10 Reasons Why Socrates is Still Relevant Today
“We think the way we do because Socrates thought the way he did,” writes Bettany Hughes at the start of The Hemlock Cup, her brand new biography of ancient Greece’s greatest philosopher.
Two-and-a-half millennia of history might separate us from the age when Socrates roamed the streets of ancient Athens, formulating and articulating his philosophies to the people. But many of his words and ideas ring just as true in the 21st century as they did back then. (For a run-down of ten great Socrates quotes to reflect upon, check out Owen's blog here).
From his beliefs on philosophical ethics to the justness of war, the folly of materialism, the necessity of true free speech and the importance of standing up for what you believe in, we count down 10 reasons why Socrates' philosophies are still relevant today.
1. They’ve Never Been Rendered Obsolete
For starters, it’s crucial to note that, unlike many other intellectual disciplines of the ancient Greek period such as, say, ancient Greek astronomy, Socrates’ philosophies remain just as pertinent as the day they were conceived (or at least the day they were recorded by his student Plato).
As one 20th century philosopher, A. N. Whitehead, famously wrote: “The safest general characterisation of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.” He wasn’t being entirely serious there, but the inference is clear: Socrates and his disciples’ theories are a crucial foundation of modern Western philosophical thought – all others since have basically been constructed upon them.
2. He Taught Us to Question Everything
“The highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others,” Socrates once said. His dialectic method of inquiry – breaking a subject down into a dialogue between two or more people with differing views, both mutually in search of the same truth – taught us to assume nothing and to scrutinize everything, and gave us a system by which to do it. It remains a key element of scientific study today – beginning with a hypothesis and then distilling it until a definitive conclusion is reached.
3. He Taught Us That Life is Worthless Without Happiness
Socrates asked – what’s the point in battleships and city walls, unless the people building them and protected by them are happy?
If we aren’t in pursuit of happiness and understanding in our daily lives, then we’re basically akin to ants toiling at an ant-hill. Sure, we go about our practical tasks instinctually. But we also need to step back and develop an awareness of the world, and form a conscious relationship with our existence.
Socrates asked – what’s the point in battleships and city walls, unless the people building them and protected by them are happy? The same remains true today – unless we’re mindful of spiritual well-being in our daily toil, we’re little better off than insects. As he famously put it: “The unexamined life is not a life worth living for a human being.” Think about that as you slog away at your 9-5.
4. He Taught Us to Ask if There’s Such a Thing as a Just War
“It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong,” believed Socrates. As a soldier in the Greek army during the Peloponnesian War, one who distinguished himself several times for his bravery, Socrates saw enough of military conflict to understand first hand the suffering and devastation it caused.
His was one of the first voices in history to ponder whether there really is such a thing as a just war – a war for a cause so true it was worth bloodshed on a mass scale. As UK and American forces remain bogged-down in Afghanistan and still lick their wounds from Iraq, it’s a question that remains incredibly pertinent today.
The Hemlock Cup
Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life
For the first time ever, 'The Hemlock Cup' puts Socrates' questions - How should we best live? What makes us good? What makes us happy? - back onto the streets of Athens where they were born.
5. He Advocated True Freedom of Speech
Athens was one of the first polities in the world to allow freedom of speech –all from lowly shoemakers and merchants to rich nobles were allowed to address the Athenian Assembly. Yet they had to speak with aidos – “a sense of shame, a ‘knowing-your-placeness’” as Hughes describes it in The Hemlock Cup.
Socrates rebelled against this convention, by developing a system of true free-speech through his dialogue. Athens was uneasy was this, but he spoke his mind anyway (and ultimately paid the price for it). He was way ahead of his time in standing-up for the free expression of ideas – something that remains a cornerstone of democratic society today.
6. He Invented Philosophical Ethics
“What is the right way to live?” pondered Socrates. He was one of the very first philosophers in history to encourage scholars and common citizens to turn their attention from the outside world to the condition of humankind – and to ask a simple, honest and undoubtedly critical question: what is right and what is wrong? With it, he effectively created philosophical ethics – the debate between good and evil – which has shaped moral and legal codes throughout the Western world.
