The Life and The Trial of "Sukrat"

Greetings, 

                This blog is prepared in response to the 'Sunday Reading Task' assigned by our professor on the topic of  'The Life and The Trial of Socrates.' In this task we have to do some reading, and to watch some of the videos on the life of Socrates, and craft a blog on the given topic. 

The Life of Socrates 

The great philosopher, and considered as the founding figure of  Western philosophy, Socrates or Sukrat in HIndi/Arabic was born somewhat around 399 BC in the Athens, a classical city of ancient Greek. He is  prominent figure in philosophy, and was also the mentor of bright minds like Plato and Xenophon. Socrates himself never wrote anything, but account of his life can be traced from the writing of his pupils Xenophon and Plato. He was not only a philosopher but also was a war veteran. There was constant conflict between Athenians and Spartans, which is also know as Peloponnesian War.

               We get to know more about Socrates from Plato's work "Apology". This work contains valuable information about the life and the trial of Socrates, as Plato himself was present at the trial of his mentor Socrates. Much of the content of work is in form of dialogue or conversation. He was not by any chance a handsome fellow, his nose and lips were big, and eyes were unattractive. In ancient Greek, those who have grasp over oratory skills and rhetoric was honored by all the people. Socrates was famous for his rhetoric questions and answers, which later developed as 'Socratic Method'. And for just asking questions to the people he was sentenced to death during his trial by giving Hemlock poison. 

"The unexamined life is not worth living"

Socrates and Rhetoric 

'I could spend my time testing and examining people there, as I do here as to who among them is wise'

Socrates was the strangest of the all philosophers. He has a tendency to question everyone and everything. He constantly asks questions until the listener get his answer without getting any actual answer from Socrates. As we have discussed earlier that he was serves as soldier in Peloponnesian War, in which Sparta emerged as victorious. They have abolished democracy of Athens and established feudalism, which is also known as the rule of 'Thirty Tyrants'. The conflict was started, they did not like the too much questioning of Socrates, and soon falsely laid charges against him as traitor and atheist, who by means of asking question corrupts the youth of Athens. Socrates was presented at the jury and his trial begun.

True Wisdom

'Human wisdom was relatively worthless, and his wisdom came in understanding this'

One famous anecdote about Socrates is that he was declared the wisest man in all of Athens by the Oracle of Delphi. Socrates believed this was not possible and started his expedition to find the smartest men in Athens. Socrates believed that he did not know anything, but one major difference between him and others was that Socrates knew he did not know anything, whereas others believed they knew something but, in fact, did not know anything. Socrates believed that true wisdom lies in recognizing one's own ignorance.

'To fear death, gentleman, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know.

The Trial of Socrates 

'That a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death ,and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods'

After being accused of atheism, Socrates was presented against the jury. Socrates had all the chance to escape death but he did not do that. Instead, it seems that Socrates willingly accepted death. When jury asked Socrates about which punishment jury should give. He in rather humorous tone said that they should provide free meals in the party. This answer enraged jury and they sentenced him to death by giving him Hemlock poison. 

'It is not much difficult to avoid death, gentleman it is much more difficult to avoid wickedness for it runs faster than death'

Watch this video to understand more about Socratic Method, 

Thank you.