Questions of Good Form

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the life and works of Socrates. It gives an historical overview of his doings and analyzes them from a critical philosophical point of view. It describes the questions he raised about God and piety, different forms of truth, and what is rational right and the nature of goodness. It also discusses other famous thinkers of the time such as Plato and Aristotle.

From the Paper:

"Socrates had long been known for questioning the premises of his society. He was a traveling teacher, who claimed that he knew nothing, and yet managed to preach his unique views through enlightening series of questions that forced whoever he may address to slowly abandon their way of thought and take a fresh look at the world. He was a sweeping, revolutionary force in the world. Unfortunately, the world does not always like revolution. He was brought up on charges on impiety; his accusers claimed that because he questioned certain preconceptions about the gods that he did not believe in them, and that he corrupted the innocent minds of youth. The penalty he faced was death. It was against this truly significant background that he undertook to debate the origin of piety and goodness. On his way to trial, he stopped one Euthyphro, a man proclaimed as a prophet and seer of the gods. ?Tell me then, what is the pious, and what the impious, do you say" (Euthyphro, 5d) This is a vital question not only in terms of Socrates' impending need to defend himself before his judges, but also in the scope of the world. After all, if piety is a supreme virtue, then surely one ought to know what it is. "

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