n Delphic Oracle: Socrates is the wisest man because he sees his own ignorance
n becomes a “gadfly” seeking to reform
n “The unexamined life is not worth living;” we must face our ignorance
n accused of corrupting youth and denying the gods
n submits to the death penalty rather than abandon his call to teach
n opposes the relativism of the Sophists
n human nature is constant, so ethics must be objective (based on natural law)
n man’s virtue (arete) is to exercise his highest possession, reason
n dialectic method - a position is proposed which generates an opposing position; through question and answer, a definition is sometimes arrived at
n induction used to move from particular examples (e.g. many just acts) to a universal definition which applies to all
n however, definitions are still opinion
n knowledge is (1) recollection of forms as known before birth, (2) intuition of being, of the forms, (3) a divine gift
n “virtue is knowledge” - if we know what is right and best for us, we will do it
n genuine knowledge of justice transforms a person; he will act justly
n this combines action (virtue) with contemplation (knowledge)
n since the soul engages in the spiritual act of thinking, it is transcends matter
n thus, the soul is personally immortal (not subject to physical death)
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