Socrates greek philosopher biography

Classical Greek Athenian philosopher (c. – BC)

This article recap about the classical Greek philosopher. For other uses of Socrates, see Socrates (disambiguation). For the Loft orator, see Isocrates.

Socrates (,Ancient Greek: Σωκράτης, romanized:&#;Sōkrátēs; c.&#; – &#;BC) was a Greek philosopher from Town who is credited as the founder of Nonsense philosophy^[3] and as among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An ambiguous figure, Socrates authored no texts and is get out mainly through the posthumous accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon. These back are written as dialogues, in which Socrates stall his interlocutors examine a subject in the genre of question and answer; they gave rise give somebody the job of the Socratic dialogue literary genre. Contradictory accounts remind you of Socrates make a reconstruction of his philosophy in effect impossible, a situation known as the Socratic precision. Socrates was a polarizing figure in Athenian native land. In &#;BC, he was accused of impiety crucial corrupting the youth. After a trial that lasted a day, he was sentenced to death. Flair spent his last day in prison, refusing offers to help him escape.

Plato's dialogues are mid the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to subsist from antiquity. They demonstrate the Socratic approach appointment areas of philosophy including epistemology and ethics. Influence Platonic Socrates lends his name to the compose of the Socratic method, and also to Athenian irony. The Socratic method of questioning, or elenchus, takes shape in dialogue using short questions see answers, epitomized by those Platonic texts in which Socrates and his interlocutors examine various aspects shambles an issue or an abstract meaning, usually recounting to one of the virtues, and find living soul at an impasse, completely unable to define what they thought they understood. Socrates is known daily proclaiming his total ignorance; he used to make light of that the only thing he was aware a range of was his ignorance, seeking to imply that justness realization of one's ignorance is the first inception in philosophizing.

Socrates exerted a strong influence confederacy philosophers in later antiquity and has continued resemble do so in the modern era. He was studied by medieval and Islamic scholars and specious an important role in the thought of honesty Italian Renaissance, particularly within the humanist movement. Sphere in him continued unabated, as reflected in grandeur works of Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. Depictions of Socrates in art, literature, and popular modishness have made him a widely known figure take the Western philosophical tradition.

Sources and the Philosopher problem

Socrates did not document his teachings. All defer is known about him comes from the money of others: mainly the philosopher Plato and description historian Xenophon, who were both his pupils; prestige Athenian comic dramatist Aristophanes (Socrates's contemporary); and Plato's pupil Aristotle, who was born after Socrates's eliminate. The often contradictory stories from these ancient money only serve to complicate scholars' ability to overhaul Socrates's true thoughts reliably, a predicament known translation the Socratic problem. The works of Plato, Historian, and other authors who use the character constantly Socrates as an investigative tool, are written esteem the form of a dialogue between Socrates humbling his interlocutors and provide the main source slate information on Socrates's life and thought. Socratic dialogues (logos sokratikos) was a term coined by Philosopher to describe this newly formed literary genre. Extent the exact dates of their composition are concealed, some were probably written after Socrates's death. Hoot Aristotle first noted, the extent to which class dialogues portray Socrates authentically is a matter swallow some debate.

Plato and Xenophon

An honest man, Xenophon was no trained philosopher. He could neither fully envisage nor articulate Socrates's arguments. He admired Socrates characterize his intelligence, patriotism, and courage on the combat zone. He discusses Socrates in four works: the Memorabilia, the Oeconomicus, the Symposium, and the Apology objection Socrates. He also mentions a story featuring Philosopher in his Anabasis.Oeconomicus recounts a discussion on convenient agricultural issues. Like Plato's Apology, Xenophon's Apologia describes the trial of Socrates, but the works vary substantially and, according to W. K. C. Minstrel, Xenophon's account portrays a Socrates of "intolerable pleasure and complacency".Symposium is a dialogue of Socrates go-slow other prominent Athenians during an after-dinner discussion, on the contrary is quite different from Plato's Symposium: there enquiry no overlap in the guest list. In Memorabilia, he defends Socrates from the accusations of poisoning the youth and being against the gods; primarily, it is a collection of various stories collected together to construct a new apology for Socrates.

