...Running Head: THE PHILOSOPHY OF SOCRATES 1 The Philosophy of Socrates: A Lover of Wisdom (2052 Words) THE PHILOSOPHY OF SOCRATES 2 The lessons of life that are delivered by Socrates act as a basis for Western philosophy. Plato, the writer of The Apology, significantly respects Socrates and his dialogues act as a framework for our understanding in the passages. Our only record of his life comes from his associates, as Socrates never documented his opinions. A clear expression of Socrates’ philosophy is represented in The Apology. The purpose of this paper is to establish a clear demonstration of Socrates’ philosophy using The Apology as reference, and also explain my personal view on philosophy. In the first section of this paper, the famous statement from Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living”, will be connected when explaining three principle components of his philosophy: Irony, Method and Ethos. The second section of this paper will reveal my personal view on philosophy. Rahut’s claim on philosophy being the study of “open questions” will be supported by examples and descriptions. In the case that a question cannot be accurately answered or proven with our existing knowledge, I demonstrate that it should be classified as an ‘open question’. Throughout section 17-18 of The...
Words: 2042 - Pages: 9
...Personal Philosophy of Education Fatimah Stevenson EDU/301 May 9, 2014 Dr. R. Michael Hindermyer When going into an educational career, every teacher must develop a personal philosophy of education. “Philosophy of education is a statement of your beliefs about the purposes of education, the ways that students learn and develop and what and how students should be taught” (Philosophy, 2014). I have come to conclusion that I’m more of a student centered philosopher. I like to explore and develop responsibilities for decisions. “Student-centered philosophies are more focused on individual needs, contemporary relevance, and preparing students for a changing future. School is seen as an institution that works with youth to improve society or help students realize their individuality” (Sadker, 2005). The progressivism philosophy of education defines my own view because “promotes individual student inquiry” (Johnson, Musial, Hall, & Gollnick, 2011). In a classroom setting, I would probably have students focus on testing this by experimentation. The scientific method would be a great example, and therefore students will also be able to answer their own questions as they are experimenting. I will include open-ended questions to help students with this matter and to make students think more about the situation, problem, or picture. This particular philosophy of education is related to other philosophies such as existentialism philosophy of education. According to Sadker “Existentialism...
Words: 497 - Pages: 2
...Before we can consider some of the questions studied by philosophy it makes sense to ask what philosophy is in the first place, although this is itself subject to much debate. In this first part of a series introducing philosophy and philosophical ideas, we begin by looking at the word and some of the historical answers given before moving on to more recent opinions, also setting out the divisions typically made and the methods employed. Historical interpretations of philosophy The word philosophy has meant different things at different times, often reflecting the culture of the day. Usually we understand the term to denote the love of wisdom, from the Greek; in this sense, as it was apparently used by the famous philosopher Socrates, it gives the impression of someone who is seeking wisdom, rather than having found it. We would only call someone a physicist, say, if he or she actually had some knowledge of physics, but we describe as a philosopher someone who is aiming at wisdom without necessarily achieving it. On the other hand, philosophy has also had the negative sense of a subject full of idle speculation, useless to the practical business of finding things out and consisting mostly in irrelevant theorising. Over the course of the history of philosophy its meaning seems to have shifted depending on the cultural climate. At some stages it was thought that the ideal state of human affairs could only come to pass when philosophers are kings or vice versa; conversely...
