Kim Danya R. Yap | 2010-34913 | Anthro10 X2 | Mr. Esteban | May 2, 2011

Wisest Is He Who Knows Who the True Genius Is There have been numerous advances in science, mathematics, medicine, art, music, literature, and technology thanks to different scientists, mathematicians, musicians, writers, and artists. As a result, life has been made generally more interesting and comfortable. Work, transportation, communication and the like have become faster, easier, and more manageable than centuries ago. With this fact, people thanked and honored these certain men and women for their contributions. They dubbed these men and women the title ‘genius.’ Examples of these geniuses are Isaac Newton, Alexander Graham Bell, Wolfgang Mozart, William Shakespeare, and Albert Einstein. A man of experience and wisdom, though, would think otherwise. He has a different ‘genius’ in mind -- the type who values not the physical things, but the things that really matter. What are those “things,” and who might that ‘genius’ be? Socrates is the name, and according to him: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” He went around Athens and persuaded others to look and examine themselves while they still have the time; to not be content with who they already are but to keep finding ways to improve the self and enrich the soul. Socrates used the dialectic method (now known as the Socratic method) – a way of investigating problems through dialogue discussion wherein a problem is broken down into series of questions and the answers to those questions would gradually reveal the answer to the problem – to help them examine their respective beliefs and reshape those ideas if found to be in error. Through this method, he would be able to help them help themselves. This Socratic method is one of his legacies to humanity, for up until now it is still being used. Many teachers and professors employ the Socratic method as a teaching method, in which they do not tell the students the answer but help the students discover it. In addition, the Socratic method strongly influenced the scientific method that is widely known today. Numerous similarities are found when one compares them to each other.
Socrates, in persuading people to question themselves, emphasized the idea that values/virtues, knowledge, rationalism, and the soul are far more important than the physical things (Socrates’ theory of the soul will not be discussed in this paper). He valued education as it gives an individual not only knowledge, but also knowledge of the good. This knowledge of the good is morally and ethically important for all men because it will help them live a virtuous life rather than a life of wickedness. Socrates highlighted that wickedness should be greatly feared than death, for death takes away life, but wickedness destroys life. This knowledge also helps man examine himself, for with this knowledge he would be able to identify the faults in his current principles. Socrates therefore redefined the purpose of education -- that it should not be used merely as a means for gaining knowledge and eventually material success in life, but for gaining self-knowledge, skill in thinking, and knowledge of the good.
Socrates is the first to stress on rationalism and its importance. Humans have two selves: the irrational self, and the rational self. The irrational self is composed of one’s passions, emotions, and desires. In other words, it is the animalistic side of oneself. The rational self would pertain to one’s intellect and ability to reason out. Socrates believed that before humans can understand the world, they first need to understand themselves, and this can only be accomplished with rationalism. People need to control their irrational selves with the use of their rational selves. In this way, when people examine and question themselves, their intellect and rationality would be undisturbed making them capable of thinking straight. Sophrosyne (Greek word meaning “moderation”) or the virtue of temperance is also achieved, and this would lead to the achievement of other virtues.
Unfortunately, his good-hearted attempts in helping people examine themselves and their own faults produced not only students/disciples, but also enemies of his own. These enemies of Socrates accused him of corrupting the minds of the youth and of other people. He was tried, found guilty, and was sentenced to death. Up to his death, Socrates remained firmly grounded in his moral and virtuous beliefs and principles. He was given the choice to be free but to be free, he had to live a life of silence (no cross-examining other people anymore) and to this he refused. He chose to die rather than recant his principles. In this lies another of his legacies to humanity: the meaning of integrity and moral commitment; to stand up for what you believe in and not be coerced by anything or anyone.
I believe that examining and improving the self through virtues and principles is much more important than all the technological advances combined. What good are machines and money if they are used for the wrong reasons? Furthermore, will they be able to give a person the kind of happiness that is genuine and true?
The self should be shaped rightly if one wants to live a truly happy life, and in order for one to shape oneself, he/she has to examine and question himself/herself first. He/she should not be complacent but instead must be ever exploring and discovering ways to improve himself/herself and be a better person. This is the main idea that Socrates wanted to impart to people. From this idea branched equally significant ideas on rationalism, knowledge, and virtues that Socrates stressed as well. This idea and sub-ideas have been applied by many people time and again in different ways but still retaining the core principle. Were it not for Socrates, who lived from 469 – 399 B.C, this truth might not have been brought to light. In addition, were it not for Socrates, there would not have been a Plato, an Aristotle, and the numerous others who elaborated and shed more light on Socrates’ ideas for the self-improvement of mankind.