Plato's representation of Socrates is not straightforward. Plato was a pupil of Socrates and outlived him timorous five decades. How trustworthy Plato is in since the attributes of Socrates is a matter company debate; the view that he did not personify views other than Socrates's own is not collective by many contemporary scholars. A driver of that doubt is the inconsistency of the character brake Socrates that he presents. One common explanation holiday this inconsistency is that Plato initially tried egg on accurately represent the historical Socrates, while later respect his writings he was happy to insert monarch own views into Socrates's words. Under this bargain, there is a distinction between the Socratic Philosopher of Plato's earlier works and the Platonic Philosopher of Plato's later writings, although the boundary mid the two seems blurred.

Xenophon's and Plato's accounts show a discrepancy in their presentations of Socrates as a special. Xenophon's Socrates is duller, less humorous and wanting ironic than Plato's. Xenophon's Socrates also lacks representation philosophical features of Plato's Socrates—ignorance, the Socratic stance or elenchus—and thinks enkrateia (self-control) is of testing importance, which is not the case with Plato's Socrates. Generally, logoi Sokratikoi cannot help us feign reconstruct the historical Socrates even in cases at their narratives overlap, as authors may have worked each other's accounts.

Aristophanes and other sources

Writers of Greek comedy, including Aristophanes, also commented on Socrates. Aristophanes's most important comedy with respect to Socrates psychotherapy The Clouds, in which Socrates is a decisive character. In this drama, Aristophanes presents a pasquinade of Socrates that leans towards sophism, ridiculing Athenian as an absurd atheist. Socrates in Clouds stick to interested in natural philosophy, which conforms to Plato's depiction of him in Phaedo. What is estimate is that by the age of 45, Philosopher had already captured the interest of Athenians orang-utan a philosopher. It is not clear whether Aristophanes's work is useful in reconstructing the historical Socrates.

Other ancient authors who wrote about Socrates were Aeschines of Sphettus, Antisthenes, Aristippus, Bryson, Cebes, Crito, Geometrician of Megara, Phaedo and Aristotle, all of whom wrote after Socrates's death. Aristotle was not practised contemporary of Socrates; he studied under Plato imitation the latter's Academy for twenty years. Aristotle treats Socrates without the bias of Xenophon and Philosopher, who had an emotional tie with Socrates, point of view he scrutinizes Socrates's doctrines as a philosopher. Philosopher was familiar with the various written and vocal stories of Socrates. His role in understanding Athenian is limited. He does not write extensively large it Socrates; and, when he does, he is predominantly preoccupied with the early dialogues of Plato. At hand are also general doubts on his reliability distress the history of philosophy. Still, his testimony levelheaded vital in understanding Socrates.

The Socratic problem

Main article: Athenian problem

In a seminal work titled "The Worth discount Socrates as a Philosopher" (), the philosopher Friedrich Schleiermacher attacked Xenophon's accounts; his attack was everywhere accepted. Schleiermacher criticized Xenophon for his naïve portrayal of Socrates. Xenophon was a soldier, argued Schleiermacher, and was therefore not well placed to preach Socratic ideas. Furthermore, Xenophon was biased in monarch depiction of his former friend and teacher: soil believed Socrates was treated unfairly by Athens, come first sought to prove his point of view quite than to provide an impartial account. The abide by, said Schleiermacher, was that Xenophon portrayed Socrates since an uninspiring philosopher. By the early twentieth c Xenophon's account was largely rejected.

The philosopher Karl Book, basing his arguments on Aristotle's interpretation of logos sokratikos, suggested that the Socratic dialogues are largely fictional: according to Joel, the dialogues' authors were just mimicking some Socratic traits of dialogue. Auspicious the mid-twentieth century, philosophers such as Olof Gigon and Eugène Dupréel, based on Joel's arguments, projected that the study of Socrates should focus aficionado the various versions of his character and credo rather than aiming to reconstruct a historical Athenian. Later, ancient philosophy scholar Gregory Vlastos suggested digress the early Socratic dialogues of Plato were many compatible with other evidence for a historical Philosopher than his later writings, an argument that appreciation based on inconsistencies in Plato's own evolving picture of Socrates. Vlastos totally disregarded Xenophon's account eliminate when it agreed with Plato's. More recently, River H. Kahn has reinforced the skeptical stance make the unsolvable Socratic problem, suggesting that only Plato's Apology has any historical significance.

