Socrates

[Godiva Girl]

I am so happy that we have a Philosophy section now. I have just started learning about Philosophy and find it quite interesting. Since I am new to learning this subject I will probably use wrong words at first and may make some mistakes, please be patient with me. I just finished reading an article about the Greek Philosopher Socrates. Since I had heard his name so many times I was surprised to read that he did not write much of anything. That he was quite the antagonist and mostly tore other peoples opinion down. To those of you out there that know alot about philosophy, what is your opinion of Socrates?

[lady cop]

GG don't worry...i have never studied philosophy. all i know is what i figured out for myself!

[Godiva Girl]

Originally Posted by lady cop

GG don't worry...i have never studied philosophy. all i know is what i figured out for myself!

According to the Cambridge Dictionary of American English:
Philosophy: the study of the nature of reality and existence, of what is possible to know, and of the right and wrong behavior, or a particular set of beliefs of this type

[koan]

Socrates was one of the earliest "Fathers of Reason". He didn't write much because he taught through oral tradition and most of what is known of him was recorded by his student, Plato. He was greatly concerned with ethics and morals.

I found a good link to a brief summary of his life and work (a good refresher for myself as well ).
http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm

[Godiva Girl]

Thanks for the link, Koan. I will definitely check it out.

[anastrophe]

Originally Posted by Godiva Girl

I am so happy that we have a Philosophy section now. I have just started learning about Philosophy and find it quite interesting. Since I am new to learning this subject I will probably use wrong words at first and may make some mistakes, please be patient with me. I just finished reading an article about the Greek Philosopher Socrates. Since I had heard his name so many times I was surprised to read that he did not write much of anything. That he was quite the antagonist and mostly tore other peoples opinion down. To those of you out there that know alot about philosophy, what is your opinion of Socrates?

although i studied primarily philosophy in college (before dropping out!) i'm not terribly well read in the ancient classics. however, i can address the notion that he was an antagonist and mostly 'tore other people's opinion down'.

what you're referring to is appropriately named 'the socratic method'. it has less to do with tearing down opinions as it does getting people to question the definitions upon which their opinions are based. it's a means of understanding what we know by questioning what we know. socrates challenged people's presumptions and assumptions, and strived to get to a deeper understanding of what people took for granted. in that sense it was antagonistic, because it was based upon skepticism. but unlike the 'entrenched' skepticism of the sophists, his was based upon a genuine desire to find the root, the core of our understanding of existence.

a 'google' on 'socratic method' brings up some excellent explanations of it.

[Hawke]

We use the Socratic method quite a bit in archaeology. I'm going to use this thread to mention a nifty little website, the Perseus Project, which is run by Tufts University. This website has a lot of the Greek/Roman classics in the original and in translation, including many of the early philosophical works.

Check it out and enjoy.

I'd like to join in but I have to say first that I'm ,to coin a phrase "not very well read" so forgive me if I get left behind. The language I use may be a bit basic and as for my knowledge of the classics.....well forget it !

I always admire people who can articulate what they feel in the heart or think in thier head.

Ive often thought though, we dont always have to go back to Socrates or confucius to learn about the human condition and read instead the words of Mark Twain or Winston Churchill. Or am I just taking the easy way out ?

[Doctor Who]

Pink Floyd AND Winston Churchill? This is erratic stuff ArnoldLayne. Oh, and Galifreyans drink anything that's on offer by the way.

Originally Posted by Doctor Who

Pink Floyd AND Winston Churchill? This is erratic stuff ArnoldLayne. Oh, and Galifreyans drink anything that's on offer by the way.

Yes my brain, I'm afraid , is a little coddled and often outside my head but it keeps me from going under if I let it loose now and again