Socrates of Platonic Dialogue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Socrates of Platonic Dialogue - Essay Example Their parents, however, were often displeased with his influence on their offspring, and his earlier association with opponents of the democratic regime had already made him a controversial political figure. He made profession of no knowledge except of his own ignorance, and the famous "Socratic irony" was shown in his attitude of apparent willingness to learn from anyone who professed to know. The inevitable result of such conversations, however, was the reduction of the would-be instructor to a state either of irritation at the unmasking of his pretensions, or of humility and eagerness to be instructed by his questioner. It was natural that such a habit should create enemies, and Socrates was finally accused of introducing new gods and of corrupting the youth. His defense was conducted with his customary firm adherence to his convictions, and with entire fearlessness of consequences. He could, in all probability, have easily escaped the death sentence had he been willing to take a conciliatory tone, but he chose to drink the hemlock died (B.C. 399) a martyr to his unswerving devotion to truth. Socrates wrote nothing from which we may ascertain anything about himself and his philosophy. We have to depend on the information derived form the works of two of his distinguished scholars Plato and Xenophon and one his satirist Aristophanes. But unfortunately, these three sources also have quite contradictory views about Socrates which make the student of philosophy more skeptical about his philosophy. These three sources are (1) The Dialogues by Plato, the philosopher Plato, a younger contemporary and brilliant disciple of Socrates who presents Socrates as the main character in the majority of his dialogues. Plato characterizes Socrates as a prophet, a Christ-like figure whose unique way of inquiring originality of things inspires and compels us to investigate their reality and find the ultimate truth (2) The soldier and well-heeled country gentleman Xenophon (c. 430-c. 355), a petty bourgeois who presents Socrates as one of his own: a pompous, self-satisfied, rather dull Athenia n aristocrat with intellectual tastes and (3) The Clouds by Aristophanes, in which Socrates is presented as guilty of impiety and against the gods. As the Socrates presented by Plato in his Dialogues differ remarkably from that of the Socrates of the Clouds presetsnted by Aristophanes, and also as there are some doubts lingering over the originality and authenticity of both of them, we have to review them separartely in detail to find the original Socrates. 2. Socrates of the Clouds: Aristophanes (448-385 BC), Athenian playwright, was first and foremost a satirist. During his lifetime Athens was facing a period of convulsive cultural and social change which provided Aristophanes ready target in the politicians, poets, and philosophers of his day. His works show no sympathy for the aristocratic party in Athenian politics. He wrote more than 40 plays. The Clouds (423 BC) satirizes Socrates and presents him engaged in meditating about heaven above and