Introduction to Philosophy

Achieve Test Prep: Philosophy

Socrates helped to create the conceptual framework and method of inquiry for Western consciousness and culture. Socrates would provoke discussion and debate among people and helped set the foundation for academic and political discourse as practiced throughout much of the world today. The Socratic Method uses questions and analysis to draw people into an exchange of ideas regarding a central concept, in an attempt to get at the essential nature of the concept. The Socratic Method sought to strip away inconsistencies and false ideas to get to a universal truth. Conversation did not mean simply talking; it involved probing complex issues and the dynamic exchange of ideas, which are dialectic. Dialectic means that there is a goal to achieve a deep and clear rationally-founded understanding of the most significant areas of human experience-- knowledge, justice, morality, religion, beauty, goodness, and the traits of good character such as courage. Dialectic is a dynamic method involving contradiction or a technique for establishing an informed conclusion.

The Sophists were a group of influential traveling educators, who for a fee, would teach people how to argue persuasively and were opposed to Socrates’ quest for genuine knowledge and the truth.

Socrates used irony (a form of rhetoric that has at least two conflicting levels of meaning an obvious one and a hidden one) to expertly create a false sense of security in his dialogue partners and creating the conditions for unmasking their foolishness and ignorance often caused them to become angry with Socrates; this would end up contributing to his death.

Socrates’ Central Concern: The Soul For Socrates, the central concern of philosophy is the psyche, which is immortal and imperishable. The soul is your core identity, your unique spirit that makes you distinctively you.

According to Socrates, your soul is immortal, and after death, your soul should continue into another world. Socrates believed every soul seeks happiness and believes there is a clearly defined path to achieving happiness, though many do not choose to take it. Those who are truly happy are those who are virtuous and wise, and who live reflective, examined lives while striving to behave rightly and justly in every area of their lives; this leads to creating souls that are good, wise, and courageous and, as a result, people achieve genuine and lasting happiness. Many people are not happy because they have not pursued virtue and wisdom. Many people have devoted their lives to accumulating material possessions, indulging themselves in mindless pleasure, enlarging their reputations, and inflating their egos, and using their relationships with others to further their own interests; the souls of these people are diseased and corrupted, with their lives lacking

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