Zeus says...

Here is the reading and the questions (and yes, of course, you have to answer the questions!!!)

The Story of Socrates

         Hello.  My name is Plato and I am here to tell you the story of a great man, who today was sentenced to death.  This man was my teacher, Socrates.

         Socrates was born is Greece in 469 B.C.  He had trained to become a sculptor and had studied the sciences of geometry and astronomy. At one time he served in the army as a hoplite soldier! He also pursued philosophy, the love of wisdom.  As he educated himself he always tried to understand why things happened in the world.  He became famous for being a great teacher and seeker of truth.  For this he was punished.

         Had you met Socrates on the street, you would not have imagined that he possessed such a great mind.  He was quite unattractive – short and bald with beady eyes and a snub nose.  He dressed in rags, and except for fine foods, he stayed away from material things and pleasures.

         All that was important to Socrates was his teaching.  He tried to get others to reason by questioning their beliefs and seeking truth.  Here in Athens a new democracy is emerging that affects our whole society.  A group of teachers known as the “Sophists” has been growing.  Sophists do not believe that truth can be found.  Instead, they believe that truth is relative, and they deny the existence of universal standards to guide human actions.  Many have become paid teachers who instruct young men in subjects such as public speaking, rhetoric, and philosophy.  All of these are important if one is to have a career in politics.  Unfortunately, many Sophists believe that it is more important to argue effectively and persuade others to your side than it is to be right.

         Socrates was a big critic of the Sophists, for he believed that seeking truth was far greater than anything else.  An unpaid teacher, he taught on the city streets so that anyone could approach him and enter into the conversation.  This is how I, Plato, first met him. 

         Socrates taught by asking questions in what became known as “Socratic Dialogue” or the “Socratic Method.”  Socrates would examine someone else’s ideas trying to discover truth.  He would start by asking a pupil a question and then press mercilessly about why they believed a certain way.  More and more questions would be posed and challenged, and answers ridiculed, sometimes for hours!  Many students became offended, irritated, and annoyed.  However, Socrates really wanted to help others reveal ignorance, observe, analyze, and possibly gain a deeper understanding.  He was always open minded and was an inspiring teacher.

         Some Athenians, who began to resent Socrates, brought serious charges against him.  They claimed that he was not religious and that he was corrupting the youth of the polis.  They brought him to trial, and still Socrates refused to admit any wrongdoings.  Socrates was convicted and fined about $1,000 by today’s standards.  He refused to pay and escaped jail.  Then he was offered the choice of being banished from Athens forever or committing suicide by drinking hemlock poison.  Although I and many of his other followers pleaded with him to live, he was not afraid of dying and chose the hemlock.  He believed that being banished from his beloved Athens was worse than death.  Upon his death, he asked us, his pupils, to continue his teachings.

         I, Plato, fulfilled this vow by writing his teachings in two famous works, Socratic Dialogue and The Republic.  After Socrates died, I began a school called The Academy, where I taught math, science and philosophy.  One of my most promising students is named Aristotle, a man who will later go on to teach Alexander the Great!

1.    Name a famous student of Socrates.__Plato_____________________

2.    Describe Socrates’ appearance. 

   (remind you of someone?)

3.    What did the Sophists teach and to whom?

 Truth is relative so it cannot be found.  That means, everyone has a different idea of what is "Perfect" so therefore there is no such thing as "perfect".

4.    How did Socrates differ from the Sophists?

5.    What choice did Socrates make as his punishment?

6.    What are the achievements of Plato?

7.    Create a chart to show how Socrates influenced Alexander the Great.