as a plea bargain
to the court, or would have escaped prison with Crito, all strategies which Socrates vehemently
rejected. To Socrates, the end – living – did not justify the means – giving up his idealistic beliefs.
Throughout The Prince, Machiavelli advises that a prince should secure power though a
combination of fear, deception, cruelty, cunning, and immoral actions, including the execution of
political opponents. These negative traits branch out of Machiavelli's mantra, that "it is far safer to
be feared than loved if you cannot be both (Prince, p. 151)." To combat the immoral perception of

Socrates 's Views On Socrates
Socrates could undeniably be described as one of the most influential philosophers and greatest
thinker of his time. His views can be interpreted many different ways, but most would agree that he
sought out wisdom and truth for the betterment of himself and his community. Though Socrates was
one of the most intelligent men of his time, he was very foolish to never write his own book. For this
reason, after his passing, one of his students, Plato, began to write a book about his teachings and
ideas called Plato: Five Dialogues. In this book, we examined Plato's Meno in which Meno asks
Socrates "can virtue be taught?" but, Socrates quickly transforms this question into "what is
virtue?". This questions ultimately consumes the entirety of this dialogue, and in the end, Meno
proves to lack originality in his arguments by simply agreeing with each thing Socrates states. While
Meno thought he knew the answer to this question, Socrates provides a different opinion. Although
Meno does not learn anything in the course of this dialogue, Socrates still remains one of the most
influential teachers and philosophers of his time. In this essay I shall focus on the question of who is
Socrates, next I will examine what teaching and learning really mean, and finally I will conclude
with the fact that Meno does not actually learn anything from Socrates.
Socrates, born in 470 BC in Athens, Greece, knew from a very young age the profound love and
passion he carried for philosophy. His unendingly

Reflection Of Plato's View On Love By Socrates
Finally, toward the end of the Symposium, Socrates speaks, giving an accurate account of love and
the correct use of Eros. He opposes all of the other speakers and says that love is not all about our
pleasure and sexual deviances, but to either impregnate the body and give life, or to impregnate the
soul and pass on knowledge. Socrates speaks as if Eros is a love for the other person, to love
someone so much that you want to enter into a bond that results in child rearing or a love for
mankind that you want to share all your knowledge with them to better their soul. He continues that
to be pregnant in the soul is better than to be pregnant in the body because when we are pregnant in
the soul, there is more to be given to others then caring for a newborn. In this response from
Socrates, it is hard to determine if he has it completely correct. I would imagine that without people
being pregnant in the body, we would eventually run out of people to pass our knowledge on to.
This, then, would have to be a both/and situation where each has a calling to one or the other or
both, and both forms of love would then be equal. Socrates is then saying that love itself in not a
god, but a messenger that is caught in between the divine realm of immortality and the earthly realm
of the mortal. Love then can reach the heights of the gods bringing messages from man and
returning to man with messages from god. Socrates is now showing that there is some divine link
between man and the divine, and this is love. This also shines light on the fact that because each
human had this link to the divine the human must in some way be part divine and part animal.
Because each human can love, can reason, and has these animal instincts and desires, man must also
be caught in between the divine and earthly worlds. Because we cannot physically move into that
divine realm, then we must have an entity that is part of us and can move freely in between, this
would be the soul. Socrates refutes all the other speeches about taking young boys as lovers for
one's own gratification and love being a god that permits all thing in the name of pleasure. In
conclusion, it is safe to say that, in our current era, Eros is absolutely

Socrates 's View Of Justice
"But when Socrates was busying himself with ethical questions to the complete neglect of nature as
a whole, and was seeking in them for the universal and directing the mind for the first time to
definitions, Plato, accepting his teaching, came to the conclusion that it applied to something other
than the sensible world: the common definition, he reasoned, could not apply to any of the sensible,
since they were always changing," (Guthrie). Socrates was constantly wrapped up in thought about
how the mind works, and of course, how and why the mind changes. These ideas strengthened many
of the arguments that Socrates makes in Republic books one through seven. Some of these
arguments can be modeled in the question: what is justice? In this question, Socrates plays many
mind games with those around him and gets them to all change their mind about what their view of
justice is and what it truly means. Later on in the books, Socrates describes the perfect city, and
exactly how that relates to the ever–changing mind. This is interesting because it is nothing like the
current society most live in, a democracy. Rather, it is based off of a republic form of government
using education of those holding power to signify why they have power. In this world, education is
everything. Finally, another idea in which Socrates, or rather Plato, discusses in Republic is the idea
of pedagogy or, more simply said, education is modern society. Pedagogy is essentially the roots to
all other

Socrates ' Views On Socrates
To question what no man has questioned before, that is what we praise Socrates for. Socrates'
Philosophies grew out of his questioning of the social norm. Using this technique, he seems to
always focus on three main aspects: justice, virtue, and morality. Socrates claims that he has no
wisdom. He states, "I know I have no wisdom, great or small." The world has an infinite number of
possibilities and anything he declares understanding, is extremely minimal compared to the
possibilities that exist in the world, there is so much out there that hasn't been exposed yet. Socrates
had many thoughts and ideas over things people never even took time to think about. He thought
differently and always more intensely than others. Socrates says that knowledge is essential to a
person. He concluded that a person's evil and wrong actions come from their ignorance and their
failure to investigate. He was also convinced that no one knowingly does wrong, if a person does
not know what is right, then that person will do wrong, but in the other hand, if the person knows
what is right, they will most definitely do right. He once mentioned that "the unexamined life is not
worth living" introducing the idea of Universal Definitions, meaning although individual things may
vary and be constructed differently the definitions of how they are similar, are permanent. The most
important thing about Socrates was the fact that he was a teacher. He taught anywhere and
everywhere, he even went up to people,

