Socrates

Socrates was an ancient Greek thinker who lived in the city of Athens. He was born around 470 BCE and died in 399 BCE. He did not write books or leave written records. What is known about him comes from the writings of others. The most important sources are Plato and Xenophon, who were his students, and the playwright Aristophanes. Socrates spent much of his life talking with people in public places. He asked questions about everyday ideas such as justice, courage, and knowledge.

Socrates believed that asking questions was the best way to examine ideas. He often spoke with citizens in the marketplace. This public space was called the agora. He asked simple questions at first. Then he asked deeper questions that made people think carefully. This way of teaching is now called the Socratic method. It is a method of learning by asking and answering questions. Socrates did not claim to have special knowledge. He often said that he knew very little.

Socrates did not charge money for teaching. This was different from other teachers at the time. Some teachers, called sophists, were paid to teach skills like public speaking. Socrates criticized sophists. He believed they focused on winning arguments rather than finding truth. Many people admired Socrates. Others felt uncomfortable with his questions. Some thought he made important people look foolish in public.

In 399 BCE, Socrates was put on trial in Athens. He was accused of not honoring the city’s gods and of corrupting the youth. Corrupting the youth meant influencing young people in harmful ways. The trial was held in front of a large jury of citizens. Socrates defended himself by speaking openly. He did not beg for mercy or change his ideas. The jury found him guilty.

The punishment was death. Socrates was sentenced to drink poison made from hemlock, a poisonous plant. His friends offered to help him escape. Socrates refused. He believed he should obey the laws of Athens, even if they were unfair to him. He drank the poison and died calmly, according to later writings. His death became one of the most well-known events in ancient Greek history.

Socrates had a strong influence on later thinkers. His student Plato wrote many dialogues that include Socrates as a main character. Through Plato’s works, Socrates became a central figure in ancient Greek thought. His method of questioning and his life in Athens continue to be discussed in historical studies of ancient Greece.