Socrates (Greek: 470–399 BC) was an ancient Greek
philosopher who is widely credited for laying the foundation for Western
philosophy. The most important source of information concerning Socrates
is Plato. Plato's dialogues portray Socrates as a teacher who denies
having disciples, as a man of reason who obeys a divine voice in his
head, and a pious man who is executed for the state's own expediency.
Socrates disparages the pleasures of the senses, yet is excited by
beauty; he is devoted to the education of the citizens of Athens, yet
indifferent to his own sons. He is often held to be the founder of
Western philosophy, and its most influential practitioner.
The trial and execution of Socrates was the climax of his career and the
central event of the dialogues of Plato. According to Plato, both were
unnecessary. Socrates admits in court that he could have avoided the
trial by abandoning philosophy and going home to mind his own business.
After his conviction, he could have avoided the death penalty by
escaping with the help of his friends. The reason for his cooperation
with the state's mandate forms a valuable philosophical insight in its
own right, and is best articulated by the dialogues themselves,
especially in his dialogue with Crito.
Details about Socrates are derived from three contemporary sources: the
dialogues of Plato, the plays of Aristophanes, and the dialogues of
Xenophon. There is no evidence that Socrates wrote anything himself.
Aristophanes' play The Clouds portrays Socrates as a clown who teaches
his students how to bamboozle their way out of debt. Most of
Aristophanes' works, however, function as parodies. Thus one should not
take his portrayal of Socrates at face value.
Socrates Tears Alcibiades from the Embrace of Sensual Pleasure, by Jean-Baptiste
Regnault (1791).According to Plato, Socrates' father was Sophroniscus
and his mother Phaenarete, a midwife. Socrates married Xanthippe, who
was much younger than her husband. She bore him three sons, Lamprocles,
Sophroniscus and Menexenus. His friend Crito criticized him for
abandoning his sons when he refused to try to escape before his
execution.
It is unclear how Socrates earned a living. According to Timon of Phlius
and later sources, Socrates took over the profession of stonemasonry
from his father. There is evidence that he crafted statues of the Three
Graces that stood near the Acropolis until the second century CE.
According to Xenophon's Symposium, Socrates is reported as saying he
devotes himself only to what he regards as the most important art or
occupation: discussing philosophy.
Aristophanes portrays Socrates as accepting payment for teaching and
running a sophist school with Chaerephon, in The Clouds, while in
Plato's Apology and Symposium and in Xenophon's accounts, Socrates
explicitly denies accepting payment for teaching. More specifically, in
the Apology Socrates cites his poverty as proof that he is not a
teacher.Several of Plato's dialogues refer to Socrates' military
service. Socrates says he served in the Athenian army during three
campaigns: at Potidaea, Amphipolis, and Delium.
In the Symposium Alcibiades describes Socrates' valour in the
battles of Potidaea and Delium, recounting how Socrates saved his life
in the former battle (219e-221b). Socrates' exceptional service at
Delium is also mentioned in the Laches, by the general the dialogue is
named after (181b). In the Apology Socrates compares his military
service to his courtroom troubles, and says that anyone on the jury who
thinks he ought to retreat from philosophy must also think that soldiers
should retreat when it looks like they will be killed in battle.
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THE PSYCHOLOGY
OF HAPPINESS
The psychology of happiness indicates that material assets are not
prime factors in promoting happiness, once subsistence level has
been reached. The more important factors include:
(1) Being involved in engrossing activities that are meaningful for
you;
(2) Having a purpose in life that is much bigger than yourself;
(3)Having at least one major relationship involving trust and
intimacy;
A PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
Some people think of philosophy as airy-fairy waffle that is of no
interest to anybody but academics and pretentious buffoons. Nothing
could be further from the truth. There is nothing more practical and
useful than a good philosophy of life. Each of us lives our life
from an unconscious philosophy of life - a blueprint that we follow
like Pavlov's dogs. Unless and until we make that philosophy
conscious, and change it so that it serves us instead of defeating
us, we will be the pawns of those who trained our current philosophy
of life into us.
On this website you will find elements of philsophy which can begin
the process of liberating you from the chains of an excessively
restrictive philosophy of life. Increasingly in the future, you will
also find elements of philosophy that are designed to tackle the
post-liberation event with guidance on how to live a productive
pro-social life, in harmony with others, and in just institutions,
without which there cannot be a harmonious society.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS
Success! What does that mean to you? For some people it means a
bigger car. A bigger house. More cash to blow on empty calories.
More conspicuous consumption. That, of course, is a possible way to
be. But it is not success! It is not a form of 'right livelihood'.
And is nothing to do with the road to happiness or completion as a
human being.
There are many different ways of defining and approaching personal
and professional success, and success in life in general. My
dictionary defines success as: "1. the accomplishment of an aim or
purpose. 2. the gaining of fame, wealth, or social status..." And I
would say that while number one is an important part of my
definition of success, number two quite definitely is not. If you do
what you love in life, and love the people in your life, you will
gain all the acclaim and joyful success that any person could want.
Find Out More
Click Here!
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