Socrates Questions Worksheet

Who was Pericles?

-(485-429 BC) -son of Xanthippus -great uncle: Cleisthenes, founder of Athenian democracy -the greatest statesman in history -rich, elected as a magistrate from generation -leader of Athens at its height -embodies Athenian optimism -almost atheistic believes human power alone can do it

Identify: Thespis

-1st actor, inventor of acting+tragedy -part of a group of people called the chorus -staged a tragedy at the Great Dionysia

What was the Delian League?

-480-490 BC formed -an alliance formed in Greece to fight Persia -became a basis for the Athenian Empire -colonies contributed to a common treasury held in Athens -similar to NATO

Darius of Persia attempted to invade Athens in 490 BC. What was the result of the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC?

-Athens vs. Persia -Athens had 10,000 soldiers -Peria lost 6,400 troops -Athens lost 192 troops

Identify: Diotima of Mantinea and Aspasia from Miletus

-Diotima: inductress in the art of love, inspired idea of the Socratic method of questioning, -Aspasia: a hetaera, member of Pericle's inner circle, master of teaching rhetoric, history's 1st profession speechwriter

What was the centerpiece of the Acropolis? Who was the architect of this structure? When was it completed?

-Parthenon -architect was Ictinus -design coordinator: Phidias -started: 447 BC -finished: 438 BC

Critias

-Plato's mother's cousin, Socrates' former pupil -Asked Lysander(Spartan commander) for help -forced the assembly to suspend the constitution+appointed body of 30 tyrants to the city -Critias seized dictatorial power

Who were all in Pericles' pleiad?

-Protagoras -Aeschylus -Sophocles

Who does Johnson claim to be the most influential of Pericles' pleiad?

-Protagoras(sophist) 455 BC -criminal justice shouldn't be revenge, it should deter criminals from committing more crimes -charged high fees to teach others -all about progress and advancement -"man is the measure of all things" -would fit well in the European Renaissance

Why did Alcibiades compare Socrates' appearance to that of Silenus?

-Silenus: spirit of the wilderness, half animal(like satyr) -Socrates: on battlefield, the enemy wanted to leave him alone -Both were ugly, serene, genial, patient

Charmides

-Socrates' former pupil -Critias' chief associate -brother to Plato's mother

Johnson insists that Socrates' love of his fellow man "was quite unlike the conscious humanism of Pericles and his associates" (106). Explain.

-Unlike Pericles+associates, Socrates had no taint of atheism to his love for fellow men -he didn't think that humans would be equal or greater than the Gods -was too aware of human weaknesses+shortcomings

Who are the Sophists?

-a paid teacher of philosophy and rhetoric in ancient Greece -rhetoric was valuable in court, council chamber, or assembly -gave public lectures

How did Socrates' understanding of justice most differ from the thinking of others at this time?

-believed justice was not in the interest of the stronger -justice meant each issue was judged on its own merits

For Socrates, what is the relationship between body and soul?

-body: mortal, greedy, selfish, if not under control it would become the seat of vice -soul: immortal, spiritual aspect, intellectual, moral, naturally wanted to improve itself, could become the seat of virtue

What is Johnson's tone when describing Plato?

-critical of Plato -"It need not concern us here, merely illustrating his irritating habit of foisting his personal views on others."(127)

In what sense was ancient Greek life defined by competition?

-cultural+academic competitions in each city state -Panhellic, Olympian(every 4 yrs), Pythian, Isthmian,+Nemean Games -foot race, boxing, wrestling, chariot+horse racing -test of speed, strength and endurance -competed in poetry, drama, music, public speaking, rhetoric, art

What two philosophical problems did the Parthenon raise for Socrates?

-entasis: minute deviations from the straight line to create the illusion of movement -illusion in art: the fact that art can create illusions, depth, in a 2D figure, appear bigger than what it actually is.

Describe Socrates' father and mother.

-father: mason+stone carver, credited with many carvings in the Acropolis, gave Socrates good education in reading, writing, athletics,+music -mother: skillful midwife from "good" family

Alcibiades

-friend of socrates -helped command Sicily expedition to weaken Sparta -betrayed Athens+helped Sparta -murdered in 404 BC -embarresment

Nicias

-general+friend of Socrates -also in command of Sparta plan w Alcibiades -indecisive -trusted diviners over military instincts -Sicilian expedition ended in disaster, troops slaughtered+left to starve

In what sense did Socrates believe in God?

-he believed in a singular God, monotheist -did not worship the greek gods himself but often taught with them to help his audience relate

When asked to suggest an alternate punishment to execution, what does Socrates tell the court?

-he should be treated like a victor of the Olympics -he would pay a fine of 1 mina(buy a copy of a poem) or his friends would help with 30 minas(dowry for a mid-class bride)

Since Socrates did not write down his own philosophy, what sources must we rely on to know what Socrates thought? How confident is Johnson that these sources reveal the real Socrates?

-main sources: Xenophon and Plato -reading Xenophon alone, would have never known Socrates as the founder of philosophy -Plato documented much dialogue w Socrates -Beg: Plato stays true to Socrates teachings -End: Plato puts ideas above person+uses Socrates to spread his own ideas

What distinction does Socrates make between oratory and philosophy?

-oratory-sought to persuade(wasn't always true) -philosophy-sought truth

What is the subject of Prometheus Bound? Who is its author? How did the play influence Greek thinking and Socrates?

-play written by Aeschylus -tells the story of a mythical figure being punished by Zeus for giving mortals fire and the arts gods don't want humans to become more powerful -speaks to the power of human being, human beings power -brings to light issues of human freedom, the question of if we have limitations or not -"We can do anything" no you can't...do everything

What are Socrates' key contributions to Western thought and society?

-prepared the western world for monotheism -morality was absolute, not relative -justice, didn't believe in retaliation

What are the key elements of the Socratic method?

-systematic questioning -inductive reasoning -universal definitions -disavowal of knowledge -self-improvement -promoting virtue

According to Johnson, how was Socrates' defense of himself dangerous?

-told them of the inner voice of God to conduct philosophy(seemed arrogant and suspicious that God would ordain him) -insisting on telling the prophecy from Delphi, the fact that no on in Athens is wiser than Socrates (arrogant+insensitive) surrounded by irony

The Trial of the Eight Commanders at Arginusae

-victory at Arginusae but lost 25 ships+over 4000 mariners -politicians decide to punish rather than praise commanders -verdict wasn't voted by a sworn jury but a simple vote of the assembly -all commanders were judged as a collective -Socrates was on committee deciding to vote them as a collective, only person who protested against it

Did Socrates teach his students what to think or how to think?

He taught them how to think

Who was the chief prosecutor at Socrates' trial?

Meletus

For Socrates, is truth obvious? Explain

No, he is very wary of the obvious and thinks that the truth is very rarely obvious

What was the governing principle of Socrates' life?

justice, being a just person it what is good for the soul, only when the soul is happy are we happy

For Socrates, what is the most important occupation of a human being?

subdue his bodily instincts+train himself to respond to the teachings of the soul

hetaera

term used for a mistress/woman in an irregular relationship w a man