Question: (reply with your answer, I will review these on the ???? meeting)
One trait of a philosopher and draw a connection between it and something… (choose one)
(i) An example from the world/our material/etc…!
or
(ii) One thing Socrates does that represents being a philosopher (I need evidence from either dialogue or stuff referenced in ECs, canvas links, other course material… not something I find on google, etc…)?
Examples (but don’t use it)
1-)
One critical trait of a philosopher is the ability to question everything. In “The Apology”, Socrates says, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” One of the most famous philosophers believes that living a life without questioning your own beliefs, thoughts, and actions is not a life worth living. Socrates challenged people’s beliefs and asked questions to promote wisdom and truth in society.
Another example is in “Euthyphro” when Socrates asks, “Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?” Socrates asks us to challenge Euthyphro’s belief and helps him think deeper about piety. By asking him to find what it means to be pious, Socrates challenges his beliefs and his responses.
An example of how this plays out in the real world is critical thinking and science. Scientists have to challenge existing theories and look for new evidence that questions what we have already accepted. Scientists examine our world constantly and question our beliefs, much like philosophers. In the YouTube video “Philosophy: Socratic Method,” it emphasizes how Socrates’ method of questioning everything is similar to how scientists ask questions to test hypotheses, which leads to refining ideas and challenging them. Just like Albert Einstein’s theory changed the law of physics by challenging Newton’s ideas, the questioning of everything, including beliefs we call facts, leads to growth, knowledge, and wisdom.
The way Socrates questions everything is a powerful method for creating a deeper understanding, seeking knowledge, seeking the truth, and seeking wisdom.
References:
– Plato (“The Apology”)
– Plato (“Euthyphro”)
– Wireless Philosophy. “The Good Life: Plato.” YouTube
– CrashCourse. “Philosophy: Socratic Method.” YouTube
2-)
In my perspective, with the knowledge I’ve acquired through the material in class I’d say one trait of a philosopher would be curiosity. They dig deep and if you thought you couldn’t dig any deeper there goes a philosopher digging with questions that will have you second guessing everything you ever believed. For example, Socrates and his questioning. He was curious by nature, but curious with a purpose, I’d say. He questioned everything, hence curious. He also questioned your answers and asked how you came up with that particular answer. He wanted your responses to be clear and provide understanding and logic.
One thing Socrates does that represents being a philosopher as stated and demonstrated in the YouTube video Socrates on Self-Confidence is that he questioned the beliefs of others; with his curious mind and probing questions he came to the conclusion that most of people’s beliefs originated from others and what they heard or seen, but not from their own conclusions. This made Socrates ask people why they believed in certain things and to his surprise they themselves didn’t even know. Being a philosopher entails wisdom, curiosity and critical thinking. Socrates very well fit into that category and unfortunately most of us do not. Most of us are too arrogant and know-it-alls to ask deeper questions or to even be curious. I wish we had more people like Socrates.
Reference: Socrates Extra Credit YouTube Video “Socrates on Self-Confidence”
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Socrates shows he is a philosopher through his constant questioning, which reflects his curiosity and search for truth. For example, in our class discussions . we learned how he used the Socratic method to challenge others’ beliefs. He didn’t just accept what people said but asked questions like, “What do you mean by justice?” to make them think deeper. This shows that being a philosopher means not being satisfied with easy answers and always looking for a deeper understanding.
https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html.
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One thing Socrates does that represents being a philosopher (I need evidence from either dialogue or stuff referenced in ECs, canvas links, other course material… not something I find on google, etc…)?
Questioning to Seek the Truth
Something that has always defined philosophers is that they never stop asking questions and exploring their curiosity. But they don’t do it to annoy; they do it because they want to understand things deeply, even if it means making others or even themselves uncomfortable. Socrates is a great example of this, and we can see it in the dialogue
Euthyphro.
In this text, Socrates talks to a man named Euthyphro, who claims to know perfectly well what piety is (being a good person in the eyes of the gods). Socrates doesn’t believe him so easily and begins asking questions to determine whether Euthyphro truly knows what he is talking about. One of the most famous questions he asks is:
“Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?” (
Euthyphro, line 225). Basically, Socrates is questioning whether something is inherently good or if it is only good because the gods approve of it. It’s a tough question that prompts deep reflection!
Furthermore, Socrates is not satisfied with simple answers. For example, when Euthyphro says that what is pious is simply what the gods like, Socrates points out that the gods do not always agree with one another, which renders that definition useless (
Euthyphro, line 135). Socrates is not looking for easy answers, he wants answers that truly make sense.
As in the video on the
Allegory of the Cave , Plato describes prisoners who see only shadows on the walls of a cave and believe that’s all there is to reality. But one of them escapes, sees the real world, and realizes how wrong he was. Socrates is like that prisoner who breaks free: he constantly questions what others believe to uncover a greater truth.
Lastly, in another video , Sheldon Solomon explains how people often avoid thinking about difficult topics, such as death, by distracting themselves with trivialities. Socrates, on the other hand, always faced these uncomfortable issues head-on. In
Euthyphro, when he examines concepts like justice and piety, he shows that a true philosopher is not afraid to dig deeper, even when the answers are hard to accept.
In short, Socrates teaches us that being a philosopher is not about having all the answers but about asking the right questions to understand the world on a deeper level. This is something we can apply in our own lives, whether it’s questioning our decisions, social circles, or even personal relationships.
sources of information:
1.
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html. (Euthyphro By Plato)
2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWlUKJIMge4.(PLATO: The Allegory of the Cave)
3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cX-z-MyNrU. (Most people calm themselves with the trivial | Sheldon Solomon and Lex Fridman)
