Socratic method

Plato’s Phaedrus is a discussion between teacher and student. In the case of Phaedrus, it is a conversation between Phaedrus and Socrates, in this Phaedrus is the student and Socrates is the teacher. They discuss a wide variety of topics and the opinion of ‘Socrates’ comes out. The topics include the theories of which is better written tradition and oral tradition. The theories they discuss include the importance of oral tradition rather than written form. Socrates discusses the importance of…

Last semester, I read Plato’s Apology. This is a review of the book that I intend to submit to the Smithsonian Magazine. Plato’s Apology is told from the prospective of the great philosopher Socrates and instead of an apology is his defense in his trial where he is accused of corrupting the youth of Greece. The title Apology is well chosen as it is the exact opposite of an apology—rather Socrates uses his closing remarks to explain why he is not sorry for his actions and that he was actually…

Legendary blues guitarist B.B. King once said, “The beautiful thing about knowledge is that no one can take it from you”. I believe to his to be true because knowledge is an intangible object that is invaluable. Knowledge stays with you for the rest of your life. Teachers are the ones who instill the knowledge and skills that students use for the rest of their lives. As a perennialist teacher my goal is to encourage students to find their own voice, empower students to become critical thinkers,…

In the court of Athens, Socrates was being tried for allegedly corrupting the youth, according to Meletus. Socrates argued that his corruption of the youth was done unintentionally and that there was no malicious intent in the conversations he had with them. Athens was a democratic state in which the people were able to think and speak freely. It will be argued that Socrates was not corrupting the youth because everyone in society has the potential to corrupt the youth. The analysis of this…

I was one of the people who watched Socrates’s trial to witness his defense against accusers Meletus, Anytus, Lycon and Athenian jurors. He was accused of not believing in Gods recognized by the State and corrupting the young people of Athens. Although the verdict did not save his life and I do not agree with him in many aspects, his plea in the trial contains lots of good points worth discussing. One of the deep discussions held between Meletus and Socrates was about the argument that Socrates…

Socrates’ Responsibilities in Plato’s The Death and Trial of Socrates Socrates has made a lasting impression on readers for millennia. Being an outspoken mind that taught his methods to others, his legacy continued through his protégée, Plato, whose own works have also greatly influenced today’s modern ideology (Class Notes January 24th). In Plato’s The Trial and Death of Socrates, Socrates is accused by Meletus of corrupting Athens’ young, creating new deities and not believing in the city’s…

knowledge and for Socrates in was a blessed journey, not a mere past time. It is said he believed in re-creation of an everlasting spirit which contained many if not all wisdom. He was aggravated with the Sophists and their way of teaching logic as a method of accomplishing self-centered ends. Socrates simply wanted the truth to all his questions, truth was something that he had faith in, cherished, and sought after. Socrates was a simple street rat with a temperamental wife and children he was…

In Plato’s Republic, justice is the main point of conversation for Socrates and his friends. Everyone has their own idea of what justice truly is, and tells Socrates what they believe. Socrates uses his general method, asking questions, to make each of the individuals tear their own idea of justice apart. Socrates idea of creating just cities and individuals comes about through questioning the other ideas of justice. First, how does the city become just? Second, how does the individual citizen…

Particularly, in the play, Artistophanes’ Clouds, the playwright depicts Socrates as the pinnacle philosopher of the Thinkery in Athens. Socrates is an influential thinker, a man who creates high pursuit for knowing the truth in determining a situation from right or wrong. Specifically, Socrates applies critical philosophy to each issue thus, finding a natural explanation for doing the right thing. However, this then leads to practical and skeptical wisdom, which Socrates uses the practical…

Contradictory, and Ungrounded Fellow citizens, I greet you once more as Simon of Athens, a simple shoemaker. Before I explain to you how the principles of this trial contradict themselves, I would like to clear some misconceptions about me and my group of Socratic followers. Firstly, I do not oppose this trial, in fact, I welcome it. It will provide me an opportunity to show how preposterous it is to let an unlettered mob of politically swayed people to pass judgement on the wisest citizen in…