7. He Was a Champion of Human Virtue
Shaped probably by some of the terrible sights he witnessed on the battlefields at Potidaea, Amphipolis and Delium during his military service, Socrates developed a notion of human virtue at odds with the then-prevailing attitude of lex talionis – an eye for an eye. He believed in a mixture of temperance, justice, piety and courage – all of which led ultimately to wisdom. He had seen so much bad, he wanted to search for something good.
Socrates was a firm believer in friendship and community, and common threads between all of mankind. “Virtue,” he said, “is the most valuable of all possessions.” We can always benefit from being a bit nicer to each other.
8. He Warned Us of the Follies of Materialism
Socrates typically cut a pretty down-trodden figure when he wandered the streets of Athens – he never wore shoes, and sported the same tattered woolen cloak all year round. He was mocked for it by his contemporaries, but he didn’t care – his humble attire was a physical reflection of his belief that the pursuit of plenty could only bring mindless materialism.
He even had the gall to suggest to Athenians that they might be better themselves pursuing well-being rather than wealth – words that ring truer than ever in consumerist modern society.
9. He Taught Us the Value of Civil Disobedience
Socrates was known as the “gadfly” of the Greek state – he saw it as his responsibility to sting the government into action in areas where it could improve its conduct. He wasn’t frightened to publicly speak his mind on the subject of bad governance, no matter the cost. One illustrative quote goes: “It seems strange enough to me that a herdsman who lets his cattle decrease and go to the bad should not admit that he is a poor cowherd; but stranger still that a statesman when he causes the citizens to decrease and go to the bad, should feel no shame nor think himself a poor statesman.”
As a famous modern advocate of civil disobedience Martin Luther King put it in a letter from an Alabama Prison in 1963: “Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths… so we must see the need for non-violent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism.”
10. He Taught Us to Stand Up For What We Believe
Socrates lived and breathed his philosophies – however much they were scorned, ridiculed, laughed at or feared – and he ultimately died by them. The state swatted its gadfly, by trying him as a “corrupter of youth” and forcing him to commit suicide by poisoning himself.
He could have renounced his beliefs, and made a groveling defence during his trial – but he chose instead to stand tall to the last and accept his punishment, even turning down an opportunity to escape. There was undoubtedly a degree of recklessness and martyrdom to Socrates death, but the lesson it teaches us about standing up for what we believe in to the very end remains powerful and enduring.
'The Hemlock Cup' hits the stores (and Amazon) October 7th. It is not 'merely' a Socrates biography; using a unique combination of archaeological, geological and historical clues, the historian recreates for the reader the world of Socrates with a vivacity not before achieved.
Bettany Hughes visited every spot were the philosopher was said to have walked, loved, fought and philosophised and investigated the many digs that are uncovering the world of 'Golden Age' Athens. She brings this fresh evidence to bear on the life of the man whose idea 'the unexamined life is not worth living' is thought to be at the root of what it is to live in the 21st century.
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Comments
Nice article, I think you are right in saying that modern acedemics can be too quick to condem ancient philosophies.
Bosh and flimshaw, I guarantee Socrates never said 'battleships', that's a word much younger than he is.
What about Galleys / Tiremes? Ships you'd take into battle? Don't forget, one of the earliest thing for man to invent was warfare? ;)
Socrates could also be seen as suffering from mental illness. He heard voices and followed the directions of the voices he heard. Heck, one of the reasons he didn't escape from his trial or defend himself was because he said that a voice told him not to.
He's still one of the greatest philosophers of all time, but don't make gods of men, he was as flawed as anyone.
how dumb could you be? greeks invented most words we use today. was it not ships that they went to war in? why does the word "battleship" have to be "young" as you put it? in your "logic" (i put it in quotes because it can hardly be called that) the words medicine, or school, or mathematics (which were discovered by the greeks) never existed back then? you are nothing but an ignorant fool! i can't believe there are still people out there that are as dumb as you, but i guess that's what years of inbreeding will do to humans.
Some people realise that war is now and has always been unjust and solely for profit, unfortunately those people are usually killed.
