Appreciting socrates

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robinsuri
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Joined: January 20th, 2019, 1:43 pm

Appreciting socrates

Post by robinsuri »

Hi,
This is my first question on this forum.
I have heard about socrates a lot.
But can someone give a concrete example what exactly did socrates achieved and pointed out ?
How can it help in our daily life

Thanks
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chewybrian
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Joined: May 9th, 2018, 7:17 pm
Favorite Philosopher: Epictetus
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Re: Appreciting socrates

Post by chewybrian »

If you want to knock it down to one thing I would say that he made people aware of how little they really know, and that admitting this is an important step to learning and moving forward, rather than resting on what you think you know. The oracle said there was no one wiser than Socrates, which only set him out about the world trying to prove the oracle wrong. But, he found it difficult, as none of the presumably wise people in important positions were able to display real wisdom.

You might say he comes off cocky, showing up all the most important people, and in the end this probably cost him his life. But, in fact, he was humble enough to admit he knew very little, and not offended if others thought the same.
Never call yourself a philosopher, nor talk a great deal among the unlearned about theorems, but act conformably to them. Thus, at an entertainment, don't talk how persons ought to eat, but eat as you ought. For remember that in this manner Socrates also universally avoided all ostentation. And when persons came to him and desired to be recommended by him to philosophers, he took and- recommended them, so well did he bear being overlooked.--Epictetus, "The Enchiridion"
Many centuries before Descartes, Socrates was encouraging us to begin with a blank slate and see things as the really are, rather than the way we might wish them to be, or in a manner that fits our habits or traditions.

The 'Socratic method' is one more important contribution, which is a way of arguing or teaching in which you ask leading questions, encouraging your audience to assent to each step of your logic on through to the inevitable conclusion. Here is my own little mock-up of the method in practice, from another thread (I'm sure you could google up a better demonstration):
Teacher--What is knowledge?

Student--Information.

T--So is a newspaper knowledge?

S--Well, it has knowledge written in it.

T--So, what does the newspaper know?

S--Well I guess people have to know it.

T--So, if I read something in the newspaper, do I know it?

S--Yes.

T--What if I do not believe what I read?

S--I guess you would have to believe it to know it.

T--So, if the newspaper said that it snowed in Miami yesterday and I believed it, then would I know this?

S--No, because it wouldn't be true.

T--So, If I believe something and it is true, then this is knowledge?

S--Yes.

T--So, if I am such a huge fan of the Cleveland Browns that I always believe they have won, and this week they actually won, even though I did not see the game or a report of the outcome, do I "know" that the Browns won?

S--Well, you are right, but you just got lucky. You would have had to have some reason to say you knew it, like checking the score on your phone.

T--So, your belief would be justified by the fact that it was true, and also that you had a valid reason to believe that it was true, and then we might arrive at something we could call (walks over to chalkboard and writes...) JUSTIFIED TRUE BELIEF.
I think the Socratic method is much more useful in this context, as a teaching aid, than it is as a method of debate or argument. You can see how all the questions challenge the students at each step, encouraging them to assent to each element and leading inevitably to the conclusion.

Finally, Socrates became a martyr, perhaps somewhat intentionally, for the cause of philosophy and the search for wisdom at all costs. He was willing to die to fulfill his social contract, rather than running away from what most others would have perceived as injustice.

How can any of this help in your daily life? Simply accepting that there is much that you don't know will allow you to grow and learn rather than standing firm on what you think you already know. You are obviously more likely to arrive at truth if you let all your beliefs stand up to constant scrutiny. I also find the stoic traditions influenced by Socrates to be a great help in everyday life. Simply learning to differentiate between the things you can control and those you can not, and putting your efforts only to the former, can remove a lot of stress from life, for example.
"If determinism holds, then past events have conspired to cause me to hold this view--it is out of my control. Either I am right about free will, or it is not my fault that I am wrong."
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cavacava
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Joined: October 12th, 2018, 11:10 am

Re: Appreciting socrates

Post by cavacava »

robinsuri wrote: January 20th, 2019, 1:46 pm Hi,
This is my first question on this forum.
I have heard about socrates a lot.
But can someone give a concrete example what exactly did socrates achieved and pointed out ?
How can it help in our daily life

Thanks
In all of Plato's 35 dialogues Socrates only wrote once, and that was on the ground. Very similar to Jesus who also is only recorded as writing only once on the ground. Yet these men's words have been treasured by Western Civilization for over two thousand years. Both died at the hands of their intended audience, neither fought their executioners and (perhaps) each at the time of their respective ends despaired.
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