Xenophon's View Of Socrates
I will be doing my research paper on the philosopher Socrates, who does not have many things
written by him, because Socrates, instead on writing dialogs and technical works, guided his
students to remember what their soul already knew. Socrates was at first a soldier, who, even though
living in Athens with their high standard and high profile life, chose to be minimalistic in what he
wore, or the way he presented himself. Even though he did not outright say so, it was believed to
think that Socrates did not believe in the standard Athenians view on religion. However, it is well
known that Socrates had a different point of view from the Sophists, although they still respected
each other and conversed with each other in the town square.
Socrates ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I discussed this with a person who's name I have forgotten but the lesson I learned from them was
not. I at first, did not believe Socrates, because my argument was, well since the midwife had to put
the baby in there, then who did? Because there was clearly not a baby developing in the woman's
womb her entire life, and so one clearly had to be taught things, when I was proven wrong. I was
proven wrong with the statement: But wasn't the baby in the woman's womb the whole time? A baby
is made out of a fertilized egg, and the egg was in the woman's womb her entire life, meaning
Socrates example is a good one, and his beliefs have truths lying underneath them. That explanation
opened my eyes, and I can now say I believe Socrates spoke truth when he said life is about
remembering what the soul already

Socrates' View Of Love Essays
A Different View of Love
We have heard definitions of love through our lives that have been passed on for decades. Some of
us have felt love, and some of us have been in love. But no one ever seems to question what love is,
as if it is something that just plainly is.
People tend to just go with it, and think that what they are feeling is really complete and substantial
love. In Plato's The Symposium, the reader is confronted with some very different views of love as
brought to us by Agathon, Phaedrus and
Socrates, to name a few. Each man at the dinner party has a different point of view on the issue of
love. Some of the men are old lovers, and some are just friends, and each puts in his thoughts of
love as the evening wears on. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
What we don't think of when we hear a statement like that is that in the future we may not
experience what we did in the past. Having something, and loving it makes us feel like it will always
be there for us and that we will have it at all times. Socrates believes that even if you have all you
want at the present time, that in the future you will want it as well. He says this to Agathon, "You
already have riches and health and strength in your possession, my man; what you want is to posses
these things in time to come, since in the present, whether you want to or not, you have them." (42).
Socrates is seeming to disprove the age old philosophy of, we want what we cannot have because of
that very reason we cannot have it. And once it is attainable it does not look so golden anymore.
Socrates says that once we have something good we will always want it because it is beautiful. And
if it is beautiful and good then it must be love, because all things that possess those two qualities
have got to be love.
This is where I see the problems in Socrates' arguments. His explanations of love are in themselves
correct and reasonable, but they get unclear as he goes on. By saying that a man who is strong will
still want to be strong in his later life, and someone who is rich will still want to be rich he is correct
because everyone wants the good things in life. What he does not explain in his argument is why

Socrates And Plato 's Views On The Society
Socrates had different views from the Athenians. He believed that democracy wouldn 't work in their
society, nor in any society. He doesn 't believe that the people are capable of governing themselves.
Socrates and Plato believed that the common man was too stupid, to say the least, to govern
him/herself and to have a say in society. Socrates was in pursuit or truth his entire life. In his eyes,
how could he let someone have the capabilities to make their own decisions with the potential for an
error to occur. He was for a philosopher–kings because they could at least imagine what absolute
truth looked like and hopefully bring it to the people. It 's not that Socrates thought everyone was
idiotic, he just didn 't want anything to stop him on his pursuit of finding truth. He already was upset
enough that the world was constanly changing. He didn 't want another human error to change his
perception and rationality to one thing that he almost found the truth in. He favored a shepherd
becasue that person was there to watch over and protect the sheep. He could make decisions for the
sheep and guide the sheep to stay out of trouble, find food and shelter, and to spend their days
meandering through the meadows. This is a great analogy, but then again the shepherd why would
the shepherd being tending to the flock without some sort of compensation in it for him. Socrated
believed that by inserting the king where the shepherd was and the people where the sheep were, he
would

Socrates And St. Augustine's Views On Death
Louis Ferrara
Dr. Edwards
Philosophy 101–02
October 13, 2017
What is Death? Death is the most inevitable and unknown aspect of life. It is unescapable, and by
most of today's population, it is feared in the utmost regard. Our materialistic views and constant
desertion of religious ideals has forced our society to view death as an ultimate end. Socrates and St.
Augustine's views on death differ from many views on the subject in 2017, however, for their time,
these men had the power to influence a plethora of individuals with their theories. For Socrates,
death should never be feared and should be considered a blessing if our souls were to ascend to
heaven, or death could be an extensive slumber without any dreaming whatsoever. With ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Socrates justifies by claiming, "So, if you see anyone distressed at the prospect of dying, it will be
proof enough that he is a lover not of wisdom but of the body (this man would presumably be a
lover of money) and of prestige, one or the other, or both" (pg. 129–130). Covetous and selfish
people will fear death because their impure souls will not be granted entrance into Heaven and "the
greatest blessing a man could receive".
Next, we already have the knowledge that Socrates understands how unwise it is to fear death, but
he has a perception of death that grants him serenity and peace about being deceased. He enlightens
the jury by explaining, "death is a state of nothingness and utter unconsciousness or a change and
migration of the soul from this world to another" (pg. 69). In the majority of cases, humans will
innately fear that state of nothingness and uncertainty, however Socrates' approach differs. Even
though this is the worst of the two possibilities when humans die, Socrates views this undisturbed
slumber without any dreams or distractions to be a tremendous benefit. Socrates' ideals mirror that
of Ecclesiastes 9:5 which states, "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not
anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." This parallels
Socrates claiming that he does not fear death even if it is an

