Socrates And St. Ignatius Analysis

Socrates and St. Ignatius are both important models in the world of philosophy; particularly, they are fundamental to learning at Jesuit institutions for Jesuit education is founded upon both the traditions of the Ignatian spirituality and the Humanism that Socrates preaches. Socrates and St. Ignatius represent two models by which we can come to develop a deep understanding of ourselves and our place in this very world, otherwise known as discern. The Socratic method and Ignatian Spirituality are both meant to be outlets that free us from any type of delusion, from being vain, and from intense desires that pull us away from righteousness. Although the two men started out on the same page in terms of their goals, in many ways, the two men diverge …show more content…
That being said, Socrates method is certainly nothing short of a phenomenon. However, in my own personal opinion, constantly questioning yourself and others seems mentally exhausting. Maybe this says more about me than it does about the Socratic method, nonetheless, I don’t believe I am on this earth to question everyone and everything around me. Instead, being a young adult who lives in a world which is constantly filled with change and ambiguity, it is satisfying to know that the Ignatian spirituality recognizes this in a deep level; and instead of having one concrete way to think or act, it invites us to engage in a process of ongoing self-reflection and conversation. Moreover, when I slip into an Ignatian mode of being, long before I even knew what it was, I found that my soul feels genuinely soothed. By this, I mean that understanding that everything is the way God intended it to be allows me to maintain a positive perspective about any situation that I am in. Moreover, taking time for self-reflection and solitude has been two keys aspects of my daily life. It is important to sit down, reflect, and differentiate between true feelings and those that are fabricated by getting caught up with the things you read, hear, or see. All and all, Ignatian spirituality highlights the key components necessary to develop a deep understanding of the purpose of one’s