Socrates’ Persuasions Regarding Human Existence Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

In the formation and development of philosophy in ancient Greece, Socrates had a prominent place. The subject of his philosophical reasoning is human consciousness, the soul, and life in general, but not the cosmos and nature, as it was with his predecessors. Analyzing the issues of human existence, Socrates focused on ethics and legality in his speeches and talks; he taught the norms by which people should live in society.

Socrates raised numerous vital issues, and the dilemma of the essence of goodness and piety was one of the major ones. He questioned the formation of morality and its relation to the Gods (Wundt & Titchener, 2020). Subsequently, the question of the essence of laws and obedience to them was one of the most difficult in philosophical doctrine. In Crito, Socrates refuses to break the law when it threatens his imminent ruin. In Apologia, by contrast, he expresses a bold determination to disobey the will of the Athenians, whose power is to punish non-compliance to the law.

Socrates’ position seems contradictory only on the assumption that he considers the rules imposed by the Athenian legislator as the only regulation binding on him. However, the paradox disappears if one accepts that Socrates could regard the injunction to follow Athenian law as only one of the requirements of natural rules. He is convinced of the existence of a moral obligation to follow the law, rooted in the rational nature of the regulations of the City, which are founded on the rules of nature itself.

Philosopher thus fundamentally excludes the possibility of disobeying a law he considers natural and the most significant. The only question for him is which of the injunctions of natural law is more reasonable in a particular situation (Wundt & Titchener, 2020). Therefore, a man who believes that a rational soul constitutes his nature will not commit an act contrary to virtue to save his biological existence. If the City does not allow one to lead a life filled with the care of his soul, the logic should be different. No one has the right to violate the laws of nature because they are the most significant public good.

Reference

Wundt, W. M., & Titchener, E. B. (2020). Ethics: An investigation of the facts and laws of the moral life. Routledge.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, May 16). Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence. https://ivypanda.com/essays/socrates-persuasions-regarding-human-existence/

Work Cited

"Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence." IvyPanda, 16 May 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/socrates-persuasions-regarding-human-existence/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence'. 16 May.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence." May 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/socrates-persuasions-regarding-human-existence/.

1. IvyPanda. "Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence." May 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/socrates-persuasions-regarding-human-existence/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Socrates' Persuasions Regarding Human Existence." May 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/socrates-persuasions-regarding-human-existence/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1