Socrates had two options: leave the city or embrace death. If he left the city at that moment, we would not have discussed this significant philosopher 25,000 years after his death.
It has always been advised to nurture your questions. Sometimes, the right question becomes more important than the right answer. Philosophers are great because they dare to question. They have a passion for asking questions. They never follow society like lemmings, but they challenge its irrational beliefs. Philosophers open new avenues of thinking for people. Asking questions is the superpower of these philosophers. Therefore, their names are still remembered even after thousands of years. The philosopher we are discussing today left an unparalleled legacy through his probing questions, reshaping not only his own society but the entire trajectory of Western philosophy. The rulers of his time were so anxious by his questions that they had no option but to kill him. But today, no one knows the rulers of that time. However, that short fat dirty philosopher rules the world of philosophy even today. We are talking about the great Socrates.
Socrates had a friend who went to a priest in Delphi one day and asked him who the wisest man in the world was. The priest of Delphi responded that Socrates was the wisest man. When Socrates learned of the priest's statement, he couldn't believe it. He was curious, so this issue captured his heart and mind. To challenge this claim, he sought out the most knowledgeable people in society to understand the priest's statement better. He began questioning the wisest, most literate, and most knowledgeable individuals. Socrates' method was unique yet simple; he always approached people with the belief that he knew nothing. He would start as if he lacked knowledge, and during the conversation, he would repeatedly ask questions that led others to recognize the gaps in their arguments. Through these discussions, he eventually realized that the priest's assertion about him was true—not because he possessed knowledge, but because he was wise enough to know that he knew nothing. The famous Socrates quote "All I know is that I know nothing" arose from this insight.
The way Socrates asked questions repeatedly is known as the Socratic or dialectical method. Dialectical refers to engaging in dialogue between two opposing points of view. The Dialectical Method is remarkable because it helps you identify the gaps in someone's argument. For example, in ancient Greece, people believed in many gods such as Apollo, Dionysus, Athena, Artemis, Zeus, Hera, and many others. They strongly believed in these gods and claimed that the gods knew everything. Thus, the Socratic Argument begins here.
Socrates consistently asked questions of those who claimed to possess complete knowledge on a topic, whether they were scholars, politicians, or lawmen. Socrates asked a man: "Do you think the gods know everything?" The person responded, "Yes, of course." He believes he knows everything because he is a god. Then Socrates asked another question: "Do some gods disagree with others?" The other person replied, "Yes, of course they do. They are always fighting." Socrates followed up, "So gods disagree about what is right and wrong?" The person answered, "I suppose they must." Again, Socrates pressed, "So some gods can be wrong sometimes?" The man replied anxiously, "I suppose that is true." Socrates concluded this dialogue with, "The gods can be wrong according to you. Therefore, the gods cannot know everything." Thus, we see how the entire argument collapsed with just a few questions. This is how Socrates baffled people, leading to their embarrassment and resulting in aversion toward him. However, the youth of Athens were completely inspired by Socrates.
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When Socrates stood at the road junctions or roundabouts to ask questions, people gathered there. When he confused a person in his arguments, the crowd became puzzled and learned a lot through this dialogue. However, a question arises: what did Socrates aim to prove with his questions? What did he truly want? What was the purpose behind his inquiries? Was his intention merely to embarrass and shame the people, or was he genuinely curious about the reality of life? To understand Socrates, we will need to study the Athens of that time in detail.
Socrates was born in Athens in 470 BC, during a period when Athens served as the cultural capital of the world, and new ideas and philosophies were at their peak. Before Socrates, Natural Philosophers were primarily focused on the nature of the physical world, with their philosophy limited to material concerns. However, as time progressed, philosophers began to shift their attention to individuals rather than the physical world. At that time, the people of Athens were well-known for a distinctive characteristic: they were captivated by rhetoric. They admired those who motivated and convinced them through arguments, reasoning, and logic. In fact, the elites of Athens employed teachers for their children to impart the art of speaking along with the manners and styles of effective speeches. These teachers, or philosophers, are known as Sophists. The primary role of these sophists was to earn money by sharing their knowledge, wisdom, and speaking techniques. Humanity became the central focus of the sophists, with their main concern being man's position in society. This is why the renowned philosopher Protagoras stated, "Man is the measure of all things." This statement implies that what is deemed right or wrong is determined based on its benefits for humanity.
Some people consider Socrates to be a sophist, but he was not one. First of all, he never charged a fee for sharing his knowledge and wisdom. More importantly, sophists employed the art of persuasion and rhetoric to win arguments. In contrast, Socrates was a very different individual. He spent his life walking the streets of Athens, conversing with the people. His intention was never to belittle anyone; rather, he genuinely sought a deeper understanding of things. His Socratic method inspired new ways of thinking among the populace. He explains that, just as his mother is a midwife, he too is a midwife in the sense that his methods help people give birth to new ideas.
What did Socrates desire? What was it that kept him so restless and inquisitive? Examining life was central to Socrates' philosophy, which is why he famously declared, "An unexamined life is not worth living." This statement truly captures the essence of Socrates' thought. Thus, it is crucial to understand its meaning. According to Socrates, examining life indicates that self-awareness is of utmost importance. It involves understanding who I am, why I am here, why I was born, and what my life's purpose is. What forms the basis of my belief system, actions, and values?
Socrates argues that these are the questions about our lives that require critical analysis; otherwise, life will lack meaning. Socrates was in search of the answer to a question by examining life. The question was very simple but deep. What makes a good life?
