Epistemology, as a branch of philosophy, largely deals with the concept of knowledge; of how this is obtained, its basic essence, and any boundaries within which it (knowledge) may be confined. Various schools of thought have worked towards deliberating this topical theme in-depth, and a great many ambiguities and/or differing points of view are prevalent. A group of philosophers believed in the notion of knowledge being justified true belief, to mean that not only did one have to believe in a certain truth, but also, it was necessary to have sufficient grounds to buttress that argument. Others (philosophers) in opposition subscribe (d) to the mantra that all knowledge is theory-laden. The field of rhetoric also attracts those inclined toward epistemology. A lot of skepticism way-lays most of the claims presented in the discipline of knowledge, as well as the means employed to produce the same.
The discourse on ‘Socrates to Sartre and beyond’, deals with a number of related topics, including “Ancient Greek Philosophy”, wherein great thinkers of the time, such as Socrates, and other lesser-known schools, particularly the Sophists, are accorded due credence.
Worth noting is the fact that Socrates, although largely infamous over the times, did not actually have any written works, but his ideologies and/or maxims are manifested in the dialogues of other renowned philosophers, mainly his student, Plato the idealist, and Aristotle.
This notwithstanding, the Socratic method was developed as influenced by Socrates, involving coming up with several questions and subsequent responses in a bid to decipher the truth of matters, commonly referred to as the Socratic method. Such step-by-step analysis ensures that truth is gradually discerned while considering a wide variety of viewpoints and/or perspectives. This ‘dogged’ search for the truth facilitated self-examination of one’s own beliefs and the validity of such stances. For example, in one of his better-recognized quotes, Socrates stated,
“..One must know thyself to be wise, and an unexamined life is not worth living…” ( qtd in Samuel E, p. 94)
On the other side of the philosophical divide were the Sophists, traceable back to the fifth (5th) century B.C., who can be regarded as a class of professional traveling teachers who, at a fee, taught any subject that was widely popular, including mathematics, grammar, and rhetoric. Fallacious reasoning was their cornerstone in their quest for power. Sophists heavily criticized the law, contemporary religion, and basic ethics, as they held a relativistic stance on all matters of knowledge, to mean that they considered some aspects and/or elements of experience and culture to be dependent upon other elements and/or aspects.
The man was the focal point of reference, as the sophists turned from concentrating on natural science to rationally examining human affairs with the betterment of the human race in mind. The common philosophy among sophists is the element of skepticism, whereby doubts are cast on various states of being. This skepticism is in several distinct forms, namely:
- Phenomenalism, which bears the notion that we only know ideas that are already in our minds
- Empiricism, which dictates that experience is the only source of knowledge
- Relativism, a doctrine stipulating that truth has no independent absolute existence, but rather, it is more dependent upon an individual, and their particular situation.
Considering the above arguments, greater weight is exerted by the Socratic Method, as the strategic analysis of information before finally arriving at the eventual truth is a far better way of discerning situations. Also, one of the shortcomings of the philosophy of Sophists is the fact that their motivation was financial gain and a hunger for power, not to mention their fallacious points of view.
References
Samuel E. “Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A history of Philosophy.” Touchstone 2002:24-120.