Socratic method

The allegory of the cave is meant to be a visual aid for Plato, through Socrates, to show how philosophers come to be from a common crowd, how they come to understand the forms, and how they should teach those who do not understand the forms and be the ones who rule over the city. A second way to view the allegory is as a description of how education begins even today. Plato starts off by comparing ignorance to living in a cave with limited knowledge, which makes sense when one thinks about how…

Socrates is a philosopher known for his teachings in Athens. He taught his entire life, where no one would bother him. Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth and inventing new gods at the age of seventy. For varies reasons which will be discussed later, the city of Athens chose to wait till this age to prosecute and execute him. Socrates chose to accept his fate instead of escaping to avoid execution. Over the course of time, reading the Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito have given us some…

In Plato’s work Meno, Socrates and Meno discuss the ability to learn. They argue that there is no true learning, only recollection and remembering topics. Meno’s Paradox is presented in this work and essentially states that there is no way for humankind to learn. I wholeheartedly disagree with Meno’s statement on the capability of acquiring new knowledge. In my paper, I will explain Meno’s Paradox and Socrates’s claim about recollection. I will then argue against Meno’s paradox and discuss my…

The symbols in “The Matrix” enhanced how the movie was to be perceived, often of the difference between reality and an illusion. The most striking part of the main characters within the Matrix is their sunglasses, which are worn by those in the Nebuchadnezzar and the “agents”. These sunglasses, which cover their eyes (a symbol of understanding), symbolize their state of sleep or ignorance. As the crew, who are asleep, wear the sunglasses to represent sleeping and being in the matrix, the agents…

Xenophon Xenophon was a student of Socrates, a soldier, historian and philosopher. He was born in Athens in the early years of the Peloponnesian War and was raised well educated and with military training. He is well-known for writing Anabasis , Memorabilia , and Apology . He developed some of his philosophical views from Socrates teachings and from war. Some these philosophies can be found in his practical treatises that provide useful information on how to do certain things such as taxation…

I do not find the argument in The Clouds persuasive for a number of reasons. One thing that has to be understood in regards to The Clouds is the person who wrote the play. Who actually was Aristophanes and how did he feel about Socrates and his opinions as a whole. From reading the play this is not something that we actually learn about, therefore it leaves the reader to wonder whether any biased opinions were involved when writing the play. Even though Socrates himself did not write the Apology…

The open skull represents how Socrates was open-minded. Socrates knew his views were not commonly accepted, but listened to objections with an open-mind, he found ways to look at all sides of an argument, and acknowledge that his opinions could be false. Contrarily, the small skulls are closed, they represent closed-minded people, people who have firm ideas and are difficult to argue with. The two skulls screaming illustrates their anger upon seeing the dove because the dove represents his ideas…

Chapter 5: Thomas Aquinas: Angelic Doctor Summary of Chapter 5: The Life of Thomas Aquinas: • The angelic doctor stands as a master in the intellectual world, and his work continues to be studied in many universities today. Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 AD near Naples, Italy. His father was a count of Aquino of the aristocracy. When he was five, Thomas arrived at the Abbey of Monte Cassino, where he studied until he enrolled at the University of Naples at fourteen. During his time there, he…

I chose to write about the Apology of Socrates. This is about Socrates where he was trying to defend himself from the Athenian Council. Socrates was accused of an evil-doer and teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others. He was also accused of “a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause.” Meletus and Anytus were two of the accuser. At the end Socrates made a speech about apologizing how he speak normal in front of…

Socrates was a Greek philosopher and the main source of Western thought. Little is known of his life except what was recorded by his students, including Plato. In Book I of Plato’s “The Republic”, Socrates and Glaucon were ‘asked’ to join Polemarchus along with Adeimantus and others at Polemarchus’ house (sp. 327-328c). Even though he was coerced into this discussion, Socrates shared his knowledge with the assembly. Socrates’ intentions were to get his interlocutors at the Piraeus to adopt the…