Download Socrates - CLN4U-Cummings

Jacob Jaroszewski & Josh Biggs
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• SocrateS waS born in 469 BC and died in 399 BC. Socrates
lived his 70 year of life in Athens Greece.
• For Socrates, philosophy & the love of wisdom, was
itself a sacred path, a “holy quest and not a game to be
taken lightly. ”
• According to the “ dialog Meno”, Socrates believed in
the reincarnation of an eternal soul which contained
all knowledge. Though Unfortunately at birth, it is
said we lose touch with that knowledge, and now we
need to be reminded of what we already know (rather
than learning something new). So we re-teach ourselves
in our new life.
• Not everyone in Athens loved Socrates, due to his “
unorthodox political and religious views” it gave
the people of Athens a solid reason to sentence him
• Socrates died because he was accused of refusing
to recognize the gods that were recognized by the
state and was also accused of “Corrupting the mind
of the youth. ”
• The Athenian jury sentenced Socrates to death by
drinking a cup of poison hemlock. He was not forced
by other men to drink it. He drank the entire cup
himself.
PHILISOPHICAL BELIEFS
• SocrateS wrote nothing becauSe he felt that knowledge waS
a living, interactive thing. And accurate information on him
can only be found through people he has influenced.
• SocrateS waS againSt democracy and he thought the
smartest people should make the decisions for
everyone.
• Since SocrateS Searched for knowledge rather than
victory over an opponent, his purpose was to pursuit
truth.
• he called everything into queStion and he had a
determination to accept nothing less than an adequate
account of the nature of things.
• SocrateS SubStantially demonStrateS that poSitive law
must be grounded in natural law.
• SocrateS put hiS effortS into baSing all poSitive law
within natural law.
• So SocrateS believeS that ethical deciSionS Should be
made considering natural law. the base at which positive
law will grow.
• he put moSt effort into ethicS (what iS right and wrong)
and logic (study of reasoning).
• the neceSSity of doing what one thinkS iS right even in
the face of universal opposition.
views on law
• Socrates was against democracy and he thought the
smartest people should make the decisions for everyone
• SocrateS SayS “that idealS belong in a world that only the
wiSe man can underStand.” he believed the only people who
could fairly govern a society would be philosophers.
• SocrateS had Strong beliefS between law and morality.
• SocrateS iS clear that moSt lawS need to be followed by
the people, and disobedience of these laws is rarely
justified.
• he believeS humanS Should conduct life to not increaSe
material or natural wealth (family, money) but concentrate
on how to increase the welfare of your soul or virtue. (the
quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong)
• he believed that behaving wrongly towardS the people
is behaving wrongly towards the city, and its laws.
• believeS that to wrong againSt the law iS to wrong againSt
everybody who abides by the law.
• that city lawS Should be reSpected even to
equal the laws of thy own father and mother.
• believeS Someone Should not obey a law
because it is a law but because it is the
moral thing to do.
• believeS it iS an immoral life to follow
others opinions on morality.
applicability of SocrateS’
THINKING TO PRESENT DAY
• SocrateS teachingS of abSolute truth will alwayS apply to
mankind. But truth requires knowledge. And that what is taught
by law or parents is not always what is right in terms of your
moral life. But to find this truth you first must explore and
consciously make decisions based on your moral reasoning.
• SocrateS’ teachingS of truth, are very applicable to the
science world, religious world, and political world of today.
“modern philoSophy”