Socrates Legacy

W. H. Auden once stated, “If Greek civilization had never existed, we would have never become fully conscious, which is to say that we would never have become, for better or worse, fully human.” This statement may be an exaggeration, but it is true that the contributions of ancient Greek philosophy radically shaped the world in the era in which it was prevalent (approximately 400-150 BCE), and with the expansion and blending of cultures throughout history, our society and systems of thought today have been impacted by the great minds of this period. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are three of the most influential figures in the history of Western philosophy. Collectively, they revolutionized the fields of science, rhetoric, ethics, theater, music, logic, and politics. Their predominant contribution, though, was their philosophical teachings. To some extent, the overall progression of Western culture can be attributed to their work, and they influenced many contemporaries who carried on their legacy. …show more content…
It was in a state of instability and its people were doubting everything they knew, which provided Socrates an opening to suggest new behaviors and ideas. He did not come from a wealthy family, so he received a basic Greek education and learned the modest craft of stone masonry from his father. In the later years of his schooling, though, it became evident to his teachers that he had the capacity to think deeply, and his career of pursuing greater understanding and contemplating his perceptions began. Socrates rarely wrote anything, so what we know of him and his thoughts comes from the writings of his contemporaries, such as Plato, Xenophon, and