Oh my goodness...because of some of the comments I'm reading here, I can only urge these individuals to really spend some of their time to learn at least a little about Socrates and what he suggested, unless you consider "ignorance is bliss"
"Mental illness?" Socrates only suggested to listen to your inner voice and there were many reasons why he decided not to escape his verdict, with his inner voice being a rather insignificant reason.
"Make a God out of Socrates?" Nobody ever did that, but indeed Socrates turned from a Greek samurai to a truly moral hero. Maybe Plato added a few anecdotes on behalf of Socrates. Yes, there's a lot in the teachings of Jesus that could have come straight from Socrates, but nobody ever claimed therefore Socrates to be some kind of "God" (godfather, maybe)
I find it interesting that you say Whitehead wasn't being entirely serious when he made that comment about Plato in his book, Process and Reality. The text itself seems to suggest that he was quite clearly serious and in fact a large part of the book is offered as justifiction of giving Plato such lofty praise. Why do you think Whitehead was being specious and engaging in empty flattery in a work that was in every other way his magnum opus and the most serious task he ever undertook?
The virtues attributed to Socrates + The modern era = The modern Gadfly--Assange. Just like the description of Socrates' trial; he and Assange show true respect for order by adhering to laws that they may deem to be unjust. BTW I hope the rest of you commenting realize that all we have are the accounts of Socrates according mainly to Plato. Socrates did not write anything.
... and please people; google "logical arguments" before ranting on others posting. Don't be trolls. These comments are filled with unsound / incogent arguments and blatant fallacies. Raise the level of discourse here.
Apart from Principia Mathematica
First off: Take it easy. There's no need for insults. You claim he's an ignorant fool while you're the one acting uncivilized and ignorant. Take care of that temper for humanity's sake.
Second: Greeks did Not "invent" most words. Persians did. (Read all about the persian empire). With the fall of that empire, caused mainly by the greeks, the greeks took all the knowledge (and burned most of them) that the persians had worked on for thousands of years. Then they adapted everything based on their language.
The search for the true meaning of truth is not by Socrates alone. All human history and reasoning must be considered, including recent thought. First, there is a difference between fact and truth. Facts are true, but truth is not fact. I know that is hard for most people to understand. You have no choice to believe or not to believe in truth, but you can believe that a fact is true or not true, even if you are wrong. It is truth we seek, through the manifestations of facts. Facts are manifestations of truth, not truth itself. Do not confuse creation with Creator. Truth is the Creator; fact is creation. Truth is a tautology. That is truth cannot be not true. Facts must be true, but if not true no violations of logic because it would be true that it is not true. It would be a violation of logic to consider truth to be not true. There are many facts, but only one truth. Truth is God. Truth rules all that is and all that is not. Facts only cover what is, but could be not. False truth could not be true.
what i perceive is that he taught abt the vertues of morality,well it all boils down 2 one's perception,i mean how can u define s'thing that is soo vulnerable 2 situations,mood's of society at large,or simply the state your own mind and the mind of the recipient(person or persons that share that perticular space or time with u that is 2 b defined)are in....how can one define wrong or right,good or evil,i mean,,,,there are soo many things at stake and can only b judged by the person himself in accordance with his/her ability at that given time 2 handle the situation at hand..i believe that written laws or moral grounds stand 2 nothing if circumstantial evidence is not studied before judging deeds..
the need of the hour 2day as always has been is 2 educate ppl so that one is able 2 conquer situations as so 2 yield the desired acceptable results that are deemed fit fr society and the persons effected by the "situation"and that i think is what socrates is all abt...
There's quite a few inaccuracies in this article.
"He Taught Us That Life is Worthless Without Happiness"
Socrates never really advocated for happiness. That was more along Aristotle's philosophy. In the Republic, Socrates disregards the idea of individual happiness instead advocating for the maximization of communal happiness. Whether the individual is at his happiest was irrelevant to Socrates because he placed greater emphasis on the community.
"He Advocated True Freedom of Speech"
No, he didn't. In the Republic, Socrates outlines his idea city-state, the kallipolis. In his city-state, Socrates outlaws all sorts of poems and songs because they deliver the wrong message to the young. Socrates advocated for a strong system of censorship in order to ensure that his ideal city-state remained perfect. This is hardly freedom of speech.
