When Socrates refers to himself as a gadfly during his trial, he means that
he is like an examiner of things
. He said that “he was given to the state by the god.”(Socrates, The Apology) He means by this that he was put here to ask questions to examine life and its surroundings.
What animal does Socrates compare himself to and why?
As every student of philosophy well knows, Socrates was truly a beast, a philosophical animal par excellence. In theApology,he compares himself to
a gadfly
who has spent his entire life stinging the lethargic horse that is the city of Athens in order to keep it from falling into slumbering ignorance.
How does Socrates compare himself to a gadfly?
At 29e Socrates compares himself to a “gadfly” and Athens to “a great and noble horse”. … So, when Socrates refers to himself as a gadfly, he means to say that
he keeps Athens vigilant in the pursuit of something greater
as opposed to drifting toward respite and comfort.
How does Socrates distinguish himself?
Socrates distinguishes
himself from natural philosophers like Anaxagoras
(what we would today call scientists). … Socrates claims to not have the kind of knowledge that the Sophists profess to have and points out that he does not take money to teach anyone anything.
What are Socrates two arguments for obedience to the state?
Socrates argues that
because we have a duty to obey our parents and because the state is like a parent
, we have a duty to obey the state. If we participate under an enterprise under which we receive benefits, then fairness requires us to obey the rules of that enterprise (50e-51c).
What is your understanding of Socrates?
Socrates
believed in the power of knowledge
. He was someone who would seek knowledge through all different methods. He spent large amounts of time seeking the meaning of our own lives. A renowned deep thinker, a lover of scepticism, his questions were mainly over the daily issues of human life.
What does Plato identify as the highest level of reality?
In Plato’s metaphysics, the highest level of reality consists of
forms
. The Republic concerns the search for justice. According to Plato, injustice is a form of imbalance. … Plato believed that truths about moral and aesthetic facts exist whether we know those truths or not.
Who was Socrates What do you know about him?
Socrates was
an ancient Greek philosopher
, one of the three greatest figures of the ancient period of Western philosophy (the others were Plato and Aristotle), who lived in Athens in the 5th century BCE.
What was Socrates goal in the apology?
Plato’s teacher Socrates was found guilty of corrupting the youth by the courts of Athens and subsequently executed. The Apology describes the proceeds of the trial. Socrates’s goal in Plato’s Apology was
never to defend himself, but to continue doing his life’s work of exposing falsehood in others
.
What challenges did Socrates offer to the jury?
Socrates says he is an honest man. What is his challenge to the jury?
to not create a disturbance based on the account that Socrates will use improper language for the court room.
What three groups does Socrates test in the apology?
(a) Tests three groups:
Politicians, Poets, Craftsmen
.
What is the best reason Socrates gives us for obeying the law?
Abstract: Socrates ́ thought of justice and obedience to laws is motivated
by a will to avoid the destructive effects of Sophistic criticisms and theories of laws
. He thus requires-against theories of natural law-an almost absolute obedience to the law, as far as this law respects the legal system of the city.
What makes a good definition according to Socrates?
Socrates evaluates definitions (proposed by his interlocutors or himself)
by considering their consistency with conditions of the identity of F (F- conditions) to which he is committed
. In evaluating proposed definitions, Socrates seeks to determine their truth-value.
What is the good life according to Socrates?
Socrates definition of the good life is being able to fulfill the “inner life” by inquiring and expanding the mind to the greatest extent possible. Socrates would agree with
the good life being more important than life itself
.
What does Socrates say about virtue?
Based upon first-hand knowledge of the Greek texts, my thesis is as follows: man’s virtue, according to Socrates, is
wisdom (skill or knowledge-how) to act effectively or correctly in a given situ- ation, grounded in and based upon absolutely certain knowledge
(intellec- tual knowledge-that) .
What were the main teachings of Socrates?
- Discover and Pursue Your Life’s Purpose. Strive to discover who you are, what is your life mission, and what you are trying to become.
- Care for your soul.
- Be a good person and you will not be harmed by outside forces.