Socrates 's Views On Philosophy
Socrates developed skepticism, questioning, Socrates was tried and sentenced to death in 399 B.C.E.
Socrates was denying the gods and was corrupting the youth. Socrates inspired ethics, morals,
politics, and government. Socrates was an Athenian philosopher and teacher who promoted the
careful examination of all inherited opinions and assumptions on the grounds that "the unexamined
life is not worth living" A veteran of the Peloponnesian War. His most influential pupils were
philosopher Plato and historian and social commentator Xenophon.
Plato was a student of Socrates. He had similar beliefs in multiple leaders. Plato was ruler by
philosopher kings (Enlightened Rulers). He founded a school with no tuition that is called an
academy. Plato wrote works of Socrates. Plato knows different types of Dialogues. The Republic
displayed politics, and social harmony over individual liberty. Plato dedicated his life to transmitting
his teacher's legacy through the writing of dialogue on philosophical subjects, in which Socrates
himself plays the major role. The longest and most famous of these, known as the Republic,
describes an idealized polis governed by a superior group of individuals chosen for their natural
attributes of intelligence and character, who rule as philosopher–kings.
Aristotle is a student of Plato. He believed in Epicureanism. Aristotle has sensory experiences.
Aristotle uncovered the truth through examination. Aristotle has syllogism which is a conclusion
taken

Socrates ' Views On Plato 's Dialogue
In Plato's dialogue "Crito," Socrates is awaiting his execution in prison when his friend Crito comes
to convince him to escape. Socrates argues against Crito with his belief being that escaping from
prison would by an unjust act. It is Socrates' belief that you should never commit an injustice act for
any reason, and that it is in your best interest to act justly. In the arguments presented in "Crito," we
see Socrates' belief as underlying factor and recurring theme. Crito goes to see Socrates and starts by
letting him know that he cares about him, then proceeds to spew out all of his arguments. The first
argument brought up was that he will ruin the reputation of his friends and family. His reasoning
being that if people saw Crito and knew that he let Socrates die, he would be seen as a selfish and
avaricious person. Secondly, Crito explains that he already bribed the guards and that he will set
Socrates up in another city. There he can live freely, keep philosophizing, and be with friends and
family. He then argues that Socrates would be self–contradicting by accepting his sentence instead
of putting up a heroic fight for what he believes in. Crito claims that this would be an act of
cowardice, the opposite of what Socrates had always taught. The next point presented is that he
would be bad for abandoning his children. His last argument is that it would be morally wrong for
Socrates to accept and cooperate with Athenian law if the Athenian law wrongfully accused him and

Socrates 's View Of Love
In The Symposium, Love is described to be a goddess by the men who are praising her powers in
several eulogies. However, Socrates proves that their claims are incorrect evaluations during his
speech. Socrates chooses to analyze and discuss the truth of love through rhetoric rather than submit
to the 'illusionary' art of poetry that the other men used. Although the context of Love is set up in the
mythological sense, Socrates' speech transcends the topic from merely describing the goddess'
powers to separating her as an entity from the actions and emotions that go along with the
conception of 'loving': "I think you saw Love as the object of love instead of the lover" (Plato, 40,
204b). Socrates, takes the route of philosophy and aims to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The idea that Socrates is portraying is that one must move past the emotions attached to the physical
world and transcend into the love of the mind. The goal of going through these steps is to find this
essential idea of beauty so that, in this divine sense, one can see love everywhere. Love therefore, is
shown in the mythological realm, but also as an abstract conception of the emotions and actions that
Love spurs within humans for the desire to search out and attain beauty. Socrates touches on the idea
of what it means to love another person, and how to find absolute beauty in this pursuit.
The Fire Next Time emphasizes love in the communal sense and how when facing extreme hatred,
love can bring the marginalized together. Baldwin's text is heavily concentrated on the prejudicial
attitudes towards the African–Americans by the Americans during the early 1960's. The racism
described in this text is stressed by the violent actions towards – and the overall dehumanization of –
the African–Americans. However, the hatred towards their race encourages the group to love each
other more: "if we had not loved each other none of us would have survived" (Baldwin, 7). The
African–Americans are driven to other sources of love when exiled from the acceptance of the
whites, and ultimately come together as a unit to oppose the race who is persistent on tearing away
their humanity. Instead

Socrates View On Happiness
To achieve happiness, there is no set action to take in order to feel it. I feel as if happiness can be
reached in an unjust society. It is up to an individual to find their own happiness. An individual has
to make the best out of what they have. It has been proven time and time again, that it is okay to be
different. It is when people are different when things start to change for society. When everyone
stays the same, everything stays the same. Just like Socrates questioning anything and everything to
attempt to fulfill his life, how the Greeks used theater to make life less serious, and the use of certain
coping mechanisms used in today's society.
Socrates was known to be one of the founders of western philosophy. "For most of his time he was a
well–known character, expounding his philosophy of life in the streets of Athens to anyone who
cared to listen" (Grube, pg. ix). Socrates spent his life questioning absolutely anything and
everything. That is how he fulfilled his life. He knew that nothing was certain, and that is what made
him happy. He lived in a society that he thought was unjust, yet he found a way to have happiness.
Socrates knew that what we know as humans is not accurate, and he was determined to try and
figure out anything he could. He may not have known why he did what he did, or he may not know
that it makes him happy, but that is what he did to pursue his definition of happiness.
Throughout the Greek age, drama became a huge role in society. According to Backman,In other
societies such as Egypt, there was no such thing as a play or comedy. I feel as if that society was a
lot more reserved and not as open. In Greece, the use of comedy made it easier to joke about more
serious issues.
Just like in the Greek age, today's society uses comedy to make each other happy and feel better
about what is happening. The use of theater may not directly occur, however the use social media,
television, and internet to make light of the downfalls we have throughout our society. Throughout
the year of 2016, there was a lot of controversy throughout the presidential election. It was a sore
subject for many to talk about due to the extremely different beliefs. This society is built on the
grounds of everyone

