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Socrates and the Just Life, 2008.
This paper examines Socrates' view of the just life and why such a life is better than the unjust life.
1,410 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper presents Socrates' discussion of why the just or "good" life far exceeds the unjust or "bad" life that is given over to the rapacious pursuit of material and corporeal gratification. The author points out that the core of Socrates' moral philosophy is the emphasis on the ability of human beings to think rationally and to use moral precepts to arrive at a means of living and a way of life, which allows them to be proper citizens as well as contented and balanced individuals. The paper relates that, in this view, the soul can only be made peaceable and agreeable if a person seeks out only moral or "pure" pleasures and eschews bad actions. The author concludes that, generations later, Socrates' work continues to serve as a remarkably didactic and important contribution to the western philosophical tradition.
From the Paper
"When reviewing Socrates' "Crito", it must be said that one of the chief arguments which arises is the argument that the just life is one means - perhaps the ultimate means - by which a man (or woman, though women were not discussed as possible philosophers by Socrates or by the other ancient writers) can maintain individual freedom and not fall to the debased status of a slave. Specifically, a man or woman is not truly free unless she applies human logos (the gift of the critical, inquiring mind) to the difficult question of what is truly just and proper within a particular situation."
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Life and Death: Socrates and Gilgamesh, 2000.
An comparison of Socrates, in Plato's "Five Dialogues", and Gilgamesh, in the "Epic of Gilgamesh" - comparison on their views on death and the afterlife.
1,268 words (approx. 5.1 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 43.95
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Abstract
This paper is a comparison between the way the Socrates sees life and death and the way that Gilgamesh sees it - what they think the afterlife is like, how that belief effects the way they life their lives, the changes that Gilgamesh's views about life and death undergo through his trials, Socrates focus on reason, Gilgamesh's focus on the passions/instincts, separation of the body and soul, etc.
From the Paper
"Questions of life and death have been asked and answered in a vast number of ways by every culture and individual throughout history. In Plato: Five Dialogues and The Epic of Gilgamesh, characters Socrates and Gilgamesh understand these issues very differently. Questions of the how to live one?s life, how to come to terms with death, and what can be expected of the afterlife are three main points in which their perceptions differ. Gilgamesh struggles and evolves with these issues, while Socrates has come to terms with and accepts his beliefs on these issues."
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"Apologia of Socrates" by Socrates, 2002.
An examination of the trial and death of Socrates in "Apologia of Socrates" by Socrates.
1,545 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the beliefs of Socrates and how his aim in ?Apologia of Socrates? was to prove that death was better than a life without independent beliefs. Socrates article is written as a defense of his probable suicide and offers three points about the suicide. That he is innocent of the charges against him, that he would be going to a better place and finally that he is old and was going to die soon anyway. The Apology of Socrates is his defense at his trial, where he is found guilty. In conclusion, the writer discusses that whilst Socrates is sentenced to death, he has no fear of death.
From the Paper
"Socrates did not seem to fear death, as it was inching closer to him every day. He told his fellow Athenians that his forced suicide would come back to hunt them, because he had no doubt that one day people would recognize his wisdom and criticize the people of Athens for killing him. Socrates advised his prosecutors to juts let him die naturally, especially since he was innocent.
The Apology is Socrates' defense at his trial. Socrates is aware that his accusers have warned the jury against Socrates' eloquence. However, Socrates states that the difference between himself and his accusers is that he, unlike them, is speaking the truth."
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Socrates in "Apology", 2002.
A paper which analyzes Socrates? philosophy on life and death using Plato?s "Apology".
755 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 26.95
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Abstract
The paper shows how Socrates' philosophy on life and death is seen so clearly through Plato's "Apology". It describes the event where Socrates is charged of impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens and shows how in his speech Socrates gives his reasons for his so called Socratic method, and the impassioned self-defense of Socratic way of life.
