Socrates Essay

Question 1

Quote to use in Introduction, about the gadfly.

Answer 1

“Athens is like a sluggish horse, and I am the gadfly trying to sting it to life” - Socrates.

Question 2

What were 3 of Socrate’s key ideologies?

Answer 2

Questioning traditional beliefs held by the gods, the promotion of intellectual inquiry and questioning, and challenging the traditional stories of the gods and ideas of corruption.

Question 3

Who challenged these ideologies of Socrates?

Answer 3

Chaerephone, Athenian society, Crito, Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon.

Question 4

What was the situation with the Delphic Oracle?

Answer 4

Chaerephone visited the Delphic Oracle and asked the Pineathean princess “Who is the wisest?” In which she responds that Socrates is the wisest.

Question 5

What does Socrates begin doing in response to the Pineathean Princess?

Answer 5

He begins to challenge those who consider themselves wise, giving birth to the Socrate Method, a method of questioning also called elenchus.

Question 6

What did the Socratic Method involve?

Answer 6

Which means examining and refuting definitions until a satisfactory definition is reached. Socrates saw that this involved reaching a crucial stage, which he called aporia, a sense of losing one’s way or being at a loss.

Question 7

Who did Socrates interview to see if they possessed wisdom?

Answer 7

He interviewed politicians, poets, and skilled craftsmen.

Question 8

What quote reflects Socrate’s deep humility and the foundation of the Socratic method?

Answer 8

“I only know one thing, and that is I know nothing” - Socrates.

Question 9

What is an example of when Socrates uses the Socratic Method?

Answer 9

When Socrates questions Euthyphro on the idea of holiness in “The Euthyphro” by Plato.

Question 10

What did Socrates believe you had to do to act in a holy way?

Answer 10

Socrates believed that in order to act in a holy way one must be able to give a clear definition of holiness.

Question 11

Why was Euthyphro at the courts and what did Socrates think of this?

Answer 11

Euthyphro has come to the courts to file a charge of manslaughter against his father, Socrates is surprised that a son would file a charge on his father.

Question 12

What are two quotes that Euthyphro says in his argument with Socrates?

Answer 12

“Holiness is what I am doing right now” and “Holiness is what the gods approve of”.

Question 13

Socrates criticises Euthyphros argument by saying…

Answer 13

The gods disagree among themselves as to what meets their approval and this would mean that the gods would both be holy and unholy at the same time, which is impossible.

Question 14

What quote does Socrate’s say as he enjoys messing with Euthyphro after Euthyphro says “Holiness is what all the gods approve of”.

Answer 14

“Do the gods approve an action because it is holy, or is it holy because it is approved by the gods?”

Question 15

What makes Euthyphro leave the conversation with Socrates?

Answer 15

He can only supply examples and in the end becomes upset due to aporia and angrily leaves.

Question 16

What does the argument between Euthyphro and Socrates strengthen our understanding of?

Answer 16

Our understanding of holuness and the fact that it belongs to the family of morally just or right actions.

Question 17

What did the Socratic Method allow Socrate’s to conclude?

Answer 17

Conclude that he was wiser than all the others because he accepted his ignorance and tried to ‘cure’ it by searching for true knowledge.

Question 18

What did Socrate’s see himself as, towards the Athenian society?

Answer 18

He came to see himself as a stinging horsefly, challenging his fellow citizens to a greater awareness of marl values; and also as an intellectual midwife, encouraging them to draw out of their own minds the truth they were seeking.

Question 19

Quote regarding Socrates being the gadfly of the Athenian people.

Answer 19

“I am the gadfly of the Athenian people, given to them by God, and they will never have another, if they kill me”.

Question 20

What does a gadfly represent?

Answer 20

Someone who challenges the status quo, urging society to think critically and engage in self-reflection.

Question 21

What is Socrates constantly doing to irritate the Athenian people?

Answer 21

He is constantly arousing the people of Athens to make them question themselves and their intellect also by making them question their traditional values, beliefs, and ideas that they hold close to them.

Question 22

What is an example of a belief Athenians held close to them that Socrate’s challenged?

Answer 22

Socrates mistrusted the Athenian democracy, which he saw as unskilled participants being heavily relied on.

Question 23

What was a consequence to Socrates challenging the Athenians?

Answer 23

He was used as a scapegoat and killed as they needed someone to blame for the downfall of the Athenian Empire.

Question 24

What did Socrate’s challenge that led him to be taken by court, and by who?

Answer 24

Socrates challenged the traditional stories of the gods and implemented ideas of corruption, leading to Anytus, Meletus and Lycon taking Socrates to court for many charges.

Question 25

What charges did Socrate’s face?

Answer 25

Introduction to new gods, corruption of the youth and making the weaker argument stronger.

Question 26

What does the quote ‘Not a sophist but a Daimon’ mean? - Written by Plato

Answer 26

Shows how Socrates believed he sat apart from the sophists and believed true knowledge could not be taught in the way the sophists claimed and instead saw himself as more of a guided inner voice or ‘Daimon’.

Question 27

What is a sophist?

Answer 27

Sophists were educators in Athens that were known for persuasion and rhetoric in order to get money.

Question 28

What was Crito trying to convince Socrates and why?

Answer 28

Attempted to convince and help Socrates escape as he believed it would be unjust for Socrates to be killed and abandon his family and friends.

Question 29

What were the reasons why Socrates decided not to leave Athens?

Answer 29

His philosophical arguments included: the importance of obeying the laws of the state, escaping would be an unjust verdict, and that he was born an Athenian citizen and will follow the laws.

Question 30

What was the full reason why Socrates was condemned to death?

Answer 30

The Athenians have had enough of Socrate’s questions and the fact that Socrate’s didn’t take the Athenians ideas and beliefs seriously and therefore must be punished by death.