Truths About Socrates

For many people, Socrates is known for mainly two things: that he was Greek, and that he was a philosopher. These are both true, but when asked to delve further into the Greek philosopher, most people are stumped. Socrates was indeed an astounding philosopher who made some of the greatest arguments in history, but it is important to point out that there is not a single document in history that is written by Socrates himself. All of the information that is presented in texts and dialogues are all second hand accounts from Socrates' life.

Another widely unknown fact about Socrates is that he was considered to be "a profoundly ugly man". During his life, the people in Greece believed in the beauty of the gods, and would often associate political wisdom and power with a person's physical appearance. At times, this prevented much of the public from taking Socrates seriously at first glance. Socrates also did not participate in city affairs as the majority of the people would do. He was more interested in the poorer things in life, and refused to be acknowledged as any kind of teacher.

His teaching methods were different than those of the Academies, and he focused on helping others "realize" truth by conversing with them rather than bluntly telling them. He used irony in his dialogues and was seen as a rather laid back and humorous individual who did not want anything to do with material wealth.

Yet, despite his reputation for being a well-loved philosopher, one of the things he is most famous for is his untimely death. He was sentenced to death under the crimes of "corrupting the youth and interfering with the religion of the city". Although several of his students argued against him, he gracefully accepted his sentence by drinking hemlock without any hesitance.

Socrates was an intelligent philosopher who was well respected by many people of Greece, yet he was probably one of the most underestimated men during his lifetime. Perhaps if he looked different, followed the norms of society, and accepted himself as a dedicated teacher, the history of Greece would be drastically different. He may have been taken more seriously by the public and not questioned by the Athenian government. However, it could be because of these traits that his teachings were so influential and one of a kind.

Sources:

http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/socr.htm

http://www.san.beck.org/SocraticProblem.html

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/socrates/