The Death Of Socrates: Hero, Villain, Chatterbox, Saint by Emily Wilson

Alan Brody considers whether Socrates really was a philosophy hero.

In his dialogues, Plato depicts Socrates as not only a great philosopher, but a saintly heroic figure. I can briefly convey some of the details along the following lines. Socrates believed that he was given a divinely-inspired mission to make his fellow men aware of their ignorance. Socrates’ consciousness-raising mission led him to question people about the meaning of the fundamental concepts they use to guide their lives: What is beauty/knowledge/virtue, etc? In particular, ignorance of what constitutes virtue (human excellence) impedes knowledge of the best way to live. But by living a philosophically-examined life men could come to recognize their ignorance, realize what is true and good, and discover the best life to live.

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