You're right, the word 'battleship is probably an indirect translation, but not totally wrong. Believe it or not, the Greeks did have sizable ships of war called biremes and triremes. The core of Athens' influence in the Greek world revolved around their powerful navy, so battleship, I think, is an acceptable translation.
I guarantee Socrates never spoke english!! Of course "battleships" is not a word he would've used but the Athenians had a naval force.
and i suppose that you're any less inbred than the rest of us huh? did you not just read the article? or did you just skip to the comments to hate on people? seriously, human virtue. give it a shot.
This could have been shortened to "One reason Socrates isn't relevant today", the answer being "Uhhhhhh... um... well...."
actually athens had a great navy, and the ancient romans used to fill the colessium with water and hold navy games
<p> UUH have you even read the Crito? </p>
<p>Very informative article, would definitely read more from you and the site. One complaint would be the ripped sphincter image in the comments haha.</p>
He was right in many ways........ and the famous quote is "we are grain of sand in the flow of time" well this is what i remember
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that make me know and more close with socrates
<p>That are nice 10 Reasons Why Socrates is Still Relevant, like this</p>
<p>it's great info because i can learn more</p>
<p>Seriously? I'm insisting you are a troll for the sheer sake of saving you from stupidity. Of course the word "battleship" is younger than Socrates, it's in English after all. But then I'm wasting my time debunking your ridiculous comment, and if I'm correct, feeding a troll. Perhaps your comment will have people researching etymologies, and for that end both your comment and my response may be somewhat worth while.</p>
<p>That is truth cannot be not true. Facts must be true, but if not true no violations of logic because it would be true that it is not true. It would be a violation of logic to consider truth to be not true. There are many facts, but only one truth. Truth is God. Truth rules all that is and all that is not. Facts only cover what is, but could be not. False truth could not be true.</p>
<p>nice</p>
<p>Some people realise that war is now and has always been unjust and solely for profit, unfortunately those people are usually killed</p>
<p>Socrates was made obsolete as early as Francis Bacon....1600's people. There was no wisdom in believing philosophers were the only one's who held wisdom, but rather people should reject old philosophy and study things that contribute more to man's survival. </p>
<p> Socrates had brass, there's no denying that. He is still, to this day, one of the most influential humans to have ever lived. One of my favorite lines here is this:</p>
<p>"He even had the gall to suggest to Athenians that they might be better themselves pursuing well-being rather than wealth – words that ring truer than ever in consumerist modern society."</p>
<p>The fruit of the pursuit of well-being is actually a great wealth of inner-prosperity. The funny thing is, in business being a person of great inner peace will promote financial success as well. When surrounded by materialists who know they have nothing, they quickly trade shallow trappings for a life of substance. We're all human.... if Socrate's had spent less time scoffing at the masses and more time understanding why they clammored for meaningless things, he may have been more capable of communicating in a way that motivated materialistic people into a better way of life (instead of alienating himself).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>it's in English after all. But then I'm wasting my time debunking your ridiculous comment, and if I'm correct, feeding a troll. Perhaps your comment will have people researching etymologies</p>
<p>Sadly your gibbering are all wrong.<br />
<br />
A quick internet search will find that according to the Oxford English Dictionary the first recorded use of Battleship was in 1794.<br />
So it is comparatively new.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And if you have to result to insults then you have already lost the argument, as it means you couldn't think of anything intelligent to say.</p>
<p>He didn't speak English either, it's obviously a translation..</p>
<p>War is just if for the good of the world. It is not just to keep quiet and watch other people when you know you can do something! So, the war in Iraq and afghanistan are just wars. Will America just watch those terrorists gain enormous power to spread injustice to the common people?</p>
<p> @ CZAR, what is this injustice that you spread on common folks?</p>
<p>It would be a violation of logic to consider truth to be not true. There are many facts, but only one truth. Truth is God. Truth rules all that is and all that is not. Facts only cover what is, but could be not. False truth could not be true.</p>
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