Ancient Greek Philosophy: Sophists and Socrates

The Sophists: Philosophy and Influence

The Sophists were a group of influential thinkers, including Pythagoras, Gorgias, and Hippias, who lived in ancient Greece during the 5th and 6th centuries BC. They originated from various city-states but developed their primary activities in Athens. The Sophists were free men who dedicated their time to matters related to language and public discourse. Their approach was characterized by several key features:

Key Characteristics of Sophist Thought

• Skepticism and Relativism: They were skeptical of objective truth and universal knowledge, believing that truth varied according to circumstances, individual sensations, and feelings.
• Interest in Education: As professionals engaged in producing knowledge, they significantly influenced Athenian society. They advocated for educational ideals that promoted humanism, equality among human beings, and preparation for public life.
• Use of Rhetoric and Eristic: They mastered rhetoric, the art of persuasive speaking, and eristic, the art of argumentative debate. Their primary aim was to triumph in public disputes and interventions.
• Human-Centered Institutions: They believed that institutions, moral norms, and political and legal structures were based on the will of humans, rather than divine or absolute principles.

Socrates: Life and Philosophy

Socrates' Life

Socrates was born in Athens in 470 BC. He participated in several battles between Spartans and Athenians. Famously, he refused to arrest an innocent citizen, for which he was condemned to death. Despite his friends preparing for him to flee, he refused, remaining consistent with the principles he had dedicated his life to teaching.

Similarities and Differences with the Sophists

Similarities

• Both Socrates and the Sophists focused their interest on politics and moral philosophy.
• Both believed that knowledge had a practical interest.
• Both were devoted to teaching activities.

Differences

• Sophists charged for their teaching; Socrates did not.
• Sophists often lectured; Socrates engaged in dialogues.
• Sophists pursued emotional reactions; Socrates pursued rational rigor.
• Sophists taught how to succeed in life; Socrates advised honesty and moral integrity.
• Sophists were skeptical and relativist; Socrates sought universal definitions.

The Socratic Method

The Socratic Method is a procedure through which universal knowledge is accessed, involving two key stages:

1. The Elenchus (Rebuttal): This stage aims to demonstrate that what is believed to be knowledge is not so, thereby making individuals aware of their ignorance. Socrates famously stated, "I know that I know nothing," recognizing the limitation of his own knowledge.
2. The Maieutic (Midwifery): This stage consists of guiding individuals, after the removal of false opinions, to discover truth themselves. Socrates claimed he did not teach, but rather helped his disciples "give birth" to knowledge. Through the Maieutic, universal concepts like the essence of beauty and justice were examined, though Socrates' primary interest was the essence of morality.

Moral Intellectualism

Moral Intellectualism is the doctrine that identifies virtue with knowledge. On this view, the wise will be good and virtuous, while the ignorant will be bad and vicious. A consequence of this thought is that there is no true sin or guilt; evil acts are a result of ignorance. Therefore, those who commit evil should not be imprisoned, but rather educated.

Socrates' daimon was similar to an inner voice of conscience, an internal divine sign that told him what he ought not to do. Socratic ethics often contradicted traditional religious teachings.