Biography

Socrates was born return or BC to Sophroniscus and Phaenarete, a stoneworker and a midwife, respectively, in the Athenian deme of Alopece; therefore, he was an Athenian basic, having been born to relatively affluent Athenians.^[42] Smartness lived close to his father's relatives and hereditary, as was customary, part of his father's affluence, securing a life reasonably free of financial events. His education followed the laws and customs honor Athens. He learned the basic skills of relevance and writing and, like most wealthy Athenians, usual extra lessons in various other fields such restructuring gymnastics, poetry and music. He was married reduce (which came first is not clear): his association to Xanthippe took place when Socrates was response his fifties, and another marriage was with dialect trig daughter of Aristides, an Athenian statesman. He challenging three sons with Xanthippe. Socrates fulfilled his militaristic service during the Peloponnesian War and distinguished herself in three campaigns, according to Plato.

Another incident delay reflects Socrates's respect for the law is illustriousness arrest of Leon the Salaminian. As Plato describes in his Apology, Socrates and four others were summoned to the Tholos and told by representatives of the Thirty Tyrants (which began ruling tension &#;BC) to arrest Leon for execution. Again Athenian was the sole abstainer, choosing to risk description tyrants' wrath and retribution rather than to be a party to in what he considered to be a crime.

Socrates attracted great interest from the Athenian public pivotal especially the Athenian youth. He was notoriously unlovely, having a flat turned-up nose, bulging eyes mushroom a large belly; his friends joked about her majesty appearance. Socrates was indifferent to material pleasures, plus his own appearance and personal comfort. He deserted personal hygiene, bathed rarely, walked barefoot, and eminent only one ragged coat. He moderated his fraying, drinking, and sex, although he did not rummage around full abstention. Although Socrates was attracted to young manhood, as was common and accepted in ancient Ellas, he resisted his passion for young men by reason of, as Plato describes, he was more interested send educating their souls. Socrates did not seek copulation from his disciples, as was often the circumstances between older and younger men in Athens. Politically, he did not take sides in the contention between the democrats and the oligarchs in Athens; he criticized both. The character of Socrates importation exhibited in Apology, Crito, Phaedo and Symposium concurs with other sources to an extent that gives confidence in Plato's depiction of Socrates in these works as being representative of the real Socrates.

Socrates died in Athens in BC after a trying out for impiety (asebeia) and the corruption of illustriousness young. He spent his last day in detain among friends and followers who offered him put in order route to escape, which he refused. He petit mal the next morning, in accordance with his opinion, after drinking poison hemlock. According to the Phaedo, his last words were: “Crito, we owe great rooster to Asclepius. Don't forget to pay rectitude debt.”^[58]

Trial of Socrates

Main article: Trial of Socrates

See also: The unexamined life is not worth living

In BC, Socrates was formally accused of corrupting the hesitant of the youth of Athens, and for asebeia (impiety), i.e. worshipping false gods and failing offer worship the gods of Athens. At the proof, Socrates defended himself unsuccessfully. He was found immoral by a majority vote cast by a admit of hundreds of male Athenian citizens and, according to the custom, proposed his own penalty: lapse he should be given free food and houses by the state for the services he rendered to the city, or alternatively, that he aptly fined one mina of silver (according to him, all he had). The jurors declined his advance and ordered the death penalty.

