Odola Lero

Philosophy: 1000-007
Instructor: Teresa Welch
Due, Dec 10 2016

Comparison and Contrast between the two famous

Philosophers of the western world Socrates and Plato.

Introduction:

Here Im writing the essay about three famous

philosophers of the west, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. And
these three philosophers backgrounds and their philosophies
are pretty much related to one another. Socrates was Platos
teacher and Plato was Aristotles teacher. Momentarily, we will
see the comparison and contrast between these philosophers.
According to the text book, Socrates was named to be
the first best philosopher and founding father of western
philosophy. He was the first thinker of Athens who created the
new style of philosophy. Even though, we dont have enough
evidence that show most of Socrates philosophy work. Plato
became the most important informer about Socrates work.
Socrates was walking without wearing shoes. He also,
was accused by his friends that he was not bathing for long
time. Because of his appearance people, said he was ugly. But
Socrates didnt care much about the way he looked. He
believed that the outer appearance was not more important
than the inside. The inside beauty mattered more than outside
look.
Socrates was accused by his three accusers, Meletus,
Anytus and Lycon of not believing in God, and that he probably

believed in something different then what everyone believed

in. But his student (Plato) who kept his work alive until today,
told everyone that Socrates was a hero of three wars.
Socrates scarified his life for several decades fighting
to save Athens.
After Socrates death Plato left Athens for many years
and went to several countries to study. When he came back to
Athens he started his Academy. Most of the people in Athens
expected that Plato would be in politics but he decided to
pursue his teaching philosophy. According to what we learned
about Socrates, he didnt seem like he had a work history
except for teaching philosophy. We cannot really predict how
he gets the money to support himself.
Coming to the death of Plato, people learned that he died
when his student (Aristotle) 37 years of age. But nobody
knows how he died and what killed him. Some said he died on
his bed and others said he died during a marriage feast, but
this is not proven.
Furthermore, Socrates was married to a younger girl than
him and he had three sons. Since, Socrates didnt talk a lot
about himself, we dont know for fact if he was very poor or
not. He was a soldier and fought many battles. During that
time in Athens, the army had to buy their things. Socrates
might have enough money to participate in these three wars.

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Socrates and Plato both are well known philosophers of

the western world. Socrates and Plato were born in Athens
Greek. Platos father was the son of the king of Athens.
Socrates was Platos teacher and Plato was Aristotles teacher.
Aristotle wrote a lot of work more than Socrates and Plato. He
was a student and tutor in Platos academy, then he became a
teacher. Aristotle created his own academy called Lyceum,
where he taught until his death. Aristotle was born in Athens
and he was a son of a court physician. His father taught him
basic anatomy before he went to study in Platos academy.

As I mentioned above, the three philosophers their

background related to one another because Plato learned his
philosophy from his teacher Socrates and Plato taught
Aristotle (his student). The different between Socrates and
Plato on their philosophy style, is that Socrates didnt write
down anything about his work. He only talked to people and
asked questions. But Plato wrote down his work and then he
lost some of his work. Even though Plato lost most of his work
that was written he revealed about thirty five percent of his
work. Socrates and Plato both fought as foot soldier in the war
with Sparta.

Socrates believed was to find the truth by asking

questions and not to be feed with wrong information or
explanations of anybody belief or opinions. Sophists felt that
Socrates was going to mislead the youth and the society of
Athens. Socrates was labeled as a threat to Athens society and
accused of corruption the new generations. So Athens
government decided the kill him so that he couldnt continue
to lecture his philosophy. Plato told them that these judgments
on Socrates case will feel very shameful and bad record in
Athens history for years and generations to come.

Athens accused Socrates of believes himself to be the

wisest man in Athens. Because he knew that he did not know
anything. Socrates relied on questioning to hear from people
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and to find the way of how do people knew things and how
would they decide to know the truth about the things and
nature of the universe. Because of his beliefs he didnt fear for
his life. He continued what he believed was the right way to
find the reality of the universe. Afterward, that caused him to
get in trouble with the sophist and be executed. Before he was
put to death, there were a few options left open for him that
would have save Socrates life; one of the options was to leave
Athens in exile. The second option, was to stop his beliefs, and
the 3rd was to be put to death.
Because of his beliefs he decided to accept death instead
of running away for his life. Socrates didnt fear for his death.
He wanted to change the world view about the nature and
things that we do not know anything about or we are not sure
about the reality of. Socrates wanted the people to go deeper
to find the truth, not following the histories without evidence
or proof. His philosophy style changed the Athens society and
the whole world. Now days, the whole world is using his
philosophy style as a daily basis for critical thinking. These
Three philosophers, Meletus, Anytus and Lycon, contributed
the most education to the whole world.
After Socrates death, his student Plato became a very
importance source of his work because Socrates didnt write
down his philosophy work and Plato educated the whole world
and shared what he know about Socrates. Today what we know
about Socrates we learned from Plato. Now days, when people
talk about Socrates, its pretty much like you are talking about
Plato. Whether we think something is right or wrong in
Socrates philosophy we cannot really put blame on Plato.
Socrates is the hero and the inspiration of Plato.
Between both they didnt agreed on the soul and
human being body. Plato expressed more about the soul of the
human being then the body. But Socrates didnt exactly say
direct to his disagreement with Plato. His quoted that
everything has their function. Plato believes in immorality
of the soul, but Socrates doesnt believe in that. Aristotle
believes what he seen and knows physically.
Each one of these philosopher has different view or
ideas how they do their philosophy. Socrates ideas were to find

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the true of the nature or knowledge how and why things are
the way they are. Plato ideas were form and Aristotle ideas
were logic. The different between Socrates and Plato was the
school. Plato opened school academy for teaching but Socrates
didnt open academy. Aristotle he was student of Plato and he
didnt agreed with Plato about the ideas of forms. They both
rejected the relativism, skepticism and individualism.
The main reason of Socrates to criticize the sophists
was saying that they are making people follow what they
believed to be accepting as true without explanation. Not only
Socrates who rejected the sophists, the other philosophers
also rejected them that they are just well articulate people but
not truth believers. During that period of time there were
many wealthy in Athens. He taught his student that wealthy is
a bad thing. It messes up those who had it, meaning that
wealthy do more corruptions. Then, most of the wealthy of
Athens turned against Socrates.
Moreover, they both contributed the very crucial systems
that still exist up to date. Plato contributions; were the
republic addresses, justices and politics the academy,
Mathematics, Sciences. And Aristotle contributions, politics
analysis or thinkers and scientist.

Conclusion

According to my understanding, Socrates wanted

everyone to think and work harder for everything that we
know or we do not know the reality. I truly believe Socrates
what ideas because we dont have to accept what we learned
without find fact of it. In order to make the world a better
place we have to think critically and find the fact. As we know,
every individual have their own opinion, ideas and decision.
When we look on these philosophers ideas, each one
of them point out his disagreement and the one he agreed with
other philosopher. But it doesnt mean they are wrong or right
because their giving their opinion or individual thought. As a
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human being, we have to do the something they did. We cant

just read what they wrote and sit back without doing our part.
Nowadays, the whole world is busy doing a lot of
work because of these three philosophers who wrote their
ideas thousands years ago and left them. The way I sees and
when reading about Plato and Socrates philosophy its very
difficult to talk about one of them without including both. I feel
like Plato did a lot of work in his life lecturing his philosophy
and Socrates.

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