Influential Philosophers Vol. 1: Socrates, The Gadfly of Athens

Would you believe that there is a figure who shaped Western thought for millennia without writing a single word?

This very person coined the phrase "I know that I know nothing". His name was Socrates and this post will provide a brief overview of who he was and his key contributions to the world of Western philosophy. 

Socrates lived from around 470-399 BCE.  Our understanding of him comes from his students, especially Plato. Plato often featured Socrates as a character in his dialogues, which served as the primary method for conveying his philosophy. Socrates was often depicted engaging the process called elenchus. 

The elenchus was Socrates' central method of inquiry. It is a form of argumentative dialogue in which Socrates cross-examined individuals (or interlocutors) regarding their claims. These claims often pertained to ethical concepts like piety, as exemplified Plato's dialogue "Euthyphro".  This process almost invariably left the interlocutor frustrated with Socrates' careful dismantling of their initial claim. Such a practice caused Socrates to name himself the "gadfly of Athens". And like any other annoying fly, he was eventually swatted.

 Socrates was charged with preaching about false gods and corrupting the youth. An Athenian jury found him guilty of the charges and he was sentenced to death. Socrates drank a poison made from hemlock and died soon after. 

Regarding his philosophy, Socrates mainly concerned himself with ethics and virtue, particularly with what it means to live a good life. His central idea was that virtue is knowledge. He believed that people did wrong out of not knowing what was virtuous. If they knew what was virtuous, they would act accordingly. Socrates also focused on the soul (psyche) as the seat of reason and morality in people. 

One of his most enduring statements was his admission of knowing nothing. Rather than a plain statement of ignorance, Socrates highlights an awareness of the limits of human knowledge. This is where wisdom can blossom from - recognizing you do not know something allows you to seek knowledge. It's also a reminder of the importance of  humility in the vastness of unknowns. 

Socrates' influence on the development of Western philosophy is profound. He had impact on Plato and Aristotle, subsequent titans of philosophy. His elenchus remains a powerful tool for critical thinking and intellectual humility.