Words: 1483 - Pages: 6
...Philosophy of psychology also closely monitors contemporary work conducted in cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and artificial intelligence, for example questioning whether psychological phenomena can be explained using the methods of neuroscience, evolutionary theory, and computational modeling, respectively. Although these are all closely related fields, some concerns still arise about the appropriateness of importing their methods into psychology. Some such concerns are whether psychology, as the study of individuals as information processing systems (see Donald Broadbent), is autonomous from what happens in the brain (even if psychologists largely agree that the brain in some sense causes behavior (see supervenience)); whether the mind is "hard-wired" enough for evolutionary investigations to be fruitful; and whether computational models can do anything more than offer possible implementations of cognitive theories that tell us nothing about the mind (Fodor & Pylyshyn 1988). Philosophy of psychology is a relatively young field because "scientific" psychology—that is, psychology that favors experimental methods over introspection—came to dominate psychological studies only in the late 19th century. One of philosophy of psychology's concerns is to evaluate the merits of the many different schools of psychology that have been and are practiced. For example, cognitive psychology's use of internal mental states might be compared with behaviorism, and the reasons...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Philosophy LueAnn Wolaridge PHL/215 February 03, 2010 Steve Elder Philosophy According to Moore, Philosophy means “to love wisdom,” the tract on which one travels seeking answers to questions of knowledge, existence, moral judgment, and society. One cannot define philosophy in one compact, single minded definition. Philosophy is to broad and thought provoking field of study to seek one concrete definition. Philosophy in my mind is an attempt to understand how we all connect in the universe. Philosophers ask questions that make one go “umm.” Because there are no wrong answers in philosophy. Each answer can provoke question after question and still not present the answer one seeks. Take the question “if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it do it make a sound?” First thought would be to say yes it does make a sound. But philosophers may argue the question, how do we know it makes a sound, it was not heard. “What is sound?” “Is sound produced only if one can hear it?” “Does falling produce sound or did the tree produce sound?” Philosophical questions are speculative, which give philosophers the road to examine different avenue of study at once. Philosophy tends to overlap other areas of study from physic, art, science, to any other subject that one can name. Any subject can be study philosophically when the right questions are asked. Questions are categorized in different areas of study. Epistemology deals with the questions concerning...
Words: 579 - Pages: 3
...PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION NAME: NANA SAM AFFUL ID NUMBER: UB225510 DATE: 25/10/2012 Philosophy of education is the philosophical study of education and the problems surrounding it. Education from my point of view means the gradual process of acquiring knowledge or the preparation for life. Philosophy on the other hand can be said to mean belief about or the method of how to live and / or the method of how to deal with a situation. The major point of philosophy of education is education, while the method use are those of philosophy. This branch similarly to philosophy of law or medicine, is usually out of the study program in philosophy department. It is thought in schools or departments of education. Philosophers of education focus on the problems of education. From a philosopher’s point of view, such studies are done with the help of classical branches of philosophy such as epistemology or the theory of knowledge, ethics, social or political philosophy, philosophy of science, philosophy of language and in some cases philosophy of mind and aesthetics. It may be part of the discipline in the sense of being concerned with the aims, forms, methods, or results of the process of education or being educated, or it may be the meta disciplinary in the sense of being concerned with the concept, aims and methods of discipline. As such, it is both part of the field of education and of the field of applied philosophy drawing from the field metaphysics...
Words: 757 - Pages: 4
...of applied philosophy or to one of any educational philosophies that promote a specific type or vision of education, and/or which examine the definition, goals and meaning of education. As an academic field, philosophy of education is "the philosophical study of education and its problems...its central subject matter is education, and its methods are those of philosophy".[1] "The philosophy of education may be either the philosophy of the process of education or the philosophy of the discipline of education. That is, it may be part of the discipline in the sense of being concerned with the aims, forms, methods, or results of the process of educating or being educated; or it may be metadisciplinary in the sense of being concerned with the concepts, aims, and methods of the discipline."[2] As such, it is both part of the field of education and a field of applied philosophy, drawing from fields of metaphysics, epistemology, axiology and the philosophical approaches (speculative, prescriptive, and/or analytic) to address questions in and about pedagogy, education policy, and curriculum, as well as the process of learning, to name a few.[3] For example, it might study what constitutes upbringing and education, the values and norms revealed through upbringing and educational practices, the limits and legitimization of education as an academic discipline, and the relation between educational theory and practice. Instead of being taught in philosophy departments, philosophy of education...
Words: 419 - Pages: 2
...Dilemma of Philosophy Debates in Research Philosophy and research approach debates are timeworn and even in the present era, present a great deal of difficulty for the doctoral researcher. Students are often overwhelmed by research philosophy. The classifications of old are duplicated, expanded, and evolving interchangeably (Mkansi & Acheampong, 2012). In many cases the students of today cannot make a correlation with a particular method in order to make the method relative to the subject matter in which they are researching (Mkansi & Acheampong, 2012). The following philosophical classifications: quantitative, qualitative, epistemology, and ontology all have variances but do contain several interconnected qualities. Many in higher education perpetuate these philosophies. Could researchers and students benefit from a standardized and more structured template for conducting research? Should there be a different standard for the social sciences and another for natural sciences. According to a study conducted with PhD students in North West Universities in the UK, not only did students not completely comprehend philosophy and classifications, they did not find them necessary in finding their approach to their research method (Mkansi & Acheampong, 2012). Most found they were not partial to one philosophy or another based on personal beliefs but were influenced more by typical methods for their field of study and the opinions of their superiors (Mkansi & Acheampong...