Examining Views Of Philosophy : The Allegory Of The Cave,...
EXAMINING VIEWS OF PHILOSOPHY
A FELLOW STUDENT
UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE
Abstract
This essay examines three brief works that introduce core concepts of philosophy. Comparisons are
drawn between Plato's The Allegory of the Cave, The Apology of Socrates and Voltaire's The Story
of the good Brahmin. Warnings about adopting a philosophically focused approach to life are
extracted, as are the incentives. A central pursuit of truth above all is established to be my own
prime goal, which ties closely to these two philosophers own.
Philosophy has no concrete definition, and no set bounds. The realms and reasons for study vary, as
do the outcomes and methods, but the underlying goals is the same throughout all disciplines; to
discover truth and knowledge. Philosophy is a very personal thing, however there are common
themes to be found in most appraisals of it. Both Socrates and Voltaire offer a set of warnings and
incentives in this weeks readings, but their focus varies. In the allegory of the cave, Socrates
describes the journey from ignorance to enlightenment. His trials dialogue, captured in Plato's "The
Apology of Socrates", establish his valuation of philosophy contrasted against freedom, security,
and ultimately life as well. Voltaire's "The Story of the Good Brahmin" examines the turmoil that is
nearly guaranteed for those who navigate life by philosophies road map, and the paradox that it
leads all roads lead back to the journeys origin. Although all

How Does Socrates View Of Death
BD Socrates' views of death as represented in "The Trial and Death of Socrates" are irrevocably tied
to his beliefs of what makes life significant. For Socrates, life must be examined through constant
questioning and one must hold the goodness of life above all else. Consequently, even in the face of
the un–good, or unjust in Socrates' case as represented in his trial, it would not be correct to do
wrong, return wrong or do harm in return for harm done. Therefore, no act should be performed
with an account for the risk of life or death; it should be performed solely on the basis of whether it
is good and right. Throughout the Apology, Crito and Phaedo, Socrates expresses his conceptions of
death and the afterlife, which are reflected ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One's main concern in life was doing what is just and pious. He explains that if a man is good he
cannot be harmed in either life or death. Socrates conducted his defense in a way that upheld his
beliefs on the significance of life. He explains that if he "would much rather die after this kind of
defense than live after making the other kind." 38e. The other kind of defense being one in which he
did not obey the gods. Such as if they acquitted him on the terms in which he did not practice
philosophy, he stated he would "obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am
able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy." 29d. Socrates, even in the face of his own mortality, is
consistent in his moral beliefs. Socrates believed that death was a good thing and did not just happen
of itself in his case. "it is clear to me that it was better for me to die now and to escape from trouble.
That is why my divine sign did not oppose me at any point [throughout my defense]. 41d. In the
Phaedo, moments before his death he explains to Crito that he doesn't see the point in prolonging his
death by waiting to drink the poison. He believed that it would be "ridiculous in my own eyes for
clinging to life, and be sparing of it when there is none left." 117a. Socrates completely accepted his
death. He believed death is a cure for the ills of life as stated in his last words. "Crito, we owe a cock
to Ascelepius; make this offering to him

Comparing Voltaire's And Socrates Views On The Study Of...
The study of philosophy has played a role in a history throughout history. Many beliefs and attitudes
have emerged as a result of inquiries from various scholars who have studied this realm. Socrates
and Voltaire are two notable scholars who had similar and distinct attitudes about philosophy. This
paper will compare and contrast their views regarding philosophy and provide insight to my
personal views. Socrates view regarding philosophy was the attempt to seek truth and wisdom that
would serve a guide for his life (Pecorino, 2010). He believed that knowledge provided a pathway to
good and those who were familiar with the concepts of good would choose good (Pecorino, 2010).
Though the option of choosing good was not known, those who tried to discover good concepts
would inevitably have a good life (Pecorino, 2010). In contrast of good, those who did not seek out
good, were evil. Since the act of finding good is a virtue, of the individuals who were ignorant to
good were deemed evil involuntary (Pecorino, 2010). ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He poses the question if happiness is derived from knowledge or ignorance (Woolf). This is evident
who in the literature stated as "I have told myself a hundred times that I should be happy if I were as
brainless as my neighbor, and yet I do not desire such happiness" (Woolf). Therefore, there is a
conflict in which is an individual happy when a person seeks not or claims ignorance? The overall
arching view is that Voltaire lets the audience decide what path equivocates happiness; is it the path
of searching for knowledge or choosing ignorance to be happy

Socrates View On Death
Despite the fact that death is such an unknown force, many people live their lives in fear of what it
brings. This isn't a new concept, as even the citizens of Ancient Greece were preoccupied with
worries of what defines the afterlife. However, there were certain philosophers that combated this
idea with their own notions. This can be seen with Socrates, who is often referred to as the father of
Western philosophy. Even though all accounts of his work are displayed through secondary sources,
Socrates is well known for numerous arguments, one of them being for the immortality of the soul.
It was originally introduced in the works of Plato, corresponding strongly with Socrates' view on the
nature of death and what comes next for the soul when ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The jury deliberates between the two options and ultimately decides to sentence Socrates to death
for his crimes. While Socrates seems somewhat agitated with the verdict because he promises "that
vengeance will come upon" the men that convicted him "immediately after" his "death" 2 (39c2), he
later reveals that his sentencing "may very well be a good thing", because "those of us who believe
death to be an evil are certainly mistaken" 2 (40b4–c). From this point to the end of the Apology,
Socrates revisits the topic of death, overall providing two explanations of what he believes death
truly is, saying that both supply "good hope that death is a blessing" 2 (40c2). The first argument he
provides is that death is "a complete lack of perception, like a dreamless sleep" 2 (40d), a
termination of consciousness, which in his eyes, is a great blessing. At this time, this declaration
supports the idea that the soul is mortal, and Socrates seems to favor the idea of death becoming a
sleep undisturbed by dreams because "all eternity would then seem to be no more than a single
night" 2 (40e1). The second

