Thesis on "Socrates One of the Most Important Philosophical"

Thesis 4 pages (1291 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Socrates

One of the most important philosophical figures in history is represented by Socrates. He is considered to be one of the most influential characters in the history of philosophy and it is stated that he contributed to the creation of the western thinking paradigm. His life, his method of teaching, but also the circumstances of his death contributed to making him one of the best known philosophers of all time, for both who are passionate about this area and even for those who are not.

One of the main themes which Socrates focuses upon is represented by virtue. The concept of virtue is to be interpreted within the realms of ethics and morality. Naturally, the issue represented by the potential existence of a superior entity, omniscient and omnipotent is directly connected to these areas. Religion and morality have always been considered as being connected with religion providing the basis for a morally acceptable behaviour.

Socrates attempts to define virtue and by doing this he wonders if virtue/piousness/rightfulness depends on god or not. In other words, the categories of good and evil are determined by the existence of god or they actually go beyond his conception? His contemporaries believed in the existence of gods and they obeyed the laws because they feared that doing otherwise would have them punished. Thus, one can very well understand that one of the calms regarding virtue also regarded the existence of gods. In a certain sense, they acted as feared authority.

However, it is worth underlining that not all the people believed in the same gods. According to Socrates, if virtue derived from the gds and depended on them, under the circumstances in which various gods are worshiped, people respect values which are different and even contrasting. Therefore, considering that the birth and nature of virtue is to be found in the gods can not be a wise basis for providing an universally valid definition for it.

In destroying the belief according to which there is a direct connection between the gods and virtue, Socrates refers to the relationship between them. Since it had been suggested that what the gods like is what makes a thing pious, what happens when the gods have different ideas about the very same thing? Naturally, virtue fails to be defined according to a common criterion.

Euthyphro for example believes that gods do have something in common and that is their attitude regarding the things which are unjust. Just like Socrates puts it, things can divided into several opposite categories: good and evil, beautiful and ugly, just and unjust. Reason serves as an instrument for recognizing the categories that things usually belong to and normally a thing can belong to a category alone. An act of murder would be a relevant example in this respect. but, since circumstances vary even in a case of murder, a definition for virtue is still far from being reached.

It is in the same dialogue which suggests that the nature of virtue is to be found in that which is loved by all the gods. If that be the case, then any thing loved by gods indistinctively becomes pious. As the gods are capricious, this is far from being to right definition for virtue. What Socrates suggests is that good and evil are categories which exist beyond the existence of any superior entity.

The only thing that the individual is to do is acknowledge them. A virtuous man is one who does what he has to do, while the best thing to do is attempt to know yourself under the circumstances in which happiness comes from knowledge and not from the possession of material things.

As far as his mission is concerned, Socrates believed that the philosopher has a duty in protecting the city. This meant that he was supposed to constantly question everything. The fact that he… READ MORE

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