easy question.. come on!
2007-01-16 12:23:49 · 7 answers · asked by mimi.farrugia 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Socrates was given a choice. Renounce his teachings or die. He taught that all men must strive for the greater good, and die for it if necessary, becoming honorable by the sacrifice. He was therefore obliged to die in order not to contradict himself.
2007-01-16 13:50:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Firstly it was never his knowledge that made him great. It was his wisdom. The Athenians asked the Oracle at Delphi if there was a wiser man than he & the answer with strange unequivocation was, no.
Now, he didn't survive because of his pride. He could have elected a lesser fate than hemlock but he thought it would imply guilt. This he could not stomach. Then he friends offered to free him by whatever means they could & he refused them also. He had numerous chances & took none of them. He is, sadly, partly to blame. Althhough for the most part it was the people of Athens at the time who should bow their heads in shame. It was, indeed a dark time for the great city.
2007-01-16 12:41:29 · answer #2 · answered by waitingforsnow 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to Plato's Dialog, the Apologia, Socrates would not live in an Athens which would not have him.
It is cool that his friends would have helped him out though.....
Edit: TT Ben, he could have, he was given an option....according to both the Platonic and the Xenophontic versions of Socrates
2007-01-16 12:30:53 · answer #3 · answered by Philip Kiriakis 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, for his time, Socrates did all right, but had he been born in the 20th century, maybe he would have read "How to win friends and influence people" to see that nobody wins when they argue.... not even Socrates.
2007-01-16 13:50:45 · answer #4 · answered by locusfire 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You got me. But I'll say this. There are people who don't understand the questions, there are people who understand but can't get the right answer, and then there are people who understand, can reason it out, but emotionally and egotistically cannot manage the change that the reasoning would create.
So, they throw Reason out of the window and Socrates takes the fall, so to speak.
2007-01-16 12:32:15 · answer #5 · answered by starryeyed 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how could he have, that would be like u stoping the spanish inqusition
2007-01-16 12:32:23 · answer #6 · answered by T. T. Ben 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, basically he talked himself to death.
2007-01-16 13:04:24 · answer #7 · answered by eks_spurt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