Ted Nachazel. 360 Degree Photography Affordances And...
Ted Nachazel
360 Degree Photography Affordances and Constraints
Media has changed vastly over the decades. We have different styles of media, different ways to
view media, and so many different options when it comes to creating media. A recent technology
that has started to gain traction is 360–degree photography. This new technology allows people to
view more than traditional 2–D perspective. With this new way of being able to capture a scene
comes many affordances and constraints.
Being able to capture everything around you, then allow another person to experience entirely the
same scene is something that has never been able to be done before. The technology for 360–degree
photography is most likely early in its development. That being ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Having devices that allow us to put on a headpiece and be put into another reality is a huge step for
media.
With these devices, unfortunately, come many constraints. The content creator has more options for
what the viewer can see, but at the same time it may not be what they want the viewer to see. In
most forms of media today there is a main point that the viewer is observing. 2–D perspective video
creators are able to change perspectives of how the viewer sees the media, but with 360 degrees the
viewer may not see it in the same way the original creator intended. The viewer may even miss main
points entirely because they were looking around and the main point of a video was behind them.
On top of this the viewer may not even be able to watch the video. Many people report nausea when
watching videos in 360 degrees. If there is not a way to ensure people do not feel sick while
watching the videos, that means that this media will be limited by the number of people who are
able to tolerate it. Being able to create the quality of content that is currently available on 2–D
platforms may be difficult could also be an issue. Movie shoots require a lot of people and
equipment, which is all behind the camera when only shooting one perspective. In a 360–movie you
have to make sure you are capturing the things you want and nothing more. There is most likely
going to be more work creating

Socrates : A Man By The Name Of Socrates
In 469 B.C. a man by the name of Socrates was born. Socrates was a very wise man that cared about
doing the right thing. He believed that the best ways to develop ideas was in the give and take of
conversation, and that the best way to educate people was to ask them a series of questions leading
in a particular direction (now named "Socrates method). Socrates had been quick to identify the
drawbacks of democracy, and he had also been the teacher of two men who in different ways
harmed Athens: Alcibiades and Critias. Which made the parents of the children that Socrates had
taught very upset and angry. Granting all this, it lead to the Trial of Socrates 399 B.C. During this
trial Socrates expressed his view of death by using his question–and–answer method, for which he
was famous for and what seemed to have gotten him in trouble. Socrates did not write so we have to
depend on on what others wrote, and by doing that we now get to see the diverse ways people read
and understand what was written about his speech. My chosen primary source, Socrates View on
Death, is important, because it gives one view of Socrates speech while my outside source, Ancient
Greece, gives a slightly more in depth view. In my primary source, Socrates' View of Death,
Socrates talks about death. As the source states, "For the state of death is one of two things: either
the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all sensation; or according to common belief, it is a
change and a migration of the soul

Plato 's Views On Socrates
The most significant writings on Socrates came from one of his own disciples, Plato. Plato's writings
are the reason Socrates is historical figure he is today, without them Socrates would have been
nothing more than a minor presence (Navia 93). Plato's writings are classified as either early,
middle, or late. However, only the early writings best portray the real Socrates (Navia 105). These
writings include the Euthyphro, Crito, Phaedo, and most importantly the Apology, which discusses
the trial and execution of Socrates. Similarly Xenophon's dialogue of the same name also discusses
the same subject. While both authors demonstrate similar positions defending Socrates, their
approach to their discussion varies significantly.
Even though it is not known how close of a relationship Plato and Socrates had, it is very obvious
that Socrates played a major role in influencing philosophy into the life of Plato. Plato was born in
Aegina on 427 BCE and ultimately died in Athens in his school, The Academy, on 347 BCE (Navia
95). He had two older brothers Glaucon and Adeimantus, and a half brother, Antiphon, who were
also students of Socrates. He was born into an aristocratic family involved in government, and in
turn he would be destined for a life involved in politics as well. However Plato avoided involvement
in government after witnessing all the corruptionmby his uncle, and as a result, leads to his first
encounter with Socrates as his pupil at the age of twenty (Navia 96).

Socrates View Of Children In The 21st Century
In society today, the view of children has yet to transfigure. Over two thousand years ago, Greek
Philosopher Socrates argued that children "...love luxury, they have bad manners, contempt for
authority, they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now
tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and
tyrannize over their teachers." Socrates' view has gradually developed into a cliché, although a vast
amount of time has lapsed, this view of children still permeates in the 21st Century today.
Conjointly, in literature children still face this ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As Jeanette recounts her life succeeding her encounter with her mother as she is seen diving through
the dumpster, at the beginning of scene one, with no remorse. Whereas Jeanette abashed by what she
sees, decides to cower and hide. Although her mother is content with her life Jeanette invites her to
lunch and confronts her about her outlook on life. Rose Mary, Jeanette's Mother, showing her spite
towards the confrontation tells Jeanette that she has her values mixed up and she is the one with a
problem. The memoir takes a dramatic deviation from reality to her latter life, age three to be exact.
In this shift we see a more, inquisitive and adventurous Jeanette. At the beginning of the shift
Jeanette, recaps her earliest memory of being burned at her very juvenile age, as she cooked for
herself hotdogs on the stovetop. The flame caught the "pink fabric of [her] skirt and climbed [her]
stomach. Then the flames leaped up and reached her face." In this harrowing depiction, our child
narrator doesn't accentuate the immense amount of pain she is tangibly experiencing, from her
third–degree like burns, but rather her fascination with the events taking place. In view of this, the
usage of the acclaimed child narrator is effective, you would presume for there to be a tone of
morbidity. Rather in this scene the readers experience the tone of fascination, through the usage of
the child

