SOCRATES PHILOSOPHER (469-399 BC)

SOCRATES (469-399 BC)

                Socrates was a Greek philosopher and is considered the father of Western philosophy. Plato was a pupil of the most famous and later taught Aristotle. Aristotle taught Alexander the Great later. With this development it can be concluded that Greek philosophy was first developed by Socrates, which later spread throughout the world has ever conquered by Alexander the Great.

                Socrates was born in 469/470 BC, his father was a sculptor named Sophronicus, and his mother was Phaenarete, a midwife. Socrates studied music, gymnastics, and grammar when he was young (subjects generally studied young children Yunanai) and then followed his father's profession as a sculptor. It is said that he is an amazing artist, and Graces statue, which was built on the road to the Acropolis has been admired by the second century BC. Socrates showed a remarkable achievement when the army and when fighting in Potidaea to save the life of General Alcibiades. Because he did not like the political affairs, then he withdrew from the world of politics and prefer to think about philosophy, so he was in a poor state.

                During the golden age of freedom and education in Athens, many teachers around Greece to educate young people. Socrates is one of the most famous teachers among these teachers. Many teachers in his day taught that one should think about the consequences of action before making a decision. Socrates taught that the consequences are not important. What is most important is that we always do what is right. He believes that if something is right, no matter what will happen to us, then we should do. Socrates also taught his students to think for themselves. He created a teaching method that is now known as the Socratic Method, which helps students to think clearly, and to question the way they think today.

                Socrates never revealed his thoughts in writing. But his thoughts in the form of actions and speech. Socrates argues that philosophy is a way of life. His teachings are seeking the truth, and he helped others to put out something that lies in the spirit of the person. That is why, he uses maieutik method, which uses the method as used by his mother in helping people who gave birth to her baby. To obtain the essential truth, Socrates used to ask the way, and with it the next question will be acquired understanding. How is the use of so-called method of induction. From the results of the induction, Socrates concluded that people who have the knowledge will have good behavior. Socrates ethics, in addition to intellectual also is rational. If the good behavior that comes from people who have the knowledge, the evil caused by people who do not have knowledge of the crime.

                The Sophists are a people who each teach knowledge always charge, but Socrates does not charge a fee to its pupils. As a result, the Sophists accused Socrates gives a new teaching, damaging the morale of the youth, and against the state ideology. That's what led him arrested and then sentenced to death by drinking poison in 399 BC, when he was 70 years old. Cicero said that Socrates had lowered philosophy from heaven, teach it to the cities, and memsaukkannya into the house -home. "That's why he was accused of introducing new gods and corrupting the morals of youth.

                Apologia written by Plato, disciple of Socrates, Socrates is a defense to these allegations when he was about to be put to death. Socrates was a wise since his youth. He is an intelligent and always use his conscience. Physically, Socrates was not a handsome man, unlike the Greeks in general are handsome. Socrates is a man of short stature, wide mouth, a bit chubby, snub nose, and eyes juts out. Despite his physical condition as it was, he had a noble personality. Socrates has a strong body and mentally resilient. In fact he never walked on the snow in the winter without complaining at all with bare feet.

                In ancient Greece, questions such as: is the purpose of life, whether the need for science? What is happiness? Is that good? Frequently asked questions. And Socrates seeks to answer these questions. As the sophists of his day, he also teaches pemikirdan to its people and turned his attention to humans. However, in addition to Socrates does not charge, he also rejected relativism and believe in objective truth. He also does not encourage people to follow their thoughts, but only encourage them to have knowledge and be aware of themselves.

                Socrates always asking various groups, including the soldiers, painters, carpenters, and even politicians. At first, questions Socrates is very easy, but every answer new questions followed by a more difficult answer, so that people who were asked to become aware of Socrates to ask something of interest, which is to obtain the truth. What is to be done by Socrates is a critique of sophistry doctrine that developed at that time. Sophism is understood that teaches that the truth can be achieved by rhetoric. Socrates was concerned with the situation, because people who are fluent speech are considered people who own and control the truth. Socrates managed to stop the teaching of the Sophists with many questions. But the effect of Socrates was taken to court on the charge does not recognize the gods recognized by the State and the accusations that he had misled and corrupting the morals of youth. Eventually he was sentenced to death by drinking poison. With his calm, Socrates said that he was willing to serve his sentence for the sake of truth it holds. Indeed, Socrates could save him from the death penalty to leave the city of Athens, but he chose to drink poison in front of crowds. Once executed, Socrates became an example to thinkers who defend the ideals of height.

                Socrates taught that virtue is the most valuable thing of all the things that a person has, and that truth is beyond the shadow of everyday experience. According to Socrates, the philosopher's task is to show how little truth known to man. The philosophers afterward many are saying that he died to set an example for those virtues.

                Socrates often quoted phrase is, "know thyself". Socrates said in the Apologia that people who live without recognizing him, the real person is not worthy to live. According to Socrates, man is an existence that if asked questions rationally, he can answer that question in a rational way. Socrates also argued that human nature does not depend on the attributes of the outside of him, but it depends on what is inside him. All the attributes given from the outside will have no meaning. Therefore, wealth, position, fame, even cleverness, everything is not important.

                The most important thing in this life according to Socrates, is the circumstances that exist in the human conscience. Socrates argues that the human soul is the essence of man, so man must put his soul happiness and improve his life. Inner state should precedence over external circumstances. Thus, a meaningful life is a life that has a good soul. Interest hidupa been achieved if people can be happy.