Socrates-an ancient Greek philosopher
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher, who helped to shape Greek beliefs. The ideas he created are present in our culture today.
Socrates was a person full of curiosity. From the time he was a young man, Socrates searched for wisdom and truth. He gained wisdom by asking questions. Many people in Athens thought that they had answers. Socrates asked them questions and argued with them about different topics. He did not think they had the knowledge they claimed to have.
Socrates challenged false ideas people had about things like justice, love, or courage. He would break down the ideas people held. Then he built new and more accurate ideas. Socrates felt that this was what philosophy was all about. Since then, many great philosophers have used this method to find truth．
Throughout his life, Socrates showed no interest in money. He was also not interested in material items. Socrates would allow groups of men to listen to him speak. And he would never take money from them. He always wore the same clothes whatever the season. Socrates argued that his life was better because he had no material wealth．He felt he enjoyed his food more. He said he was stronger and healthier because he was not affected by the weather. He believed happiness came not from having more but from wanting less.
By the end of the fifth century B.C, Athens was not a great city anymore. Politicians betrayed Athens. Socrates had made many people angry over the years. He had always expressed his opinions when he thought laws and policies were wrong. Athens had a new group of political leaders in power, who didn't want to hear Socrates’comments about them. They thought Socrates had a bad influence on the young people of Athens. Socrates was also accused of not worshipping the right gods. Charges were brought against Socrates. The politicians wanted to condemn Socrates to death. Socrates’friends told him to leave Athens. They thought this was the only way for him to save his life. Socrates refused. He did not behave as most people in his situation would．Socrates said that he had always lived by the rules of Athens and he would continue to do this. He insisted on standing trial for his "crime". Socrates knew he was not guilty of anything. The reason why he was charged was because he was different from others. Although people respected him, he also had made many people angry, so the jury（陪审团）said Socrates was guilty.
When faced with the death penalty, a person could leave Athens forever. Most people chose to leave rather than die. Socrates was not like most people. Instead of telling the jury that he would go, he told them he deserved a reward. Socrates believed he had done a great service by making people think. Socrates said that he tried to "persuade every one of you not to think of what he had but rather of what he was, and how he might grow wise and good." The jury did not change its mind. Socrates was executed. He died when he drank hemlock, which is poisonous.
Socrates was the first great Greek philosopher. He also helped to shape other philosophers that came after him. Plato, who got his start by studying with Socrates, and Aristotle, who studied with Plato, also changed Western civilization. Asking questions to discover the truth is still practiced today. And schools even today still teach this method to students.
Socrates--an ancient Greek philosopher
Brief introduction | Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher whose idea still 1._____in our culture today. |
Unique personalities | a 2. _____ person who gained wisdom by asking questions |
a simple person who 3._____spiritual wealth to material wealth | |
a courageous person who presented a4. _____ to false ideas | |
a thoughtful person whose new and more accurate ideas 5. _____other philosophers to seek truth | |
Unfair accusations | He always 6. _____on laws and policies. |
He didn’t show 7. _____ for the right gods. | |
Glorious death | 8._____ from others, he chose to die rather than leave. |
Faced with death, he was committed to 9. _____ people into thinking deeply. | |
Great 10._____ | Socrates was a pioneer of Greek philosophy. |
Asking questions to discover the truth is still practised today. |