Virtue‚ rather than being a teachable piece of knowledge‚ seems to be an innate understanding. Every person in the world‚ save perhaps psychopaths and sociopaths‚ naturally has a strong moral compass. An example that proves this idea is the innocence of children. I have never witnessed a child perform an action with solely malicious intent. Children always have some outside motivation for any hateful actions they perform‚ so they never do it only to hurt someone. At this point you might think that
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At the beginning of Meno Socrates and Meno are discussing what they think the true definition of virtue is. They debate over this matter for quite some time and Meno continues to throw definitions‚ of what he thinks virtue is‚ at Socrates. It seems like every time Meno would come up with what he thought virtue was Socrates would shoot it down. Socrates would not come out and say this is not right‚ he would merely ask him a series of questions in order for Meno to realize it on his own. One after
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philosopher is Socrates. Born in Athens in 469 B.C.E‚ he spent most of his time at the marketplace and other public places engaging in dialogues about truths of life. Among many other things‚ he discussed virtue and happiness and how closely they are related. According to Socrates‚ virtue is absolutely necessary for perfect happiness because virtue brings a type of happiness that other things could never bring. In this paper‚ I will explain the aforementioned idea of Socrates on virtue and happiness
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In the Apology‚ Socrates asks many people at various status levels about their view on virtue and what wisdom truly means to them. From this he is able to deduce that the most honorable people in the society; mainly by their possession of money and a high ranking job‚ are the ones with the least wisdom. Even though these people had little to no “useful” wisdom‚ they were praised and honored more than people like Socrates who have wisdom and the knowledge that they know
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Plato & Socrates: Excellence in Virtue introduction “Socrates’ positive influence touches us even today” (May 6) and we can learn a great deal about him from one of his students‚ Plato. It is in Plato’s report of Socrates’ trial a work entitled‚ Apology‚ and a friend’s visit to his jail cell while he is awaiting his death in Crito‚ that we discover a man like no other. Socrates was a man following a path he felt that the gods had wanted him to follow and made no excuses for his life
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Socrates was a revolutionary philosopher whom at his time challenged society. He was a man of questions. When in conversation with others‚ he would merely answer questions with more questions of his own. When asking others questions to their questions‚ it not only helped him try to understand their point of view‚ but also helped him strengthen and guide his argument as well as weaken their own. As Socrates questioned other philosophers on justice‚ it helped make his argument strong that justice is
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According to Socrates‚ good is defined as an absence of bad‚ just as bad is an absence of good. Plato doesn’t directly come out and say what The Form of the Good is‚ but through his examples and implications‚ we find out that it brings all other forms into existence. He compares it to the role of the sun in the playing out of the sun and earth. Some people described The Form of the Good as God‚ but Plato doesn’t actually imply that anywhere. The four main virtues: wisdom‚ courage‚ moderation‚ and
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In Plato’s “Meno‚” Meno is questioning Socrates about the definition of virtue‚ and what it means to be virtuous. Meno‚ however‚ has constructed his own‚ and somewhat materialistic idea about virtue‚ thinking that the definition revolves around wealth‚ gold‚ and other items that represent someone of high rank. Throughout the story‚ Socrates provides Meno with a multitude of questions and examples‚ but never directly states what virtue is. For instance‚ Socrates proved to Meno that knowledge and learning
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Socrates begins this dialogue by hesitating to explain his thoughts about what the good is considered to be. After much persistent pleading by Glaucon‚ Socrates agrees to discuss the topic‚ however on a smaller level. He promises to discuss the offspring of the good as he calls it and save the father of the good for another time. Glaucon accepts this proposal and anxiously waits for Socrates to begin. Socrates begins his dialogue with a statement which he has spoken about before‚ “that many beautiful
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After Socrates explores the components of a just society‚ his reply to Glaucon is further explained by arguing for the soul’s division and also‚ more specifically‚ the account of the Tyrant. Plato has refuted each of Glaucon’s points in order to make Socrates reply more successful. The tyrannical man is the most unjustly man. He indulges in all his pleasures and sinks further into degeneracy (578a). Because of his desires and conflict to suffice his desires‚ he is left to resort to unjustly and
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