According to Socrates, the aim of life is to seek mental peace, achievable only when humans do what is truly right, rather than what society considers right. Socrates had a profound theory about virtue. He believed that the greatest asset a human possesses is their virtues, which is why no one is evil by nature. Rather, it is the lack of wisdom and knowledge that leads people to act evilly. From this notion, Socrates derived an essential principle that can serve as the center of one's life. He stated that there is only one good in life—knowledge—and one evil—ignorance. In this context, Socrates expressed a remarkable idea in Plato's famous dialogue titled "Apology": "I tell you, let no day pass in your life without discussing goodness. Since goodness is knowledge, this knowledge transcends any wealth or high status. Therefore, the pursuit of knowledge should be the true purpose of life."
Socrates never wrote a book, not even a single line. What we know today about Socrates is thanks to his student, the great philosopher Plato. Plato keeps Socrates alive through his philosophy and dialogues. In fact, we should be grateful to Plato for allowing us to access the wisdom and knowledge of Socrates today.
Socrates often said that there was a divine voice within him that guided him on what was right and wrong. The youth of Athens were deeply inspired by his unique ideas, but the rulers of Athens felt embarrassed. They perceived Socrates as a threat because his charisma had the power to change people's thoughts. Eventually, the rulers of Athens decided that Socrates had to die.
The death of Socrates is a pivotal moment in the world of philosophy because he was the first philosopher to be martyred by the government for his beliefs. Plato covers Socrates' trial in his dialogue "The Apology." This dialogue is remarkable. Hundreds of jurors listened to the case while Socrates defended himself alone. He was charged with impiety, as people criticized him for questioning their gods and instilling doubt in the hearts of others. Additionally, he was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens. The reason was simple: he encouraged his students to challenge every authority, political view, and belief system. It's important to remember that those in power rarely appreciate individuals who ask questions and confront their authority. Socrates was one of the greatest critics of democracy. He never liked democracy, which was not liked by Athens. Socrates was also a member of the group known as "Thirty Tyrants". They overthrow democracy in Athens in the year 404 BC.
The events before and after Socrates' trial are significant. The character he showed during his trial made him the great Socrates. Therefore, to discuss in detail the events during his trial is important. As mentioned before, Plato kept him alive by his philosophy and dialogues. One such dialogue is "Euthyphro". In this scene, Euthyphro and Socrates were standing outside the court where he was going to be tried, but Socrates was discussing with him a moral system based on religion can never be consistent, since the gods are always fighting with each other, and it is impossible to please all the gods at a time. Euthyphro, who considered himself a religious man, disgorged such a thing in his discussion with Socrates that scattered his belief system.
The background of this dialogue is that Euthyphro was prosecuting his own father for committing murder. Socrates tells him that he is trying his father. Euthyphro replies that he is a religious man and that religion recommends prosecuting those who commit crimes. Socrates then asks Euthyphro, what is religiosity? What is piety? Euthyphro defines piety as what the gods love and impiety as what they hate. He also suggests that pious actions are those he and the gods perform, such as prosecuting wrongdoers. Therefore, he will prosecute his father despite their relationship. Socrates poses the Euthyphro dilemma, asking whether something is pious because the gods love it, or if it is loved by the gods because it is pious. He further questions him about how the gods fight with each other constantly, and that their likes and dislikes are different. Thus, the gods cannot set the moral code of society. These questions frustrate Euthyphro and leave him unable to respond. He becomes trapped in a conceptual maze. This is how Socrates unsettles great philosophers and men of knowledge. Socrates wants to prove that true knowledge can only be achieved through philosophical thinking. According to Socrates, true moral philosophy begins when you start your journey in search of truth, putting aside your superstitious and religious beliefs.
Apology is the speech that Socrates delivered during his trial. It's name is apology, but Socrates never apologized during his trial. He told the jury that he was a philosopher and his work was to raise questions. I have been blamed for years for discussing strange things and making people ashamed by my questions. I look to the sky while talking and I ask questions concerning the gods. He says that he has a divine wisdom. Socrates used to say that he has a mystical inner voice which guides him in life. Socrates tells the jury that they want to kill him, but despite this, he will never leave what he is doing now because he is a gift from god. Athen will never see a man like me again. If you think that I will be apologetic and beggar of mercy, it will be your misunderstanding. Jury listens to Socrates and at last decides that this philosopher will have to die.
The next dialogue of Plato about Socrates is called Crito. You will know how great Socrates was after discussing this dialogue. His friend Crito comes to meet Socrates in prison just a night before his death. He implored Socrates to apologize and leave the city, as we have collected money for you to live comfortably in exile. Socrates refuses to leave the city of Athens. He is willing to die for his principles, and if I leave the city, then all the blame against me will become true, which is not possible. Neither will I go against the laws of the state nor will I quit the city like a coward to escape death.
The last dialogue of Socrates before death is Phaedo. Socrates tells his friends just a few hours before his death that the human soul is immortal. He tells them that philosophers don't have any interest in the pleasures and luxuries of this world. Therefore, they are already half dead and actual philosophical thinking is to free the soul from the body and death is the name of this separation. He further tells his friends that the human soul and intellect tell about the ideas and concepts about life. The human body is the root of confusions and errors. He further says about human soul that it is invisible and divine and the soul lives for ever after death. It is the moment when the state presents a cup of poison in front of Socrates. He consumed all the poison like sipping tea. He groveled on the earth later and became dead. The government of Athens killed Socrates but his thinking lives forever.
Whether we agree or disagree with Socrates' philosophy, his story makes it clear that questions serve as the pillars supporting the structure of our lives.