Socrates And His Views Of Justice
Joshua Ayen
PHIL100H
Dr. Gottlieb
10/8/14
Socrates and His Views of Justice In Plato's The Republic, there are several accounts of justice that
are presented throughout the dialogue, especially in Book I. One of these accounts is presented by
Socrates, in which he believes that justice is not harming anyone under any circumstances. Socrates
first presents this argument when he questions if it is just to treat anyone badly (335b). Polemarchus,
based on his account of justice – in which justice is treating friends well and harming enemies
(332d) – believes that it is okay to hurt people (335b). Socrates then brings up examples of what
happens when a horse, dog, and person are treated poorly (335b–c). In all these cases, Socrates
points out that it worsens them. Afterwards, when taking into account that justice is a "human
excellence," (335c) Socrates says that "members of the human race who are treated badly must
necessarily become more unjust. Therefore, based on that reasoning, Socrates presents a
fundamentally valid argument. In theory, Socrates's claim that it is not just to treat anyone badly
under any circumstances is sound because not one person or creature deserves bad treatment, no
matter the past unjust actions or decisions that person/creature has done in the past. However, it is
difficult to put it into practice because of emotion. To defend this argument made by Socrates, I will
go more in depth about two points that were brought about him: If it really is just

How Does Socrates View Of Justice
Did you ever wonder about how people did things back in the old ages? They had a system like we
do now, they believed in wrong and right. How? Well, here is a problem, which lies between who is
wrong or right and how they determined this. There were a couple philosophers that thought their
view of justice was the best. Between Thramarchus and Socacrate they had different views and how
Socrates responses to Thrasymachus explain some things. What does justice mean? How does it
help with problems to resolve them? Could Thrasymachus and Socrates really agree? What wills
Socrates idea is to support is argument? Is his claim true? Justice is an important role played in our
society. What is Justice? Justice is the quality of being fair and reasonable. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
So what does he do about it? Socrates responses to Thrasymachus: "If you had declared that
injustice is more profitable, but agreed that it is a vice or shameful, as some others do, we could
have discussed the matter on the basis of conventional beliefs. (At 348 e)" Socrates explains that he
is simply right. He said justice is vice and injustice is shameful, which in other words means justice
is good and injustice is bad. This means overall that injustice cannot be the advantageous of the
stronger and justice is. So, of course Thrasymachus doesn't give up without a fight. He believes
Socrates is wrong and attacks with another argument to prove his point. Thrasymachus refused to
believe that he is wrong and injustice is shameful. He uses an example on page 84 of Plato Republic,
Book 1 (340c), he states: "Not at all. Do you think I would call someone who is an error stronger at
the very moment he errs?" So, Socrates did think that's obvious what he meant, he's like what else
would that mean pretty self–explanatory right? Nope, Thrasymachus then states and explains on
page 84 of Plato Republic, Book 1 (340d): "That is because you are a quibbler in arguments,
Socrates. I mean, when someone makes an error in the treatment of patients, do you call him doctor
in virtue of the fact that he made that very error? Or, when someone makes an error in calculating,
do you call him an accountant in virtue of the fact

“a Take on the Pericles’ and Socrates’ Views on Athenian...
Athens is a major Greek city–state in European history. It was a great center of cultural and
intellectual development, and thus home to philosophers. Socrates and Pericles, two of these
philosophers, had polarizing opinions about the city–state and its citizens. While Pericles chooses to
praise the Athenian citizen, Socrates criticizes Athens' people. Pericles gave his opinion at a funeral
during the first battles of the Peloponnesian War, while Socrates gave his during the trial that
ultimately led to his death. The Athenian city–state has become a model for today's systems of
government and a hearth for western philosophy, so Pericles' opinion seems to be the one that is
more accurate. Pericles starts his speech talking about the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life" (Pericles' Funeral
Oration, Thucydides). In other words, it doesn't matter what your social rank is, if you are a citizen
of Athens, you have a right (and duty) to serve in the government. This is known as a direct
democracy today, and it is where we, citizens of the United States, took inspiration for our current
system of government. Pericles is right to praise the city–state in this regard, as its legacy still has
effect on the world millenniums after its time. Socrates, however, wasn't as keen on democracy.
Socrates, a critic of Athenian society, is also known as a critic of democracy. "Athens is a
democracy, a city in which the many are the dominant power in politics, and it can therefore be
expected to have all the vices of the many" ("Socrates' criticism of democracy," Encyclopedia
Britannica). Socrates claims that he did not want to take part in government because he feared
imprisonment or death, which eventually became his fate. Socrates' problem with democracy was
his concern with the citizens who run the

How Does Socrates View Of Ignorance
The two philosophers Socrates and Aristotle have two different views on ignorance. First, I will
explain Socrates view on ignorance; He believes that ignorance is when you know that you don't
know something, and you don't want to learn it. So, in Socrates' eyes not knowing and refusing to
learn or thinking that you know already is being ignorant. When you know that you don't know
something, but you are willing to learn that is called Socratic ignorance. But according to Socrates
nobody willingly dose wrong we aim for what we see as the apparent good, but sometimes fall short
due to the two kinds of ignorance, human error and mistake. On the other hand, Aristotle has a
completely different view, he believes that ignorance is an excuse and people cannot afford to be
ignorant. In ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition to Aristotle's views on ignorance his moral theory is called virtue ethics; the way that he
explains that is the more you experience the more you know therefore the more virtuous you are. He
believes that virtues involve knowledge whereas Socrates believes that virtues are moments of
knowledge. Socrates's moral theory is based on care for yourself, that includes self–knowledge and
care for the soul. Self–knowledge ties in with self–cultivation, what that means is understanding
yourself and also knowing the limits of your knowledge as well as shaping your knowledge and
making yourself better. Care for the soul deals with learning through reason and mastering the skill
of self–knowledge. Another way to compare Socrates and Aristotle is their views on right vs wrong.
Between them they agree that prudence is the moral right and wrong, prudence is also the most
important virtue of

