Socrates Philosophical Problem

Socrates Philosophical Problem

The problem lies in lack of knowledge which often leads men to mistake bad things for good. His aim in his philosophical dialogs were to establish an understanding of knowledge through questioning and debate. He believed in many universal truths and by the exercise of reason one may come to an understanding of what was good. In this time philosophy was lacking moral and political philosophies and there was not a clear understanding of the soul. Socrates tried to solve the problem through knowing ones self as a moral obligation. There are many truths that Socrates believed for example "Virtue is Knowledge". Guthrie elaborates, "Everyone has heard of the 'Socratic paradox', his statement that 'virtue is knowledge'. Perhaps it begins to look a little less paradoxical when we see that what it would naturally mean to a contemporary was more like: 'You can't be efficient unless you take the trouble to learn the job.'" (pg 10).

Socrates often stated that he knew nothing and that this made him wise. Men who thought they were knowledgeable were in fact ignorant. Socrates believed the point of existence should be the pursuit of true knowledge. "The unexamined life is not worth living" (Socrates).

Socrates did not write down his thoughts and his philosophy. We get it largely through his greatest disciple, Plato. Socrates was the first moral philosopher concerned with the conduct of ones life path. He focused not on the way things are, but the way they could and should be. He emphasized the need for an "examined life", and on the possibility of a universal and absolute morality.

Found in the Apology, "(T1) To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows when one does not know. No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evils. And surely it is the most blameworthy ignorance to believe one knows what one does not know. It is perhaps on this point and in this respect, gentlemen, that I defer from the majority of men, and if I were to claim that I am wiser than anyone in anything, it would be in this, that as I have no adequate knowledge of things in the underworld, so I do not think that I have. I do know, however, that it is wicked and shameful to do wrong, to disobey one's superior, be he god or man. I shall never fear or avoid things of which I do not know, whether they may not be good rather than things that I know to be bad. ( Apology 29a4-b9; Grube [ 1981] trans.)" (pg 224/Hugh H. Benson)

Socrates insists on trying to develop a universally relevant definition of knowledge. Socrates believed that there was such a thing as absolute knowledge and absolute truth and that these were ultimately knowable. Thus to know there is absolute truth and knowledge is knowledge itself.

Socrates may have been the first Greek philosopher to speak of the soul as the seat of knowledge and ignorance, goodness and badness. For example to do wrong was to damage one's soul.

"All I do is go about urging you, young and old, not to care for your bodies but for the protection of your souls."

(Plato "Apology" 30B)

Socrates encouraged others to pay attention to the mind and soul and not be taken by the desires and needs of the flesh. He did not care about his appearance. He made much of his contact with those he chose to debate with in the gymnasium who's attention to the desires of the flesh were prevalent.

The Socratic method, was one of of leading himself and others to understanding through questioning and dialog in the gymnasium. This process required the participants to explain their beliefs and understanding. His favorite approach was to lead the participants into an argument while claiming ignorance of the matter, a technique known as Socratic irony.

"Then what does the skill we can call justice supply and to whom?"

"If we are to be consistent, Socrates, it must be the skill that enables us to help one's friends and injure one's enemies."

"So Simonides says that justice is to benefit one's friends and harm one's enemies?"

"I think so."

"Who then is best able to benefit his friends and harm his enemies in matters of health?"

"A