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Questions and Answers
When was Socrates born?
Who were the two major Greek philosophers influenced by Socrates?
How did Socrates primarily convey his views?
What philosophical view did the Ionian and Eleatic philosophers encourage?
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What did Socrates claim to hear that he called his daimon?
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What is epistemic relativism?
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What is the view that what is true for one person might not be true for another?
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What is a belief of epistemic relativism?
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What did the Sophists believe about rational argument?
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What distinguishes Socrates from the Sophists in terms of ethical matters?
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Why does epistemic relativism value reason according to the text?
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What is a key aspect of moral relativism according to the text?
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Study Notes
Socrates and the Founding of Philosophy
- Socrates (470 B.C. - 399 B.C.) is widely regarded as the founder of philosophy and rational inquiry.
- He is the first of the three major Greek philosophers, followed by his student Plato and Plato's student Aristotle.
Life of Socrates
- Socrates did not write anything himself; his views are primarily known through Plato's dialogues, where Socrates is the primary character.
- He is also known through the plays of Aristophanes and the historical writings of Xenophon.
- Socrates was a distinguished veteran who fought bravely on Athens' behalf, was eccentric, poor, ugly, brave, stoic, and temperate.
- He claimed to hear a divine inner voice, which he called his daimon, and was prone to go into catatonic states of concentration.
The Sophists and Relativism
- The conflicting views of the Ionian and Eleatic philosophers of nature led to skepticism about our ability to obtain knowledge through rational inquiry.
- The Sophists manifested this skepticism in epistemic and Moral Relativism.
- Epistemic relativism is the view that there is no objective standard for evaluating the truth or likely truth of our beliefs.
- Moral Relativism is the parallel doctrine about moral standards, holding that there are no objective grounds for judging some ethical opinions to be correct and others not.
Socrates' Method of Inquiry
- Socrates did not advance any ethical doctrines or lay claim to any knowledge about ethical matters.
- Instead, his contribution to philosophy and science came in the form of his method of inquiry, criticizing the Sophists and their relativist views.
- He pursued rational inquiry as a means of discovering the truth about ethical matters.
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Description
Learn about Socrates, the founder of philosophy and rational inquiry, who was a key figure in ancient Greek philosophy. Explore his life, views, and influence through Plato's dialogues and historical writings.