Socrates 's Views On Philosophy And It 's Influences...
Perhaps in the present moment, there would have been no such information on philosophy and it's
influences without the existence of Socrates. Socrates was an individual who was acknowledged as
an eminent philosopher. We have received his intelligence from others who have documented his
speeches, due to the fact that in the past, he had not personally recorded himself. I find it rather
intriguing that despite the fact that Socrates, alongside his pupils, have endured life many years ago,
it is still pertinent in todays society. I have appointed myself to compose about Socrates's dialogue
on "The Apology". Socrates is notorious for his wisdom, in conjunction with his competence to
prevail upon you that your dictums are spurious and that his, in fact, are equitable. I have also come
to the agreement to write about "The Apology" by reason of that this is the closest to him that we
will ever get too. Additionally, "The Apology" is inherently the inauguration of Western Philosophy.
Socrates is known for his capability to arouse conversation among others. He produces this method
in which he essentially forces each person in the discussion to think twice before they supply others
with their remarks. His method is also a form dialogue, which is where you bequeath material and
take away material. In "The Apology", Socrates generates a speech in the vicinity of the trial in
which he is charged with not recognizing the Gods, inventing new Gods, dishonoring the current
Gods, and with

Socrates ' View On Death And The Soul
When most think about death and the after life they suddenly become shaken. Is death painful? Is it
scary? Is there life after death? Are we truly at peace? What happens to our soul? Those who believe
that God is our creator they seem to be less frightened about the idea of death. Socrates on the other
hand was never once frightened about the idea of death. Throughout the Apology, one is able to
clearly analyze Socrates' view on death and the soul. The Apology is the actual speech delivered by
Socrates during his death trial. In the jury system, an apology is composed of three parts: a speech, a
counter–assessment, and some last final words. Socrates argument is that death should be a joyous
time, especially for philosophers. Socrates claimed when we die, our souls remain alive and are
simply released from the body in which they were being held in on Earth. Thus, Socrates further
emphasizes his idea that when someone dies their body is harmed, but their soul leaves the body
unharmed and lives on in peace for eternity. I will be using the Apology to explore Socrates' journey
to the sole belief that death is a cure for life. The main focus of this paper will be Socrates' view on
death. I will divide it into three parts: In the first part I will discuss Socrate's life and background. In
the second part I will focus Socrates' beliefs about death. In the third part I will focus on the idea of
the soul. My main questions will be: Why is death such an important idea for

Socrates Views On The Allegory Of The Cave
In the allegory of the cave, Socrates is explaining to the student how we are blinded by what we are
only allowed to see. If we were to see the truth, then we would return to tell the others, but they
would not believe you.
If you put that into today, you could compare it to the conspiracy theorists. They think that the
government is hiding us from the truth, and that the only way to learn is to go beyond the boundaries
set by the law. If you saw the report about the Roswell incident, you would see that they describe the
spacecraft as circular, 50 feet in diameter, and held three bodies of human shape, three feet tall,
dressed in metallic cloth of a fine texture. I think that that proves the existence of aliens, or midgets
going around in a

Socrates 's View Of Philosophical Thought
Socrates was a novel philosopher who challenged the limitations of philosophical thought during his
lifetime. More specifically, Socrates was a key proponent for the idea known as 'Dualism', in which
the mind (Soul) and the body are not mutually exclusive entices, bur rather interact in a tangible
manner in which they come to have a reciprocated relationship. Throughout many religions and
spiritual movements, Socrates view of a interaction between the immortal soul and the physical
body is evident.
The body is considered to be an obstacle to the afterlife and play no part in gain of knowledge be.
"An evil tomb that imprisons our Goodness" 14.Socrates brings up points that our body is limited
and only with us for so long and it has limitations desires, fears and much more nonsense. He begins
to talk about how no two bodies are alike, and how we should not rely on our senses for perceive
information. He gives us an example of the form that is called recollection if you place a straight
stick halfway in the water, it will look bent. Take it out, it looks straight again, but is the stick really
straight? " I don't mean a log to a log a stone to a stone or anything else of that sort..."75.Our senses
try to trick us." Socrates believes we should pay no attention to the sensible world because it 's like
an illusion and can trick because it 's always changing.
The soul was the most important thing according to Socrates. His belief that our souls existed before
birth and is

Socrates 's View On Plato 's ' The And Aristophanes 's The...
Elenchus, as a famous Socratic method for education, uses dialogue and questions to approach
philosophical truths. The method is presented in both Plato's the Euthyphro and Aristophanes's the
Clouds. However, Socrates's personal image and characteristics, as well as the nature of his
questioning differ a lot in these two works. While the Euthyphro presents a philosopher king guiding
the less wise people in discovery of truths, Socrates in the Clouds has little interest in either
exploring the ethical truth or helping others get out of "Plato's cave". Instead, he is portrayed as a
sophist who corrupts people with mysterious and useless knowledge, ignores traditional Athenian
education, and debilitates Athenian men. Compared to Plato's focus on Socrates's wisdom reflected
in the dialogue, the Clouds is a distorted interpretation of Socrates's elenchus. Rather than justifiably
criticizing Socrates, Aristophanes depicts him from a common Athenian 's perspective. It is this
misunderstanding of the value of Socrates's teaching by Athenian citizens that constitutes the failure
of elenchus in both the Clouds and the Euthyphro.
Socrates's image in the two works differ firstly in his attitude towards knowledge and towards
himself. A typical statement of Socrates, both in the Euthyphro and in other Plato's works, is that he
has no clear knowledge. He is different from the public because he knows that he does not know.
Neither does he claim to teach or corrupt the young (Euthyphro, p.2

