Talk:Socrates

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Good articleSocrates has been listed as one of the Philosophy and religion good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do so. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it.
Article milestones
DateProcessResult
March 17, 2008Peer reviewReviewed
August 4, 2021Good article nomineeNot listed
December 22, 2021Good article nomineeListed
Current status: Good article

Delphi

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The article states he never left Athens although the general historical consensus is he visited Delphi at least once 91.140.15.141 (talk) 17:59, 19 May 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe not the historical consensus but that’s what I was taught in school and what I’ve read regarding Socrates 2A01:CB05:62E:7300:D0B1:F080:DDB4:E7A9 (talk) 16:32, 19 June 2023 (UTC)[reply]
As well as military campaigns..as far as I know the statement is inaccurate Anonymous8206 (talk) 22:19, 5 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
You're absolutely right! In The Apology, Plato writes that Socrates visited the Oracle at Delphi - which is certainly NOT Athens. I concur that the article, at a minimum, should states this, or remove the line altogether that says he never left Athens. Wealthistime (talk) 06:47, 1 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Good catch. After double checking the source that was quoted, I've removed the line that states Socrates "never traveled outside of Athens, except for his military campaigns" for the following reasons:
1) According to Plato. Socrates did at least travel to Delphi (which is outside of Athens).
2) The source that was cited doesn't even say that as a fact anyway. The citation was Page 10 of the book "Socrates: A guide for the perplexed", and for good measure I read pages 8-12. The source is an opinion piece, which paraphrases Section 230D of Plato's Phaedrus, saying that a young man named Phaedrus *accused* Socrates of never having left the city walls. Obviously, a mere accusation of someone should not be presented as a factual statement, as that line did.
3) Even the source used in the book of 230D in Plato's Phaedrus is wrong! Or, at the very least it's taken WAY out of context. If you go read starting with 230C, Phaedrus says about Socrates "You are an amazing and most remarkable person. For you really do seem exactly like a stranger who is being guided about, and not like a native. You don't go away from the city out over the border, and it seems to me you don't go outside the walls at all."
It was a compliment, not an accusation, and the next line further shows it was a friendly and affectionate conversation when Socrates responds in 230E: "Forgive me, my dear friend. You see, I am fond of learning. Now the country places and the trees won't teach me anything, and the people in the city do. But you seem to have found the charm to bring me out. For as people lead hungry animals by shaking in front of them a branch of leaves or some fruit, just so, I think, you, by holding before me discourses in books, will lead me all over Attica and wherever else you please." (https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0174%3Atext%3DPhaedrus%3Asection%3D230d) Wealthistime (talk) 07:20, 1 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Political climate

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@Cinadon36: please explain how the political climate is relevant here. I don't think the paragraph that I removed does this. Thanks, Willbb234 13:05, 6 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

hi @Willbb234. Apologies for the delay. I 'll try to reply as soon as I have some spare time. Cinadon36 08:41, 9 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @Willbb234, Apologies for the late reply. The political climate is pivotal for grasping the trial of Socrates. A prevalent theory suggests that the trial was politically motivated, as elaborated within the section. It's crucial to provide readers with contextual information regarding the political climate of the time to fully comprehend the political argument presented in the article.Cinadon36 07:34, 11 November 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Teachers and Influences are largely overlooked in the article - suggest add

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Socrates was influenced by a number of early thinkers and educators, though he often claimed that his insights were guided by a divine inner voice (daimonion). Among those who shaped his thinking were pre-Socratic philosophers, sophists, and rhetoricians, including both men and women.

Anaxagoras of Clazomenae introduced Socrates to natural philosophy. Anaxagoras argued that Nous (Mind) was the cosmic ordering principle, and Socrates was initially drawn to him for this reason. However, he later rejected Anaxagoras' explanations for being overly mechanical and lacking in ethical focus.[1]

Prodicus of Ceos, a sophist known for his study of language, impressed Socrates with his ability to draw fine distinctions between words. Socrates is said to have attended his lectures and credited him with sharpening his interest in ethical definition and clarity of thought.[2]

Damon, a music theorist and advisor to Pericles, is mentioned in Plato’s Republic as someone from whom Socrates learned about the moral and educational effects of music. Damon’s teachings helped Socrates explore the idea that rhythm and harmony influenced character and conduct.[3]

In Plato’s Symposium, Socrates attributes his understanding of love (eros) to Diotima of Mantinea, a priestess and philosopher who taught him that love could lead the soul from physical desire toward the contemplation of divine beauty. Socrates recounts her insights with great reverence, presenting her as the source of his metaphysical understanding of love.[4][5]

Aspasia of Miletus, a renowned rhetorician and the companion of Pericles, is believed by several ancient sources to have taught Socrates rhetoric. Her influence is thought to have helped him refine his methods of dialectic and argumentation. While her role was not widely acknowledged in classical accounts, modern scholarship suggests that her contributions were diminished over time as women’s roles in philosophy were historically marginalized.[6][7]

Socrates also interacted with many sophists, male teachers who travelled and taught rhetoric, virtue, and public speaking for a fee. Though he often criticized them for charging money and for lacking a commitment to truth, he adopted many of their methods—particularly their dialogical approach to education.[8]

  • Plato, Phaedo, 97b–99d.
  • Xenophon, Memorabilia II.1.21.
  • Plato, Republic, Book IV.
  • Plato, Symposium, 201d–212b.
  • Bloch, E., 2020. Diotima and the Socratic Path of Love. Ancient Philosophy, 40(1), pp.1–15.
  • Pentassuglio, F., 2020. Paideutikos eros: Aspasia as an 'alter Socrates'. Archai, 30. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_30_15 [Accessed 19 Jul. 2025].
  • Buckingham, W., n.d. Aspasia. Available at: https://www.willbuckingham.com/aspasia/ [Accessed 19 Jul. 2025].
  • Kerferd, G.B., 1981. The Sophistic Movement. Cambridge University Press.

LostHistoryRecovered (talk) 15:23, 19 July 2025 (UTC)[reply]