Socrates’ Impact on Western Civilization

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Table of Contents

Key Ideas
Influence of Socrates on Platonic Idealism
Anthropocentrism as the Foundation of Western Philosophy
Ethics Forming the Basis of Western Society
Dialectics and the Art of Dialogue
General Contribution to Western Philosophy
Conclusion
Works Cited

Socrates significantly influenced the development of Western civilization, the way of thinking, and cultural values. Socrates had an enormous influence on Platonic idealism, which changed the course of the intellectual development of Western thought; he laid the foundation for most Western philosophies. An ancient Greek philosopher became one of the founders of dialectics as a method of finding the truth. The great thinker founded the ideas about social behavior and ethical rules. Socrates laid the foundation for the concept of Western ideology that exists today.

Key Ideas

The main problem in studying the activities of the Greek philosopher is that he did not leave a written legacy. However, Socrates was undoubtedly interested in the issue of ethics and virtue, defining the meaning of human life in self-knowledge. Reflecting on the problems of good and evil, Socrates concluded that the highest good is knowledge, and evil is the refusal to study one’s nature (Plato 12). Finally, the philosopher recognized the unattainable nature of knowledge, the impossibility of fully understanding the truth.

Influence of Socrates on Platonic Idealism

Platonic idealism was formed after his long and fruitful association with Socrates. Plato argues that ideas alone encapsulate the true and essential nature of things in a way that physical form cannot (Evans 55). The doctrine of ideas is an integral part of Plato’s philosophy, which later gave the name to a whole trend of philosophical thought – idealism. His philosophical thought brings the meaning of the spiritual over the bodily, the internal over the external (Evans 54). Idealism gives rise to the anthropocentric conception of the Western world, which recognizes the highest value of a human and life.

Anthropocentrism as the Foundation of Western Philosophy

Socrates was the first ancient philosopher who proclaimed the problem of the meaning of human existence as the main one for philosophy. Previously, thinkers mainly wondered about the origin of the world. Socrates transferred this focus to the individual’s inner world and introduced the concept of anthropocentrism into philosophy (Smith 4). Subsequently, the resolution of the question of human destiny formed the basis of almost any Western philosophical movement.

Ethics Forming the Basis of Western Society

The ethical teaching of Socrates marked the beginning of the creation of universal norms of behavior, many of which people still follow. Socrates defined the concepts of evil and good, assuming the achievement of the goals of self-knowledge as the highest virtue. Pleasures are the basis of human motivation, they are available goods, and evils represent absolute suffering (Plato 20). Socratic philanthropy reflects the social approach that defines Western civilization.

Dialectics and the Art of Dialogue

Socrates became famous as one of the founders of dialectics in the sense of finding the truth through conversations and disputes. His dialectical debate method detects contradictions in the interlocutor’s reasoning (Moore 130). He was the first to see the distinctness and clarity of judgments as the main sign of their truth. In disputes, Socrates sought to prove the practicality and reasonableness of the world and a human. Socrates’ main contribution to the art of polemic was to change the content of the discussion. Leading questions have appeared in the rhetorical arsenal of arguments and counterarguments (Elder and Paul 70). The debate moved from heated skirmishes to elegant and witty performances.

General Contribution to Western Philosophy

Socrates enormously influenced the entire subsequent history of Western philosophical thought and managed to make an indelible impression on his students and contemporaries. After Socrates, philosophy began to be perceived as a doctrine of how to live correctly. The main focus of philosophical knowledge was human nature, the inner world, and the soul. Socrates directed the Western world on the path of self-reflection, proclaiming self-knowledge as the goal of life. The international character of Socratic thought lies in the desire for any human activity for reflection, the achievement of virtue, and the highest good.

Socrates creates a new ethical norm, in which the role of moral concepts is especially significant. The highest good as a decision is taken by the highest goal of society, to which all its members are subject. The moral and ethical standards laid down by Socrates became the basis for the principles that guide people today. The most significant merit of Socrates was the improvement of dialogue as the primary method of reaching the truth. The famous Socratic irony is fundamental, revealing the most unexpected, often paradoxical semantic aspects of the topic under discussion. The art of dialogue, founded by Socrates, is highly valued in Western culture. The image of Socrates appeared as a beautiful example of the independence and honesty of a thinker who devoted his life to the tireless search for the truth.

Conclusion

The influence of the philosophy of Socrates on Western philosophy and the development of civilization cannot be overestimated. Due to the ancient thinker, an ethical code and moral rules of the Western world were created. Socrates extolled the art of dialogue, which throughout the development of the entire Western culture, was considered the highest form of the art of human communication. The philosopher changed the course of all Western philosophy, introducing the value of human life and the highest human good of self-knowledge.

Works Cited

Elder, Linda, and Paul, Richard. The Thinker’s Guide to Socratic Questioning. Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2019.

Evans, C. Stephen. A History of Western Philosophy: From the Pre-Socratics to Postmodernism. InterVarsity Press, 2018.

Moore, Christopher (Ed). Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Socrates. Netherlands, Brill, 2019.

Plato. Apology. Digireads.com Publishing, 2021.

Smith, Nikolas, D. (Ed.) Knowledge in Ancient Philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021.

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