Socrates 'Views On Thrasymachus' Definition Of Justice
Cephalus and his son Polemarchus defined justice in various ways. Cephalus defines justice as the
legal obligation to do what is right. According to him, a person will have done justice by honoring
his legal obligation even if by honoring those obligations will jeopardize the lives of others.
However, Socrates does not agree with this definition. He believes that, justice does not only
involve doing just to others.
Socrates argues that by doing a just deed that would affect others negatively does not add up to
justice. Polemarchus agrees with this definition but in his view, he defines justice as paying a man
his dues in the sense that the good to friends and enemy should get their share of evil. Therefore on
this instance, both Polemarchus ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Polemarchus ends up defining justice as what is in the interest of the majority party.
Q2. Thrasymachus argues that justice is simply "what is the interest of the stronger." What does he
mean by this statement? What arguments does Socrates present in order to refute Thrasymachus's
position?
The statement by Thrasymachus implies that justice is the wishes of the strong persons in the
society. The weak, poor and destitute have cannot get justice unless what they believe to be justice is
the perceived interest of the strong, rich and affluent persons. However, this does not imply that
what the strong party perceives as his interest is exactly his real interest.
It is therefore possible that the strong might not be the beneficially of the perceived justice. It thus
means justice is not meant for people who behave just but what is in the preference of the strong
such that the strong party in any conflict will have his way. This definition delegitimizes justice and
hence it is not rewarding to be

Socrates, Machiavelli, And Rousseau 's Views On Political...
Socrates, Machiavelli, and Rousseau are three philosophers discussing political ethics from entirely
different perspectives. This paper argues that Socrates, Machiavelli, and Rousseau are all idealists
regarding their stances on political ethics. First, this paper argues that Socrates is an idealist due his
belief that the current government has much more potential than it is currently reaching, and that the
government could eventually be changed. Second, this paper argues that Rousseau is an idealist
because of his unrealistically positive view of the natural state of humanity and negative view of
society. Lastly, this paper argues that Machiavelli is idealistic because of the overwhelming,
impossible number of criteria that the Prince ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He proclaims that "examining both myself and others is really the very best thing that a man can do,
and that life without this sort of examination is not worth living" (Plato 66). Socrates believes that
the government will be able to change so that people who value goodness and truth would be in
power. However, later in the Apology, Socrates contradicts himself when he explains why he has led
a mostly private life, saying that "if I had long ago attempted to take part in politics, I should have
died long ago" (Plato 58). Socrates believes "a man who really fights for justice must lead a private,
not a public, life" (Plato 59). This goes against what he has been saying for the rest of the trial and
demonstrates the unrealistic quality of the high standards to which he holds the government and
leaders. If Socrates says it is dangerous for proponents of justice to live a public life, it becomes
extremely difficult for politicians to be virtuous and morally good, since politicians live essentially
their whole lives in the public sphere. It is not realistic for Socrates to believe that the government of
Athens could progress so that good people hold the power, when he has shown that in his own
experience and observations it is not safe for good people to hold public positions.
Another contradiction that emphasizes the dissonance between Socrates' ideas and

Socrates World Views
Socrates Paper
The goal of this paper is to discern and construct the world views of Socrates through the various
readings, lectures and videos that we have seen in class. Some of these sources include: Socrates by
G. Rudebusch; excerpts from The Last Days of Socrates by Plato; and The Allegory of a Cave. Of
the nine world views covered in class, I will delve into my interpretation of four of them as seen
through the various sources that we have been exposed to in class. These four world views will
include Death, Condition, Solution and Morality. Finally, I will use my understanding of the world
*views assessment to critique Socrates' view of morality.
Death
The first and most obvious worldview that I wanted to cover is Socrates' view ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
At this point, Socrates has concluded that our disposition for ignorance arises in the fact that
humanity looks for guidance in the many and not in one sole holder of knowledge such as a sage. It
is through this that Socrates also identifies the solution to this problem, stating that, "what we ought
to worry about is not so much what people in general will say about us but what the experts... the
single authority and with him the truth itself." (Crito 48a). In conclusion, It is Socrates' * belief that,
"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance." (Diogenes Laertius). This condition,
according so Socrates, can be remedied through the constant quest for knowledge, and by looking to
the right people to obtain it.
Morality
The final fundamental question in which I chose to decipher is the question of morality and ethics.
What shall I do? Who is the ideal person? What is the right ethical system? The answer to this
question in my eyes was made clear by Socrates' * constant consideration towards justice. That is,
Socrates see justice as the highest good.
To explain, within the first ten pages of my exposure to Socrates, he blatantly states that, "
[Humanity] has only one thing to consider in performing

Axial View Of The Trial Of Socrates
In Plato's account of the trial of Socrates he wrote, "It is intimation that what has happened to me is
good, and that those of us who think death is an evil are in error" (Plato 112). Socrates, a
philosopher in Athens, was tried and executed, but did not fear death. Athens, like other cities
around the world, took part in an axial transformation in which the people valued compassion and
finding the truths of life. The execution of Socrates emphasizes the regression of Athenian values.
[Need another sentence about regression] Socrates axial way of thinking caused him to be the target
of a vulnerable and intolerant Athenian government, who wrongly charged him because of their
societal regression.
Thesis: Socrates axial way of thinking caused him to be the target of a vulnerable and intolerant
Athenian government who wrongly charged him because of their societal regression.
Body Paragraph 1 (Socrates beliefs):
Topic sentence: Socrates embodied axial beliefs and the intention to always ask questions and find
truth.
Evidence 1: Socrates often compared himself to a gadfly sent by the gods to question everyone. Don
Nardo wrote in his novel The Trial of Socrates that Socrates, after he received a prophecy from an
oracle, decided it was his destiny to "question his fellow citizens about what they knew in life, to
criticize them where they erred, and to remind them when they were not being true to themselves"
(Nardo, 27). Though many of the Athenians thought Socrates

Essay About Socrates Views On Virtue And Happiness

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Navy Savchenko

More from Navy Savchenko (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Essay About Socrates Views On Virtue And Happiness