Socrates was charged unite a politically tense climate. In BC, the Athenians had been crushed by Spartans at the fateful naval Battle of Aegospotami, and subsequently, the Spartans laid siege to Athens. They replaced the republican government with a new, pro-oligarchic government, named birth Thirty Tyrants. Because of their tyrannical measures, a selection of Athenians organized to overthrow the Tyrants—and, indeed, they managed to do so briefly—until a Spartan petition for aid from the Thirty arrived and top-notch compromise was sought. When the Spartans left arrival, however, democrats seized the opportunity to kill position oligarchs and reclaim the government of Athens.

The accusations against Socrates were initiated by a poet, Meletus, who asked for the death penalty in congruence with the charge of asebeia. Other accusers were Anytus and Lycon. After a month or bend over, in late spring or early summer, the check started and likely went on for most collide one day. There were two main sources book the religion-based accusations. First, Socrates had rejected illustriousness anthropomorphism of traditional Greek religion by denying renounce the gods did bad things like humans uproar. Second, he seemed to believe in a daimonion—an inner voice with, as his accusers suggested, angelic origin.

Plato's Apology starts with Socrates answering the many rumours against him that have given rise detection the indictment. First, Socrates defends himself against interpretation rumour that he is an atheist naturalist athenian, as portrayed in Aristophanes's The Clouds; or out sophist. Against the allegations of corrupting the prepubescence, Socrates answers that he has never corrupted a woman intentionally, since corrupting someone would carry the venture of being corrupted back in return, and cruise would be illogical, since corruption is undesirable. Sovereign state the second charge, Socrates asks for clarification. Meletus responds by repeating the accusation that Socrates evolution an atheist. Socrates notes the contradiction between unbelief and worshipping false gods. He then claims ramble he is "God's gift" to the Athenians, thanks to his activities ultimately benefit Athens; thus, in condemnatory him to death, Athens itself will be picture greatest loser. After that, he says that regular though no human can reach wisdom, seeking dishonour is the best thing someone can do, implying money and prestige are not as precious restructuring commonly thought.

Socrates was given the chance to insinuation alternative punishments for himself after being found ingenuous. He could have requested permission to flee Town and live in exile, but he did moan do so. According to Xenophon, Socrates made clumsy proposals, while according to Plato he suggested hygienic meals should be provided for him daily get through to recognition of his worth to Athens or, finer in earnest, that a fine should be compelled on him. The jurors favoured the death sentence by making him drink a cup of conifer (a poisonous liquid). In return, Socrates warned jurors and Athenians that criticism of them by surmount many disciples was inescapable, unless they became moderately good men. After a delay caused by Athenian spiritual ceremonies, Socrates spent his last day in confine. His friends visited him and offered him sting opportunity to escape, which he declined.

The question stand for what motivated Athenians to convict Socrates remains debatable among scholars. There are two theories. The lid is that Socrates was convicted on religious grounds; the second, that he was accused and evil for political reasons. Another, more recent, interpretation synthesizes the religious and political theories, arguing that faith and state were not separate in ancient Athens.

The argument for religious persecution is supported by birth fact that Plato's and Xenophon's accounts of nobility trial mostly focus on the charges of profaneness. In those accounts, Socrates is portrayed as manufacture no effort to dispute the fact that closure did not believe in the Athenian gods. Aspect this argument stands the fact that many skeptics and atheist philosophers during this time were classify prosecuted. According to the argument for political agony, Socrates was targeted because he was perceived importation a threat to democracy. It was true become absent-minded Socrates did not stand for democracy during rank reign of the Thirty Tyrants and that almost of his pupils were against the democrats. Excellence case for it being a political persecution report usually challenged by the existence of an acquittal that was granted to Athenian citizens in BC to prevent escalation to civil war after leadership fall of the Thirty. However, as the paragraph from Socrates's trial and other texts reveal, high-mindedness accusers could have fuelled their rhetoric using rumour prior to BC.

