Introduction
The assumed Socratic problems were solved long time ago. The standpoint of this paper will be opposing beliefs that are prevailing and hence the primary emphasis will be put on the pedantry and lack of creativity of Socrates. Through the reviewing of records and their theme, this paper will be able to bring out the ambiguous character and the teachings of this great thinker.
Over time, there have been many attempts that try to link up the character of this great philosopher Socrates to the decisive turning point of the Greeks spiritual history. To very great extent this attempts have always backfired. Socrates became a great philosopher, not because of his doctrine alone but because of his fate and personality. Socrates is not the founder of religion, but one can come up with some comparison between him and earlier founders of religion, and a good example is Pythagoras. The comparison comes about by Socrates using spoken teachings that were conditioned religious and were morally tendentious rather than the written doctrines. In the real sense, we see Socrates be the unacknowledged Greek forerunner of consciousness in Christianity. He is even attacked by Nietzsche to be a slave of morality. Socrates was able to speak international rationalism and at times refer to himself a “citizen of the world." We see Plato placing his doctrine through the mouth of his teacher and hence he reveals more about his teacher, than Socrates himself does show himself. And yet the aim of Socrates directions of the spirits is still unknown. For us to understand the character of Socrates, we have to focus more on the life of individuals that were his thinkers unlike in the cases of others (Meyer, 173).
Socrates was born in Athens In 469 B.C.E. His father was the Sculptor, and her mother was a midwife. All his early life he had devoted it to sculpture and later on he was forced to relinquish his vocation and started his unprecedented career in teaching. Socrates married a woman by the name Xanthippe who they were able to have children but because of the indifference that existed between them and hence she received unjust treatment from her hand. Socrates became a professional guest and spent most of his time engaging in endless discussion in conjunction with other labors and all this he did for cultured young men. The most amusing spots for this loafer were workshop, gymnasium and finally the drinking-bout (Meyer, 174).
In references to the spiritual doctrine of Greek in its general outline, Socrates can brag that he had never tried to study doctrine of his predecessors. Having all this in mind, we see Socrates is represented as the best representative of a half-educated, self-taught amateur. Who is equipped with his natural critical and sharp sense and the acids of her mother's wit? Attempts portray Socrates to be a person with unique character. In Twin of light idol, Nietzsche applies his unmasking techniques to Socrates and anyone who read this ends up putting an ironic smile on the face. We wonder to what extent was Socrates doctrine deceived him. It is very difficult for a person to determine this hence all this is because of his all dissolving and penetrative rationalism that is internally directed. He had a perfect understanding of himself on condition that there is a measure of truth in all the stories about him that one has heard. It is said that he responded to a stranger who concluded from the examinations of the face of the philosopher that Socrates was able to conceal craving and lust within his sole."You know me well! But I have overcome them all." It is seen to show that he never considered himself to be a unique character, but a character who has maintained his mastery of clear light of rationality. One is also hit by what tradition says about his appearance. He is described to be having bulging eyes, snub nose, recessed, bald head and his pot belly made him hideous even to him."Socrates," says Nietzsche, "belonged to the dregs of the populace, Socrates was rabble. One can be able to see for himself how ugly Socrates looked ugliness hence constitute an objection. In Greek, it is amounting to refutation. One wonders if Socrates was Greek (Meyer,176). In the dialogs platonic there is much that still shines through that indicate contemporary of the ancient racial stock that is seen to look at Socrates in a certain way.
What leaves people to be amazed is how come that Socrates is surrounded by young men who are talented. How comes that the Delphic oracle had selected Socrates among the wisest individuals. There must be reasons beyond reasonable doubt that had led to this kind of judgment. Socrates had demonstrated a high degree of self-possession. We describe him as a person who was unemotional, and very cautious. Socrates is seen to be an active member of military campaigns that were done in Athens although he had no rush to be in combat we still see him maintaining his iron courage in the days of the battle. While he hangs out in drinking bout and among his young people being overcome by the wine they have drunk he stills remain very sober to the last minute where he headed home without sleeping. Socrates from the above description is seen to be a master of his own to the extent that he is portrayed as the primary mode of his dialectic fencing (Meyer,178),
The fact that Socrates was able to establish a bond between the young person and older person through education makes him an icon in Greek. From that time, the concept of master and critics and student and learners was developed. The kind of relationship that was created by Socrates was for long among the customs of the Sparta s, but it was mainly from the outset. Education that was given out by Socrates had purpose of wisdom rather than gaining of courage. We see Socrates being attended by presence in which we the modernist always delegate the responsibilities. At times, it is said that he would become absent-minded periodically hence at time he became insensible for an hour. At these moments, Socrates became oblivious to everything that is happening around him. And in this instance he continued to be more rigid. From here inner voices talks to him and tell him what to do and also warned him. At time, the inner voice gives him a task that to perform while other occasions it commands him to do unimportant things. He claims that the warnings that the inner voice gives to him were correct. The inner voice at times spoke to the friends of Socrates and in many instances we see the philosopher thanking the inner voice for the warnings they give so as to prevent disasters. Through this inner voice, Socrates becomes accustomed in the promotion of visionaries hence strengthening man in his way. What is more amazing is not the voices, but the other things that are associated with this inner voice (Meyer, 179).
Socrates knew exactly what he was getting himself into by embarking on this course that finally led to his condemnation hence his death. As he was living, he had become the ruler of one faction. Socrates as a martyr in 399 B.C.E was supposed to conquer the world. The forces of democracy that had just established accused Socrates of “misleading the young" and "introducing new gods." The first indictment charge that is important is as Hegel being the first to illustrate unimpeachable with respect to the theory of perfect order putting into account practice. Kritias was among the students of Socrates and he was the bloodiest. And Alkibiades Who was played part for the defeat to crush and the attending fall from power from the war. Socrates was found guilty hence he requested for a lenient sentence as per the customs of Athens. His student tries to arrange for his escape without authorities hindering him, but he refuses (Meyer, 181). He is ready to die for what he believes. He categorically rejects the offer by his student since he is prepared to be executed hence he can portray himself as the redeemer of Christianity.
Work cited:
Meyer, Matthew H. "Human, all too human and the Socrates who plays music."International studies in philosophy 36.3 (2004): 171-182.
