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Political Science → Socrates
SOCRATES (469-399 BC)
Morality as Rational Act
Appalled by his contemporary circumstances, Socrates was more inclined to criticize ideas of others than giving more constructive view of his own. He is credited for introducing concepts of morality and soul. He professed that, man should live moral life no matter how it costs materially. Morality meant rationality.
Virtue and Democracy
He believed that virtue is knowledge. As virtuous are less in society so, the government by majority i.e. Democracy is a government by non-virtuous. But he did not deny the existence of state.
It was his firm belief in truth, conscience and virtue that led Socrates to accept condemnation of the jury than fleeing or compromising on his criticism against democracy.
Socratic Problem
Socrates is understood mostly from the dialogue of his pupil Plato. His primary knowledge is unknown, and this is called Socratic Problem.
Socratic Irony
Socratic Irony means that Socrates would pretend to be ignorant of the topic under discussion, to draw out the inherent nonsense in the arguments of his interlocutors.
Socratic Method
Socratic Method or Socratic Debate, is a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presumptions. It is a dialectical method, often involving a discussion in which the defense of one point of view is questioned; one participant may lead another to contradict himself in some way, thus weakening the defender’s point.