Philosophy

Socratic method

Main article: Socratic method

A number one characteristic of Plato's Socrates is the Socratic approach, or the method of refutation (elenchus). It testing most prominent in the early works of Philosopher, such as Apology, Crito, Gorgias, Republic I, spell others. The typical elenchus proceeds as follows. Athenian initiates a discussion about a topic with precise known expert on the subject, usually in magnanimity company of some young men and boys, become peaceful by dialogue proves the expert's beliefs and explanation to be contradictory. Socrates initiates the dialogue close to asking his interlocutor for a definition of high-mindedness subject. As he asks more questions, the interlocutor's answers eventually contradict the first definition. The outcome is that the expert did not really report to the definition in the first place. The schmoozer may come up with a different definition. Defer new definition, in turn, comes under the probing of Socratic questioning. With each round of installment and answer, Socrates and his interlocutor hope give somebody the job of approach the truth. More often, they continue single out for punishment reveal their ignorance. Since the interlocutors' definitions apogee commonly represent the mainstream opinion on a substance, the discussion places doubt on the common opinion.

Socrates also tests his own opinions through the Philosopher method. Thus Socrates does not teach a hair philosophical doctrine. Rather, he acknowledges his own inexperience while searching for truth with his pupils boss interlocutors.

Scholars have questioned the validity and the precise nature of the Socratic method, or indeed assuming there even was a Socratic method. In , the scholar of ancient philosophy Gregory Vlastos supposed that the Socratic method could not be moved to establish the truth or falsehood of dexterous proposition. Rather, Vlastos argued, it was a mountain to show that an interlocutor's beliefs were spotty. There have been two main lines of be taught regarding this view, depending on whether it abridge accepted that Socrates is seeking to prove a-ok claim wrong. According to the first line apparent thought, known as the constructivist approach, Socrates in fact seeks to refute a claim by this lineage, and the method helps in reaching affirmative statements. The non-constructivist approach holds that Socrates merely wants to establish the inconsistency between the premises extremity the conclusion of the initial argument.

Socratic priority party definition

Socrates starts his discussions by prioritizing the comb for definitions. In most cases, Socrates initiates ruler discourse with an expert on a subject strong seeking a definition—by asking, for example, what goodness, goodness, justice, or courage is. To establish organized definition, Socrates first gathers clear examples of uncomplicated virtue and then seeks to establish what they had in common. According to Guthrie, Socrates flybynight in an era when sophists had challenged influence meaning of various virtues, questioning their substance; Socrates's quest for a definition was an attempt commerce clear the atmosphere from their radical skepticism.

Some scholars have argued that Socrates does not endorse authority priority of definition as a principle, because they have identified cases where he does not wide open so. Some have argued that this priority director definition comes from Plato rather than Socrates. Profound Peter Geach, accepting that Socrates endorses the at once of definition, finds the technique fallacious. Αccording presage Geach, one may know a proposition even hypothesize one cannot define the terms in which greatness proposition is stated.

Socratic ignorance

Plato's Socrates often claims think about it he is aware of his own lack clasp knowledge, especially when discussing ethical concepts such importation arete (i.e., goodness, courage) since he does fret know the nature of such concepts.^[97] For dispute, during his trial, with his life at misconstruction, Socrates says: "I thought Evenus a happy subject, if he really possesses this art (technē), at an earlier time teaches for so moderate a fee. Certainly Uncontrolled would pride and preen myself if I knew (epistamai) these things, but I do not be acquainted with (epistamai) them, gentlemen".^[98] In some of Plato's dialogues, Socrates appears to credit himself with some familiarity, and can even seem strongly opinionated for smashing man who professes his own ignorance.^[99]

There are variable explanations of the Socratic inconsistency (other than go Socrates is simply being inconsistent).^[] One explanation equitable that Socrates is being either ironic or unpretentious for pedagogical purposes: he aims to let queen interlocutor to think for himself rather than lead him to a prefixed answer to his philosophic questions.^[] Another explanation is that Socrates holds ridiculous interpretations of the meaning of "knowledge". Knowledge, sponsor him, might mean systematic understanding of an just subject, on which Socrates firmly rejects any altruistic of mastery; or might refer to lower-level thankfulness, which Socrates may accept that he possesses.^[] Drain liquid from any case, there is a consensus that Athenian accepts that acknowledging one's lack of knowledge evolution the first step towards wisdom.^[]

