Socrates
Made philosophy a lived practice of questioning assumptions, definitions, virtue, and the examined life.
Life and thought
Uses questioning and dialogue to test assumptions, expose contradictions, and guide users toward clearer ethical self-examination.
Socrates is presented in the Thought archive through philosophy, greek, athens, greece, ancient. The recorded life dates are c. 470–399 BCE. The profile connects this work to Ancient Philosophy, Ethics, Logic, Western Philosophy.
The central questions gathered here concern Socratic method, elenchus, virtue as knowledge, examined life, intellectual humility. Together they show the recurring problems, methods, and distinctions that define this thinker’s contribution.
Socrates developed within an intellectual conversation shaped by Pre-Socratics, Sophists, Athenian civic life. These names provide context for the traditions and problems surrounding the work; they do not imply simple agreement.
The surviving reading path begins with No surviving writings, Apology (via Plato), Crito (via Plato), Phaedo (via Plato). The recorded legacy extends toward Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, Western ethics, dialogical education.
Five Defining Theories
The central ideas, methods, and arguments that give this thinker’s work its distinctive shape.
Socratic method
A central idea in this thinker’s work, method, and intellectual legacy.
elenchus
A central idea in this thinker’s work, method, and intellectual legacy.
virtue as knowledge
A central idea in this thinker’s work, method, and intellectual legacy.
examined life
A central idea in this thinker’s work, method, and intellectual legacy.
intellectual humility
A central idea in this thinker’s work, method, and intellectual legacy.
Life journey
A structured path through the verified context attached to this profile.
Context
c. 470–399 BCE · Athens, Greece · Ancient
Intellectual formation
The recorded influences include Pre-Socratics, Sophists, Athenian civic life.
Defining ideas
The profile centres on Socratic method, elenchus, virtue as knowledge, examined life, intellectual humility.
The work
A reading path through No surviving writings, Apology (via Plato), Crito (via Plato), Phaedo (via Plato).
Lasting influence
The recorded influence reaches Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, Western ethics, dialogical education.
In time
Major Works
Texts through which the thinker’s ideas entered the wider intellectual record.
No surviving writings
This work matters because it carries a central part of the thinker’s method, argument, or intellectual legacy into a form readers can examine directly.
Read related Thought →Apology (via Plato)
This work matters because it carries a central part of the thinker’s method, argument, or intellectual legacy into a form readers can examine directly.
Read related Thought →Crito (via Plato)
This work matters because it carries a central part of the thinker’s method, argument, or intellectual legacy into a form readers can examine directly.
Read related Thought →Phaedo (via Plato)
This work matters because it carries a central part of the thinker’s method, argument, or intellectual legacy into a form readers can examine directly.
Read related Thought →Memorabilia (via Xenophon)
This work matters because it carries a central part of the thinker’s method, argument, or intellectual legacy into a form readers can examine directly.
Read related Thought →Influence network
Trace the intellectual lineage into and beyond this thinker.
Selected quotations
The unexamined life is not worth living.
I know that I know nothing.
Know thyself.
To find yourself, think for yourself.
Wisdom begins in wonder.
Schools of thought
Ancient Philosophy
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Explore school E24 thinkersEthics
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Explore school L12 thinkersLogic
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Explore school W43 thinkersWestern Philosophy
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Explore schoolConnected Thinkers
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Kurt Gödel
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Hannah Arendt
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