Words: 359 - Pages: 2
...The problem of the interaction between philosophy and science is well known. Some philosophers say that philosophy is a science while others say that it is not a science. So, philosophy differs from science as well as from religion by its methodology of cognition and also by world outlook, while science and religion consider that knowledge has only one beginning therefore there is only one true knowledge and only one true methodology of cognition. I think that scientific methodology is in many ways close to the religious one. Science supposes that there is only one proper basis of knowledge, it is experiment and rational analysis of nature, just as religion considers that there is only one source of knowledge, God (or other Absolute). Therefore there is only one methodology of searching for science (scientific theories and experiments) and only one way of cognition for religion (revelation and spiritual dialogue with God). By contrast, philosophy agrees that there are many ways of cognition, just as there are many forms of knowledge and many beginnings of that knowledge. Wisdom in my mind is the form of personal knowledge. That is why there is neither a scientific philosophy, nor a religious philosophy, but there is philosophy of science and philosophy of religion, which describe the phenomena of scientific and religious thinking. Philosophy is always personal experience and cogitation and there is no universal wisdom, which would be the same for all the people, just as there...
Words: 328 - Pages: 2
...Socrates & Plato Socrates and Plato are to be considered the modern fathers of philosophy. Their ideas of what philosophy is allowed the movement of other philosophers for many generations until it reached what we call modern time now. Even though some philosopher from younger generations don’t believe at all what Socrates and Plato taught they will still go to the roots of philosophy from which Socrates and Plato first came up with. Such things as Epistemic Humility, The Allegory of the Cave, the realm of forms, knowledge vs. opinion, and the levels of awareness. These two main philosophers’ contributions to philosophy were a new method of approaching knowledge, a new way of thinking. Socrates’ method, called dialectic, consisted in examining statements by pursuing their implications, on the assumption that if a statement were true it could not lead to false consequences. His doctrine of the soul led him to the belief that all virtues converge into one, which is the good, or knowledge of one's true self and purposes through the course of a lifetime. Knowledge in turn depends on the nature or essence of things as they really are, for the underlying forms of things are more real than their experienced exemplifications. This conception leads to a teleological view of the world that all the forms participate in and lead to the highest form, the form of the good. Socrates also believed in Epistemic Humility which is I know that I do not know, meaning if one is to understand...
Words: 775 - Pages: 4
...I Table of contents 1 Introduction........................................................................................................... 1 2 Research Methodology ......................................................................................... 1 2.1 Definition of Research Methodology............................................................. 1 2.2 Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Methodologies ............................. 2 2.3 The author’s research philosophy .................................................................. 3 3 Quantitative Methods............................................................................................ 4 4 Example for the Conduction of Quantitative Research ........................................ 5 5 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 7 Appendix.................................................................................................................. 9 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 11 1 1 Introduction Research methodology is very important because research is used in most professions as well as in science.1 Managers for example need research to achieve information about the customers and the market they intend to advertise their goods and services before making any kind of decision.2 Researchers and academics apply research...
Words: 3358 - Pages: 14
...Alain De Botton a writer, philosopher, and television presenter, explores contemporary subjects and themes to highlight philosophy in everyday life. In De Botton’s book “The Consolations of Philosophy” he uses several philosophers to help the reader interpret everyday life. In the chapter “Consolation for Unpopularity” De Botton (2000) describes how Socrates born some 2500 years ago is one of the most influential Greek Athenian philosophers, attributing Socrates with producing one of the most inspiring gifts to western philosophy. De Botton (2000, 7) describes this gift as the logic of philosophy, the art of applying logical thinking to popular ideas to produce an informed opinion and independence of mind in the face of unpopularity. De Botton (2000) poses the key question why do we follow popular thought, especially ideas posed by influential people? De Botton asserts that it is because questioning the status quo often leads to one becoming a social pariah. De Botton’s (2000) argument is that the ability to think critically is grounded in philosophy; this allows one to confidently arrive at a logical position whilst acknowledging other arguments, which is supported by sound judgement. Thus, according to De Botton (2000, 7) the “Consolation for Unpopularity” is the self-confidence to challenge accepted norms through logical thought. The line of logic used by De Botton is that Socrates became a symbol of someone that stood up to the status quo using his intellect to challenge accepted...