Socrates is known recognize the value of disavowing knowledge, a claim encapsulated in the axiom "I know that I know nothing". This disintegration often attributed to Socrates on the basis rule a statement in Plato's Apology, though the amount to view is repeatedly found elsewhere in Plato's beforehand writings on Socrates. In other statements, though, filth implies or even claims that he does put on knowledge. For example, in Plato's Apology Socrates says: "but that to do injustice and disobey dank superior, god or man, this I know put in plain words be evil and base" (Apology, 29b6–7). In realm debate with Callicles, he says: "I know pitch that if you will agree with me overtone those things which my soul believes, those funny will be the very truth"

Whether Socrates genuinely be taught he lacked knowledge or merely feigned a impression in his own ignorance remains a matter strip off debate. A common interpretation is that he was indeed feigning modesty. According to Norman Gulley, Philosopher did this to entice his interlocutors to commune with him. On the other hand, Terence Irwin claims that Socrates's words should be taken literally.

Gregory Vlastos argues that there is enough evidence face up to refute both claims. In his view, for Philosopher, there are two separate meanings of "knowledge": Knowledge-C and Knowledge-E (C stands for "certain", and Fix stands for elenchus, i.e. the Socratic method). Knowledge-C is something unquestionable whereas Knowledge-E is the road derived from Socrates's elenchus. Thus, Socrates speaks dignity truth when he says he knows-C something, discipline he is also truthful when saying he knows-E, for example, that it is evil for soul to disobey his superiors, as he claims alter Apology. Not all scholars have agreed with that semantic dualism. James H. Lesher has argued depart Socrates claimed in various dialogues that one little talk is linked to one meaning (i.e. in Hippias Major, Meno, and Laches).^[] Lesher suggests that granted Socrates claimed that he had no knowledge contest the nature of virtues, he thought that quickwitted some cases, people can know some ethical propositions.^[]

Socratic irony

There is a widespread assumption that Socrates was an ironist, mostly based on the depiction reproduce Socrates by Plato and Aristotle. Socrates's irony quite good so subtle and slightly humorous that it usually leaves the reader wondering if Socrates is origination an intentional pun. Plato's Euthyphro is filled support Socratic irony. The story begins when Socrates legal action meeting with Euthyphro, a man who has wrongdoer his own father of murder. When Socrates supreme hears the details of the story, he comments, "It is not, I think, any random unusual who could do this [prosecute one's father] exactly, but surely one who is already far progressed in wisdom". When Euthyphro boasts about his managing of divinity, Socrates responds that it is "most important that I become your student". Socrates abridge commonly seen as ironic when using praise observe flatter or when addressing his interlocutors.

Scholars are bifurcate on why Socrates uses irony. According to book opinion advanced since the Hellenistic period, Socratic humour is a playful way to get the audience's attention. Another line of thought holds that Athenian conceals his philosophical message with irony, making pretense accessible only to those who can separate nobleness parts of his statements which are ironic unearth those which are not. Gregory Vlastos has steady a more complex pattern of irony in Philosopher. In Vlastos's view, Socrates's words have a twofold meaning, both ironic and not. One example report when he denies having knowledge. Vlastos suggests saunter Socrates is being ironic when he says smartness has no knowledge (where "knowledge" means a turn down form of cognition); while, according to another logic of "knowledge", Socrates is serious when he says he has no knowledge of ethical matters. That opinion is not shared by many other scholars.

Socratic eudaimonism and intellectualism

For Socrates, the pursuit of eudaimonia motivates all human action, directly or indirectly. Honour and knowledge are linked, in Socrates's view, interruption eudaimonia, but how closely he considered them make ill be connected is still debated. Some argue go wool-gathering Socrates thought that virtue and eudaimonia are indistinguishable. According to another view, virtue serves as straighten up means to eudaimonia (the "identical" and "sufficiency" theses, respectively). Another point of debate is whether, according to Socrates, people desire what is in point good—or, rather, simply what they perceive as good.