From the Paper
"Thus for Socrates a wise man is the one who knows about his ignorance, because he knows that he does not know anything. That is why we never see Socrates advocating anything in any of his dialogues and he doesn't expose his interlocutor's ignorance in order to prove himself right or about his own doctrine. Socrates say that he doesn't know the answer either and that he is questioning that someone might provide him with better answers. Some take this claim to ignorance to be irony but I think there is strong evidence that he is sincere in his search for truth."
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Socratic Method in the "Apology", 2005.
An exploration of the Socratic philosophy of life as seen in Plato's "Apology".
920 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 3 sources, APA, $ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the Socratic philosophy of life in Plato's "Apology". The author contends that Socrates' approach to life was based on his thirst for knowledge. The paper demonstrates this claim by citing examples that demonstrate Socrates' use of logic and rhetoric in the pursuit of truth.
From the Paper
"Socrates was the most important philosopher of the fifth century B.C. His dedication to the analysis of the world and human actions through careful reasoning transformed philosophy and resonates through the mists of antiquity to our modern day existence..."
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Socrates Teachings on Soul, 2002.
A biography of the life and beliefs of Socrates with an emphasis on his teachings on soul.
2,654 words (approx. 10.6 pages), 10 sources, APA, $ 79.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the life of the Greek philospher Socrates and how he set the standard for all subsequent western philosophy through his critical reasoning, by his unwavering commitment to truth and through his own example of his life. It examines how his influence on philosophy as a way of life is of central significance for he symbolizes the uneasiness of the relationship between society and philosophy. It evaluates the four doctrines of Socrates on life: virtue is knowledge, the Elenchus (method through which Socrates exposed his interlobular ignorance), the claim to ignorance and his view of the soul - the main focus of the paper. Socrates believed that the soul is eternal and in order to prove his argument he spent his life training it to separate itself from the basic requirements of the body.
From the Paper
"However, the first is called the Argument from Opposites. Here he argues that all the things that comes to be from out of its opposite, with the intention, for example, he says that a tall man becomes only tall due to the reason that earlier he was short (7). In Plato?s dialogue, The Phaedo, Socrates holds that ?life must be lived with a view to the cultivation of the Soul".
Likewise, death is the opposite of life; therefore, living things come to be out of dead things and so going vice versa too. Thus, this argument and claim of Socrates means that there is a continuous cycle of life and death, resulting to the fact that when one dies they actually do not remain dead forever, but instead come back to life after a specific time frame. Wile on the other hand, Christians believe no life after death and have the opinion that once a human is dead there is no comeback as claimed by Socrates (7)."
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Socrates' Words in Plato's "Apology", 2005.
This paper argues that the examined life may not be inferior to the unexamined life contrary to Socrates' opposite claim in Plato's " Apology".
1,410 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, describing in Plato's " Apology", Socrates went to wise men, politicians, poets and artisans and, in each case, he found that they had no answers to his questions and that their wisdom was false; thereby, Socrates concluded that the unexamined life is a life in which one is ignorant of one's ignorance. The author argues that the over-examination of life may lead to an over-intellectualization of the world, a divorce from the sensualization of the actually mystic world and a loss of pleasure and initiative. The paper concludes that, if Plato tries to argue that the unexamined life in the sensual world is not worth living, maybe that is because he has forgotten his own body's language because the unthinking life is the most in tune with the body and the sensual nature of the real physical world.
From the Paper
"To truly understand Socrates' horror of the unexamined life, one must turn to his allegory of the cave. In this story he refers to the world as a cave in which men are prisoners. The sun beyond the cave mouth shines across objects and actors on the outside and cast shadows on the wall. These shadows are what the men in the cave, without examination, call reality. The man who has truly examined life is like one who has stepped outside the cave, and there is nothing that could convince him to go back: "if they were in the habit of conferring honors among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows ...do you think that he would care for such honors and glories, or envy the possessors of them?""
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Good Living According to Socrates, 2002.
An essay that explains what living a good life is according to the works of Socrates.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 3 sources, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper explains what living a good life means according to the Greek philosopher Socrates, based upon readings from Allegory of the Cave, Socrates and Thrasymachus, and Euthyphro, and supports the contention that the most important thing is not life, but the good life.
