Summary:
Socrates was one of the first true intellectuals in human history. Socrates was a revolutionary thinker in that he recognized the benefits and importance of studying philosophical elements instead of devoting his life to religion.
Socrates was one of the first true intellectuals in human history. The societal conventions of his time condemned intellectual enlightenment. They viewed secular knowledge as an obstruction of the path to spiritual enlightenment which was far superior to any intellectual exploits. Socrates was a revolutionary thinker in that he recognized the benefits and importance of studying philosophical elements instead of devoting his life to religion. In the eyes of his contemporaries, Socrates' defiance of tradition and religion as the sole importance of life and thought was so unorthodox that it was punishable by death. According to The Human Record, "Socrates refused to accept the answers of tradition and the way of the past as infallible guides to wisdom and behavior" (Human Record 115). To members of Athenian society, this refusal was completely unacceptable. Even worse to his fellow citizens was Socrates' desire to spread his knowledge and his tendency to encourage others to follow him on his "uncompromising search for truth and goodness of soul" aside from religion (Human Record 119). For his devotion to science, rational thought, secularism, and defiance of religion as life's sole purpose, Socrates' fellow citizens condemned him to death. He was charged with "impiety against the gods and corruption of youth" (Human Record 119). Following his indictment, Socrates was given a final chance to repent- he could terminate his teachings and abandon his pursuit of secular knowledge. However, Socrates was so devoted to his beliefs that he refused his final chance and chose to die to prove his strength in his convictions.
I completely disagree with Socrates' charges. I feel that by condemning him, it was like condemning their whole society to s closed-mindedness; they limited themselves and are ignoring the unique gift of reason that god gave us human beings. As a result, the Athenians were becoming practically indiscernible from their rival city-state Sparta whose citizens deny their ability to reason and ignore their potential to learn and grow intellectually. Athens is superior to others because of our unique conception of the human as an individual and our idea and effective institution of democracy. After all, Athens is also called the city of wisdom because of the guardian Athena which it is named after ( goddess of wisdom).
The Athenians' value of human individuality is evident in Hippocrates' medical dissertation, On the Sacred Disease. In his report, Hippocrates noted that diseases cannot be cured by worshiping the gods or any other form of superstition. Hippocrates noted that "the physician can do without attention to purifications, spells, and all other forms of hocus-pocus" to cure his patient (Human Record 105). Hippocrates recognized the power of science and the secular, scientific knowledge of the physician as a solution for medical problems. He criticized patients who relied on the gods for help. In his thesis Hippocrates states, "if the patient recovers [doctors] reap the honor and the credit; if the patient dies, they have a perfect defense: the gods, not they, are to blame, seeing as they had administered nothing to eat or drink in the way of medicine" (Human Record 104). Hippocrates is criticizing the flawed logic in this practice and essentially calling those doctors, who called on religion for a cure, cowards. He also stated that doctors who practiced medicine using god as their cure used "superstition as camouflage for their own inability to offer any help" (Human Record 104). Through his assertions about the uselessness of incorporating god into medicine as well as his condemnation of doctors relying on divine intervention, it is easy to see that Hippocrates valued scientific knowledge and medical practice based on a scientific method. The concept of individuality rises out of these assertions. Because humans no longer have to rely on the gods for physical salvation, they gain individual significance. There is a shift in power. Life and death are now in the hands of the doctor instead of the gods. Socrates devoted his life to pursuing secular truth and scientific knowledge and believed humans would benefit immensely from these truths. Hippocrates' theory that scientific medicine is a more effective cure than divine intervention, supports Socrates' convictions in knowledge. Therefore, the charges against Socrates are completely invalid since his beliefs are apparently, at least according to Hippocrates and his encounters with illness, worth noting.
Similarly, another philosopher called Thucydides acknowledged Athens' unique place in the world as thinkers and seekers of knowledge. His theories are in are similar to those of Socrates. Thucydides emphasizes that the reasons Athenians have such rewarding and comfortable lives is because of their form of government. He asserts that their democracy "is in the hands of the many and not of the few" (Human Record 108). Unlike other societies around them, gods did not select leaders to control the community. Every citizen's opinions, likes, dislikes, and suggestions are taken into consideration and it is these opinions, likes, dislikes, and suggestions that construct their blissful community. Thucydides believes that Athenian citizens have a genuine interest in learning about their community, and about studying and improving their form of government. As a result, their community thrives. For example, Thucydides states, "[Athenians] alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs, not as harmless, but as a useless character" (Human Record 108). As Socrates promoted, Athenians think rationally and have a desire to become enlightened intellectually. As a result, their democracy is an extremely effective government. Once again, an Athenian philosopher has presented tangible evidence that secular knowledge and the pursuit of intellectual enlightenment (all of Socrates' ideas) are beneficial to society.
After considering the testaments of Thucydides and Hippocrates that knowledge is advantageous to the cultural, social, and political advancement and betterment of Athenian society, it is virtually impossible to condemn Socrates to death for his contributions to these important ideas. Socrates stated, "I go about arousing, and urging and reproaching each one of you, constantly alighting upon you everywhere the whole day long" (Human Record 118). If he had not inspired so many people to become thinkers as he was, and to explore secular ideas, Athenian society would not have thrived as it did. In fact, modern society probably would not be as intellectually advanced as it is today had its predecessors such as Socrates, Thucydides, and Hippocrates, listened to the governors of their society and followed their rules prohibiting the pursuit of knowledge.
The Wisdom of Socrates
Jason Scholz-Karabakakis
Great Books
Charles Wentworth
May 4, 2005
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