Socrates

Socrates (469–399 B.C.), Greek philosopher and mentor of Plato. Born in Athens and the son of a sculptor, Sophroniscus, Socrates became a self-appointed guide to the improvement of the intellectual and moral lives of the Athenians. His search for wisdom about right conduct used the method of discussing virtue, justice, and piety with his many listeners. He wrote nothing, but much of his life and thought is vividly recorded in the dialogues of Plato. The exact extent of Plato's indebtedness to Socrates is uncertain—e.g., it is still disputed whether the doctrine of the forms is Socratic or Platonic; but Socrates made at least 2 fundamental contributions to Western philosophy: by shifting the focus of Greek philosophy from cosmology to ethics, and by developing the “Socratic method” of inquiry. He argued that the good life is the life illuminated by reason and strove to clarify the ideas of his interlocutors by leading them to detect the inconsistencies in their beliefs. His doctrines are the basis of idealistic philosophy. Socrates' passion for self-consistency was evident even in his death. Ultimately condemned for “impiety,” he decided to accept the lawful sentence—and so remain true to his principles—rather than make good an easy escape. In prison, surrounded by disciples, he drank hemlock.

See also: Philosophy.