The Socratic Method Essays - 975 Words

From the works of Plato to the views of Socrates, the definition of justice has been argued and disputed by the wisest. Socrates believed that justice was good and discovered a universal good; therefore every man is capable of finding good. Good exists as happiness, determined by what we value most. What lies in the midst of our thoughts, that an â€Å"unexamined life† is acceptable? Through the use of questioning we begin to break down the walls of ignorance and live a life that is worth living. In 399 B.C., three Athenian citizens brought a public charge against Socrates, which is seen throughout the book, The Apology. Like all other Greeks, specifically the Athenians believed that the gods would damn the entire city if people went against†¦show more content†¦The politicians, poets, and artisans were perplexed at his continual questions that they failed to realize that they had no wisdom; they didn’t realize their ignorance. Refusing to stay quiet, even after his conviction, say states that he would rather die than give up philosophy saying that, â€Å"an unexamined life is not worth living.† He could have chosen life in prison or exile – examining the world around him – but without his â€Å"examined life† there is no point. How should we live? What is the goal of living? What is the knowledge we lack? Good things are contributed from happiness. Real wisdom is seen through happiness, in the way we value things. Everything else we value is what we account as good, valuing them because we believe it coincides with happiness. What is an unexamined life? An unexamined life is a life that does not question. A foundation is formed when we begin to question what is seen and see what is virtuous and excellent. Socrates refused to consider living an unexamined life because he wanted to show people the ignorance that foreshadows their mind. The game of illusion – knowledge that is not beneficial, leading to the wrong reality of what is important. The Socratic Method mirrors the questions, leading to reality of what is important. The Socratic Method is not available to mold individuals into conformity, enhancing self-esteem. According to Scott Greenfield, it’s not about wisdom either – we all think of ourselves as wise, butShow MoreRelatedThe Flaws of the Socratic Method1798 Words   |  8 PagesThe Flaws of the Socratic Method In Plato’s Republic, as well as in most of his other works, the philosopher writes dialogues between the character of his mentor, Socrates, and various figures meant to illustrate contradictory positions. He carefully scripts the engagements in a form of discussion now called the Socratic Method, where Socrates critiques the positions of the other characters in order to find flaws in inaccurate arguments. Although this method is prevalent even today, I will makeRead MoreThe Socratic Method And Nietzsche s Objections1390 Words   |  6 Pages The Socratic Method and Nietzsche’s Objections In Plato’s apology, the story is told of how Chaerephon, friend of Socrates, went to the temple at Delphi to ask the oracle a question pertaining to the wisdom of Socrates, and how it compares to the rest of the men on earth. â€Å"He asked if any man was wiser than I, and the Pythian replied that no one was wiser† (Plato). This response was very confusing to Socrates because he recognized that he was not wise at all, and it troubled him for some timeRead MoreSocratic Methods2046 Words   |  9 PagesPlato: The Republic (Book II) Glaucon to Socrates: How do you classify things we call good? 1. Do you think that there are some which we would gladly have, not for their consequences, but because we appreciate them for their own sake; as, for example, enjoyment and those harmless pleasures which produce no further effects beyond the mere pleasurable experience? 2. There are some which we prize both for themselves and for their consequences as, for example, thought and sightRead MoreSocratic Method: a Superior Approach793 Words   |  4 Pageswhich theory is more effective. After analyzing Meno’s theory of examining virtue by discussing its qualities and Anytus’ refusal to discuss ideas like virtue, it is clear that the most efficient method is Socrates’ theory of recollection. Socrates’ theory of recollection, also known as the Socratic Method, is based on the idea that our soul is immortal and has already experienced everything. Because of this we already know everything and the only thing left is to find a way to recollect the informationRead MoreSocratic Method Of Socrates1262 Words   |  6 Pagesconverse with ultimately forcing them to confront their own lack of knowledge through employing various methods of teaching. The first approaches Socrates used when discussing philosophical topics were the Socratic Method, in which he asked his interlocutor questions in order to determine their knowledge of a topic and not allowing them to provide examples but rather a clear definition. His method forced them to explore the topics down to the roots of what they thought they knew until they were forcedRead MorePlato s The Socratic Method2253 Words   |  10 Pageson Socrates Theories, or the Socratic method, while his later works focused on his own la ws and Xenophon s Hiero. Some of Plato s dialogues include the Meno, Symposium, Republic, and the Phaedo. The Socratic method is a form of inquiry and discussion between individuals based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to generate ideas. This paper is going to focus on a few of Plato s earlier works and how they incorporate the Socratic method, versus his later works thatRead MoreAnalysis Of Socrates As A Teacher1053 Words   |  5 PagesI Don’t Always Drink...but When I Do, I Drink Hemlock Shakes (An Analysis Into the Interesting Methods of Socrates as a Teacher) Commonly the most widely renowned teachers in history often are remembered as the most intriguing teachers in history. Scholars often ask, what made their teaching style so different, or what was so unique about this educator? Perhaps the most investigated teachers of the world often left the smallest written mark on the world. No exception to this, is the philosopher,Read MoreEuthyphro, by Plato886 Words   |  4 Pagesmethodologies of attaining this knowledge that makes him so mesmerizing. This methodology is referred to as Socratic irony, in literature. In any case, I will introduce the argument that Platos Euthyphro is extremely indicative of this type of methodology, for the reason being that: Socratess portrays a sense of intellectual humility. I will begin by, imposing the distinction between Socratic irony, and the one that is more familiar. As mentioned in the preceding section. The basic irony is simplyRead MoreAnalysis Of Nineteen Eighty Four By George Orwell1687 Words   |  7 Pagesarranged in a small circle with an outer circle, for this purpose, the class was participating in a Socratic circle. In a more student-based activity for the class period, Ms. Coppola allowed the students a decent amount of control over the discussions’ directions. The students had a â€Å"Do Now† question when they first walked into the door before the Socratic circles began. This was a text based Socratic circle, using the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. One group went first in the inner circleRead MoreWho Is a True Genius1007 Words   |  5 Pagessoul. Socrates used the dialectic method (now known as the Socratic method) – a way of investigating problems through dialogue discussion wherein a proble m is broken down into series of questions and the answers to those questions would gradually reveal the answer to the problem – to help them examine their respective beliefs and reshape those ideas if found to be in error. Through this method, he would be able to help them help themselves. This Socratic method is one of his legacies to humanity