Socrates
c. 470-399 B.C.
Often credited as the father of Western philosophy, Socrates is an ancient Greek philosopher who lived in Athens during the period between the height of its Empire and its defeat at the hands of Sparta. Socrates is something of an enigma, as we have no evidence that he wrote anything himself. All of our information about him comes from the dialogues of Plato, the plays of Aristophanes, and the dialogues of Xenophon.
Socrates married, had three children, and from Plato’s dialogues we learn that he served in the Athenian army. Socrates approached philosophical inquiry through the method of dialectics, commonly referred to as the Socratic Method. When seeking to solve a problem about Justice or the Good with his students or fellow citizens, he would begin the inquiry with questions, and in answering his questions through the process of exchanging logical arguments, they would discover an answer to the problem.
As he engaged in philosophical argument with his fellow countrymen, he made them question their notions of good, beauty, and virtue. This ultimately led to the accusation that Socrates was a heretic and corrupting the youth. The Athenian democracy found him guilty of these charges and sentenced him to death by ingesting hemlock. Socrates refused to escape from his impending doom by denouncing his philosophy or fleeing the land.
Photo - Public Domain: Death of Socrates
