Perhaps the greatest truth that human life holds was Socrates’ last words. During his search for meaning, Socrates wrote no accounts, found no institute, and only held a small group of followers. Yet he was known all over Athens and became the most influential philosopher of all time simply by traveling around and engaging the citizens in philosophical discussions. The time came when the establishment regarded him as a threat to their rigid beliefs and conventional opinions, the common people also did not appreciate his contribution to human reasoning and regarded him as another one of the Sophists – a mere debater. Eventually, threatened by his growing popularity and followers the state authorities accused him of morally corrupting the citizens and trying to lead them astray from local gods. A complete account of his trial, written by his follower Plato, is a moving work of description – the Apologia. In the trial, Socrates was declared guilty and was offered to either renounce all his teachings or undergo a death sentence. And as the passionate lover of wisdom, he remained unhesitant in choosing death by stating his last words, The life unexamined is not worth living. Later, Plato continued to preserve Socrates’ legacy through his writings.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
