2006-12-26 04:47:13 · 9 answers · asked by Mergeman 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Most of what is now known about Socrates is derived from information that recurs across various contemporary sources: the dialogues written by Plato, one of Socrates' students; the works of Xenophon, one of his contemporaries; and writings by Aristophanes and Aristotle. Anything Socrates wrote himself has not survived. Additionally, Aristophanes' account of Socrates is in fact a satirical attack on philosophers and does not purport to be a factual account of events in the life of Socrates; indeed, some have suggested he may never have existed at all, except as a rhetorical device. Another complication is the Ancient Greek tradition of scholars attributing their own ideas, theories and sometimes even personal traits to their mentors, a tradition Plato appears to have followed. Gabriele Giannantoni, in his monumental 1991 work Socratis et Socraticorum Reliquiae, attempts to compile every scrap of evidence regarding Socrates, including material attributed to Aeschines Socraticus, Antisthenes and a number of others supposed to have known him.
2006-12-26 04:58:13 · answer #1 · answered by Brian and Kari 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are only two authors who have works regarding Socrates; Xenophon, "Conversations with Socrates" and of course Plato's early dialogues.(Euthryphro, Apology) Plato's middle dialogues, Socrates is a mouth piece not the historical person. Socrates himself left no written works.
2006-12-26 13:08:32 · answer #2 · answered by tigranvp2001 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I remember correctly I believe anything written about Socrate's was written by his friend Plato. As far as Socrate's writings I do not know.
I took a phil. course last semester but I didn't keep my book so I can not tell you that this is 100 % correct.
Try wikapedia. website it should give you the info. your looking for.
2006-12-26 12:58:25 · answer #3 · answered by Peanut 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are referring to an actual scroll or document, then the answer is no. When the library at Alexandria was burned by the Huns, thousands of irreplaceable documents like his original writings went with it. For my money, it was the worst disaster in history.
2006-12-26 13:16:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Socrates could neither read nor write.
2006-12-26 12:58:29 · answer #5 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. He philosophized verbally and his words were written by his followers.But their transcriptions do not survive - they were re-written and passed on from era to era. The word you are looking for in "extant" - it means survival of original writing.
2006-12-26 12:56:31 · answer #6 · answered by Miz Teri 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
Everything that survives was recorded by Plato.
2006-12-26 12:55:50 · answer #7 · answered by Oldbeard 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, he never wrote any of his teachings. The closest documentation of his works is through his student Plato.
2006-12-26 13:08:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, all of his ideas were later carried out by Plato.
2006-12-26 13:00:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