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Socrates, 2007.
An analysis of the religious beliefs of Socrates, comparing his works with those of Jesus Christ.
1,211 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the debate regarding the religious beliefs of Socrates. The paper argues, by providing evidence, that Socrates was a monotheist. The writer uses examples from the life and works of Socrates and compares them to the life and works of Jesus Christ to provide evidence, that despite other suggestions, Socrates believed in one God.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
His Life
Comparing to Jesus
The Confusion
Conclusion
From the Paper
"While there is much evidence that Socrates was a monotheist there are people who point to the fact that he sometimes referenced plural Gods in his teachings to claim he was in fact a polytheist. At first glance there appears to be some weight behind such an argument. However, when one takes a closer look one can see that the two are not intertwined. Socrates used the plural referral to Gods in his teaching attempts. When speaking to those who believed in many Gods he would respectfully respond in the discussion with their preferred deity name within was the plural version or "Gods". He was also known to use the plural version of the word in metaphorical discussion. The fact remains however, that whenever he spoke of his own ambitions and the decisions that he made regarding his life he spoke of ONE divine voice providing him with the guidance and the calling of his mission."
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Socrates, 2006.
This paper examines Socrates' view that "the unexamined life is not worth living".
1,743 words (approx. 7.0 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 56.95
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Abstract
In this article the writer discusses Socrates' examinations of himself and others. The writer examines Socrates' views through his writings and looks at his belief that by living the philosophical life, he has come to recognize a variety of ways in which he could have acted wrongfully. The writer discusses Socrates' view that by following his principles he has avoided many evils he might otherwise have committed. The writer concludes that unlike most people, who think they know how best to live when they do not, Socrates is aware that he does not know. He strives to benefit his fellow citizens by making them recognize that their worldly pursuits will gain them nothing until they rid themselves of their pretense to wisdom and begin in earnest to lead the examined life.
From the Paper
"What Socrates asserts, is that through the elenchos Socrates examines the manner in which his interlocutors live. This aspect of Socrates' description of his mission has received virtually no attention in scholarly accounts of the elenchos. Other commentators typically see only that Socrates employs the elenchos on propositions, demonstrating the incompatibility of his interlocutors' beliefs, and (on some accounts) showing others to be more justified. But Socrates does not say that he examines what people say or even what they believe; he says he examines people, and as we have said, by this he means examining the ways in which they live. Socrates does not say that untested propositions are not worth believing or that unexamined beliefs are not worth holding; he says that the unexamined life is not worth living."
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A Dead Socrates and a Happy Cat, 2002.
Explores the question of a life worth living within the philosophical views of Socrates.
1,400 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 1 source, $ 53.95
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Abstract
This paper will assert that it is possible to live a very happy, unexamined life. However, it will be argued that the operative word in Socrates' claim is not "happiness" but "worth". In this analysis, it becomes clear that only a life characterized by reflection upon the nature of things can be considered - at least within the parameters set by Socrates (Plato) - to be a worthwhile existence.
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The Trial of Socrates, 2005.
This paper argues that, in the trial of Socrates, Socrates was wrongfully condemned.
1,010 words (approx. 4.0 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 35.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, in his trial, Socrates was found guilty although he presented an adequate argument, but public bias wrongfully executed him. The author points out that Socrates was attempting to convey to the masses that he had followed the letter of the law on every occasion, even when it went against the decision of the Council: "I must obey the law and make my defense." The paper concludes that the Socratic Method is one of the most widespread and universal methods of deductively drawing a conclusion; thus, if Socrates corrupted the minds of the youth, then today the world is corrupted.
From the Paper
"Due to the unpopular exposure, Socrates had amassed during his quest for knowledge, the jury that heard his apology was bias; some, possibly having been ridiculed by Socrates during his search of philosophy. The people of Athens had come with the intention of convicting Socrates so that he would have been exiled. This could be seen in the dialogue between Crito and Socrates. Crito recommended to Socrates that he should flee in exile. If Socrates did so, none of the citizenry would pay any attention or care. However, Socrates being a man who had abided by the will of the State could not allow himself to flee and retain the status of a criminal. The point, which can be made from this example, is that the primary notion of the people of Athens was not for Socrates to be executed."
