Socrates Sense Of Virtue Essay - 1250 Words

Socrates’ sense of virtue, as established in Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Crito, and Symposium collectively, revolves around the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and justice, all in an effort to benefit the soul rather than the physical body. Given that this oftentimes contradicts standard values of honor and beauty, Socrates is targeted by many of those around him who oppose his ideas and ways of thinking, especially since the youth begin to criticize the elders’ concern for the trappings of honor and beauty rather than for interior virtues. Unlike Socrates’ case, Aeneas’ sense of virtue complies with the standard societal definition, emphasizing pietas, or respect for the gods and dedication to family and community. In his efforts to†¦show more content†¦29d). Unlike his fellows Athenians, Socrates cares little â€Å"whether a person is beautiful, or rich, or famous in any other way that most people admire† (Sym. 216e). Unwilling to c ompromise his own values, Socrates continues to challenge those around him, even at the risk of losing his own life. In Plato’s Crito, Socrates likens himself to Achilles who, insistent on avenging Patroclus’ death, â€Å"belittled death and danger, fearing much more to live as a bad man and not to avenge his friends† (Apo. 28c). Socrates holds little regard for his wellbeing when the threat of being unfaithful to his beliefs is at hand. Socrates faces a lot of opposition from the public because of the nature of his teachings as he attempts to demonstrate the value of knowledge and justice. In his apologia, having been charged with â€Å"corrupting the young† (Aen. 24b), Socrates questions Meletus mercilessly, forcing him into contradicting himself and leaving him speechless with â€Å"nothing to say† (Apo. 24d). Much of Socrates’ teachings revolve around making others aware of their own ignorance, as he does with the politician, â€Å"[try ing] to show him that he supposed he was wise, but was not† (Apo. 21c). Plato’s Symposium recounts the speech of Alcibiades in which Alcibiades describes â€Å"what an extraordinary effect [Socrates’] words always had† (Sym. 215d). According to Alcibiades, Socrates â€Å"makes it seems that his life isn’t worth living† (Sym. 216a). These kinds of lessonsShow MoreRelatedPlato s Meno And Nietzsche On Truth And Lie1720 Words   |  7 PagesOn Truth And Lie In An Extra-Moral Sense, both writers touch upon the theme of â€Å"truth† and â€Å"knowledge†. In Meno, Plato writes of a dialogue between his late mentor, Socrates and politician Meno. 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