Plato

Socratic Method 1. Socratic Irony: Socrates pretends that he knows no answers, yet believes a claim to be false. 2. Definition: Socrates defines the problem or concept. 3. Analysis: Socrates proceeds to explore definition in all its connotations. 4. Generalization: Socrates reasons, or persuades his students to reason, from the particular to the general (process of induction) to reach a general conclusion.

Teaching Method  Problem Centered  Student response is based on his or her knowledge or experience  Student (and teacher) is held responsible for his or her statements  Statements are analyzed for possible consequences  Knowledge is drawn out of student, not told  Learning is discovery based

Purpose of Education  An educated person is one that has attained self-knowledge  Virtue and happiness is attained through the acquisition of knowledge (Moral Goodness)  Socrates deplored the use of knowledge for material success  Reasoning through concepts or problems is necessary to develop critical thinking

“The Death of Socrates” Outline the argument Socrates constructs against his accusers.

Socratic Irony  At this point in his “apology” Socrates has been condemned to death; there is no room for dialogue because he has, in his thoughts, been sentenced to death for questioning Athenian culture. The apology he makes is not one of shame but instead a monologue in his defense.

Definition I. I would rather die having spoken after my manner than to speak in your manner and live A....neither in war nor yet at law ought I or any man to use every way of escaping death B. The difficulty, my friends, is not to avoid death, but to avoid unrighteousness

Definition C....and in the hour of death men are gifted with prophetic power D. Me you have killed because you wanted to escape the accuser, and not to give and account of your lives E. If you think that by killing men you can prevent someone from censuring your evil lives, you are mistaken

Definition F. The easiest and most noblest way is not to be disabling others, but to be improving yourselves G....the oracle has made no sign of opposition H....those of us who think that death is an evil are in error

Analysis II....great reason to hope that death is good; for one of two things A....death is state of nothingness a....there is no consciousness, but a sleep like the sleep of him who is undisturbed by dreams B....change and migration of the soul from this world to another

Analysis III. But if death is the journey to another place...what can be greater than this A....he is delivered from the professors of justice in this world B....true judges who are said to give judgment there

Generalization IV. Above all, I shall then be able to continue my search into true and false knowledge A. No evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death B. He and his are not neglected by the gods V. I am not angry with my condemners, or with my accusers; they have done me no harm, though they did not mean to do me any good