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The Apology of Socrates, 2004.
Analysis of Plato's "Apology", regarding the prosecution of Socrates and a summary of Socrates trial.
1,478 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 48.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the trial and execution of Socrates from the perspective of Plato, the general moral and religious ideology of Greek society during that era, Greek fathers, and prominent Athenians. The paper also provides an overview of the arguments Socrates presented in his self-defense and his reasons for refusing to escape the death penalty.
From the Paper
"As one of the greatest and most influential of all the Greek philosophers, Socrates (469--399 B.C.E.) passionately believed that just behavior was better for human beings than injustice and that morality was justified because it created happiness and well-being. Essentially, Socrates seems to have argued that just behavior, or virtue, was identical to knowledge and that true knowledge of justice would inevitably lead people to choose good over evil and therefore to have truly happy lives, regardless of their material success. Since Socrates believed that knowledge itself was sufficient for happiness, he asserted that no one knowingly behaved unjustly and that behaving justly was always in the individual's best interest. Thus, as Socrates defined it, "moral knowledge was all one needed for the good life" (Stone 168)."
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"The Trial and Death of Socrates", 2006.
This paper explores Socrates' refusal to escape his death sentence in the tragedy "The Trial and Death of Socrates."
1,409 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 0 sources, $ 46.95
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Abstract
In this paper the author explores why Socrates refused to escape his death sentence in the tragedy "The Trial and Death of Socrates." Although Socrates had opportunities to flee the prison, the author argues that Socrates felt escape would have been acting unjustly. Socrates did not want to manipulate the jury with his dialogue or use any other means except his beliefs to defend himself. The author sees the final decision of the court to be unjust in many ways. However, the author feels Socrates' acceptance of the death sentence upheld his moral beliefs.
From the Paper
" To Socrates, for anyone to live well, their soul must be in the best possible state. To achieve this state one must not commit any unjust acts. Committing an unjust act corrupts a person and ultimately harms their soul. For Socrates, having a corrupted soul, prevents him from living the best possible life. While speaking to Crito, Socrates states that "life [is not] worth living for us with [the soul] corrupted" (47e). This statement meaning that a life is not worth living unless you live it well. This can mean doing or seeking what someone's purpose in life is. To Socrates this purpose, or how he lives well, is by pursuing what is true and just. Since he can not know what is just, he must always be seeking it. He also says that one can not properly pursue what is good and just if one's soul is unjust or corrupt. Therefore, for Socrates to live a fulfilling life, he must never do anything unjust act that would harm his soul and prevent him from seeking what is just and true. For this reason, fleeing is not an option because an unjust act like that would harm his soul."
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Plato and Socrates, 2005.
"Socrates' most outstanding characteristic was that he believed he was wise only to the extent that that he knew nothing. In his use of critical reaso...
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 6 sources, $ 35.95
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"Socrates' most outstanding characteristic was that he believed he was wise only to the extent that that he knew nothing. In his use of critical reasoning, by his unwavering commitment to truth, and through the vivid example of his own life, fifth-century Athenian Socrates set the standard for all subsequent Western philosophy (Kemerling 1). The life of Socrates is synonymous with the search for justice and truth. Socrates insists that to live justly is the highest good, even when (indeed, especially when) it is inexpedient or in conflict with our perceived advantage (Taylor 22)."
From the Paper
Reason: Not enough to work with, Plato is not mentioned in the abstract.
Socrates' most outstanding characteristic was that he believed he was wise only to the extent that that he knew nothing. "In his use of critical reasoning, by his unwavering commitment to truth, and through the vivid example of his own life, fifth-century Athenian Socrates set the standard for all subsequent Western philosophy" (Kemerling 1). The life of Socrates is synonymous with the search for justice and truth. "Socrates insists that to live justly is the highest good, even when (indeed, especially when) it is inexpedient or in conflict with our perceived advantage" (Taylor 22).
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