The Philosophies Of The Philosopher Socrates - 1463 Words

James Joiner PHI150 21 March 2017 Socrates This paper will examine, in two parts, the worldviews of the philosopher Socrates. The first part will examine four of his worldviews using evidence from The Apology, The Crito, and The Phaedo, all written by Plato and depicting dialogues from Socrates. The first section of the paper will also use supplementary analysis from Socrates by George Rudebusch. The second section of this paper will be a critique of Socrate’s worldviews. Part 1: Socrates’ Worldview Knowledge In the Apology, Socrates states â€Å"†¦that real wisdom is the property of the god, and this oracle is his way of telling us that human wisdom has little or no value† (Apology 23a). Upon hearing that the god at Delphi had pronounced†¦show more content†¦Socrates believed wisdom to be of the utmost importance, essentially saying that without it, the soul is incomplete. Condition â€Å"No one knows with regards to death whether it is not really the greatest blessing that can happen to a man; but people dread it as though they were certain that it is the greatest evil† (Apology 29a). In his explanation of wisdom and knowledge, Socrates also reveals his worldview of the human condition. Socrates states that those who fear death are foolish because there is no possible way to know what it really holds. He believed that there were things far worse than death. Included among these were ignorance and foolishness. This ties in with his worldview of knowledge as he went to great lengths to seek out a person with more knowledge than himself, an act that defies ignorance according to his definition. Socrates believed that an ignorant life was not a life worth living. When he revealed the ignorance of the politicians, poets, and craftsmen, they were upset, further showing their ignorance in that they were offended in Socrates attempting to impart some wisdom on them. He further states, â€Å"I only wish that ordinary people had an unlimited capacity for doing harm; that would mean that they had an unlimited power for doing good, which would be a splendid thing. In fact they have neither. They cannot make a man wise or foolish† (Crito 44d). This further imparts Socrates belief that the humanShow MoreRelatedSocrates, The Philosopher Of Western Philosophy1525 Words   |  7 Pages Socrates; the founder of Western Philosophy, the first user of the Socratic method and Socratic irony, contributor to the field of ethics, and martyr for teaching what he thought was right. Indeed, Socrates is a household name, yet the picture many hold of Socrates may not be true to who Socrates actually was. 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