Socrates Essay

Socrates Essay

Socrates & Knowledge

Monica London

PHI105

12/18/13

Randall Knighton

Socrates is considered one of the greatest thinkers of all time. This was not because he was the most intelligent, but as he states in the Apology, it was because he knew he didn’t know everything. He enjoyed questioning people and getting them to think deeper and he would consider other’s opinions. He refers to himself as a gadfly that pesters the horse into action. This is the case in Plato’s Meno. Socrates is having a discussion with Meno on whether virtues are teachable. This conversation leads to what does it take for a man to be a success. Socrates states that there are two ways in which men succeed. They are though true knowledge and right opinion. Although there are differences between them, they both will lead to success.

Socrates refers to True Knowledge as one of the ways in which men succeed. He makes the argument that things are only beneficial when done with wisdom and knowledge because this will bring about good and happiness which then leads to success. True Knowledge is those things we know to be correct because of our own learning experiences. Everything that a person endures if directed by true knowledge can only lead to the right decision therefore to true success. Humans are flawed and make mistakes, however, if they learn from them they will make better decisions in the future. It is shown all through history that those who have learned from their mistakes ultimately succeed. For example, King David in his excitement to get the Ark of Covenant back to Jerusalem did not follow the way in which God had commanded. The driver of the cart was killed accidentally. David realized that he had not followed the Law of God. He then repented and brought the Ark of Covenant...