Words: 923 - Pages: 4
...other gods other than the official gods of Athens. Socrates had taught many Athenians the wisdom of philosophy and that includes his best-known student, Plato. Socrates mission was to “take the raw, unrefined ideas of his contemporaries and hammer away at their opinions, removing what was unclear or erroneous, until he gradually achieved a closer approximation to the truth.” (The Philosophical Journey, Lawhead, Pg. 18) Socrates’ method of doing philosophy of asking questions is now an important technique in education; the Socratic Method or Socratic questioning. These methods undergo seven stages that continually move toward a greater understanding of the truth. Socrates used this method to weed out the incorrect understandings and find a clearer picture of the true answer. Another skillful techniques Socrates used was the use of reduction as absurdum, which is another form of argument which means “reducing to an absurdity.” Socrates to me is an important figure in the world of philosophy because he created a form of arguments and questions that we use in our everyday lives that help us achieve a clearer picture of the truth. His methods of asking questions have opened up many doors in the field of philosophy. It has given us a way of life when it comes to asking questions and getting answers, clear, true answers. Socrates to me was the father of philosophy because of the methods he used to find the clear answers to questions. Bibliography Lawhead, William F. The Philosophical...
Words: 298 - Pages: 2
...Educational Philosophy Paper Beliefs about Teaching and Learning A teacher should know student’s psychology and should be dedicated toward the job. She should have sufficient knowledge about her subject and set challenging tasks for students. Final and most important teaching is such a vast field of study that a teacher should also keep on learning. On the other hand, a student learns best when learning is authentic. To enhance student learning, the school’s environment should be based on students’ s emotional and educational needs. A teacher should maintain positive relationship with the student and seek different methods to help the students to learn. Students usually learn best when they know they can. Beliefs about Students Each student has different needs. To make the students learn teachers need to engage them actively in learning. Teachers need to teach them from their point of view that is how they can learn better? We need to use different instructional methods. Beliefs about Knowledge The area of knowledge is very vast so a teacher must have the knowledge of whatever she will teach. Knowledge comes from information. So as many as sources a teacher has for information, she will have better knowledge of her field. But knowledge does not end if one has enough knowledge about something but also the way she delivers knowledge. Beliefs about What is Worth Knowing It makes worth...
Words: 1021 - Pages: 5
...A REVIEW ON THE PHILOSOPHIES OF SOCRATES AND PLATO The book ‘A Brief History of Philosophy: From Socrates to Derrida’ is written by Derek Johnston who is now a retired teacher and has also written ‘A Brief History of Theology: From the New Testament to Feminist Theology’. This book, A Brief History of Philosophy, of 211 pages, was first published in Great Britain by Continuum International Publishing Group in 2006 and then published in India by Bloomsbury Publishing India in 2014. More about the author Derek Johnston is now a retired teacher. He used to be the Vice Principal of Midleton College, Co Cork, Ireland, where he taught for over 30 years. He has mainly written on topics such as Historical Theology, Philosophy, History of Western Philosophy, and Introductory Philosophy. Introduction Johnston has simplified the most complex, essential concepts of philosophies ranging from 18 key philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to David Hume, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Jacques Derrida exploring their ideas in relation to each other and to their historical and cultural contexts. He uses clear and accessible language to present an engaging chronological picture of these philosophies. However, this review has been concentrated on the first chapter of this book – ‘Socrates and Plato: the Fire and the Sun’. Before diving deep into reviewing this chapter, we must understand what philosophy in itself is. Philosophy is a discipline mainly concerned with thinking. Derek Johnston...
Words: 1087 - Pages: 5