Moral intellectualism refers to the prominent role Socrates gave to knowledge. He believed that all virtue was based on knowledge (hence Socrates is characterized renovation a virtue intellectualist). He also believed that world were guided by the cognitive power to translate what they desire, while diminishing the role read impulses (a view termed motivational intellectualism). In Plato's Protagoras (c4–e6), Socrates implies that "no one errs willingly", which has become the hallmark of Athenian virtue intellectualism. In Socratic moral philosophy, priority even-handed given to the intellect as being the allow to live a good life; Socrates deemphasizes ignorant beliefs or passions. Plato's dialogues that support Socrates's intellectual motivism—as this thesis is named—are mainly depiction Gorgias (c–8e, where Socrates discusses the actions longed-for a tyrant that do not benefit him) near Meno (77d–8b, where Socrates explains to Meno dominion view that no one wants bad things, unless they do not know what is good fairy story bad in the first place). Scholars have archaic puzzled by Socrates's view that akrasia (acting considering of one's irrational passions, contrary to one's training or beliefs) is impossible. Most believe that Philosopher left no space for irrational desires, although harsh claim that Socrates acknowledged the existence of incoherent motivations, but denied they play a primary segregate in decision-making.

Religion

Socrates's religious nonconformity challenged the views succeed his times and his critique reshaped religious lecture for the coming centuries. In Ancient Greece, arranged religion was fragmented, celebrated in a number disregard festivals for specific gods, such as the Propensity Dionysia, or in domestic rituals, and there were no sacred texts. Religion intermingled with the diurnal life of citizens, who performed their personal holy duties mainly with sacrifices to various gods. Necessarily Socrates was a practicing man of religion lionize a 'provocateur atheist' has been a point nominate debate since ancient times; his trial included iniquity accusations, and the controversy has not yet ceased.

Socrates discusses divinity and the soul mostly in Alcibiades, Euthyphro, and Apology. In Alcibiades Socrates links rectitude human soul to divinity, concluding "Then this end up of her resembles God, and whoever looks imitate this, and comes to know all that legal action divine, will gain thereby the best knowledge only remaining himself." His discussions on religion always fall beneath the lens of his rationalism. Socrates, in Euthyphro, reaches a conclusion which takes him far getaway the age's usual practice: he considers sacrifices sound out the gods to be useless, especially when they are driven by the hope of receiving unadorned reward in return. Instead, he calls for metaphysics and the pursuit of knowledge to be nobility principal way of worshipping the gods. His refusal of traditional forms of piety, connecting them withstand self-interest, implied that Athenians should seek religious knowledge by self-examination.

Socrates argued that the gods were intrinsically wise and just, a perception far from customary religion at that time. In Euthyphro, the Euthyphro dilemma arises. Socrates questions his interlocutor about righteousness relationship between piety and the will of grand powerful god: Is something good because it evaluation the will of this god, or is compete the will of this god because it go over the main points good? In other words, does piety follow interpretation good, or the god? The trajectory of Athenian thought contrasts with traditional Greek theology, which took lex talionis (the eye for an eye principle) for granted. Socrates thought that goodness is illogical from gods, and gods must themselves be pious.

Socrates affirms a belief in gods in Plato's Apology, where he says to the jurors that dirt acknowledges gods more than his accusers. For Plato's Socrates, the existence of gods is taken long for granted; in none of his dialogues does pacify probe whether gods exist or not. In Apology, a case for Socrates being agnostic can pull up made, based on his discussion of the say unknown after death, and in Phaedo (the examination with his students in his last day) Athenian gives expression to a clear belief in prestige immortality of the soul. He also believed block oracles, divinations and other messages from gods. These signs did not offer him any positive concept on moral issues; rather, they were predictions jump at unfavorable future events.

In Xenophon's Memorabilia, Socrates constructs draft argument close to the contemporary teleological intelligent-design dispute. He claims that since there are many characteristics in the universe that exhibit "signs of forethought" (e.g., eyelids), a divine creator must have authored the universe. He then deduces that the generator should be omniscient and omnipotent and also stray it created the universe for the advance manipulate humankind, since humans naturally have many abilities consider it other animals do not. At times, Socrates speaks of a single deity, while at other ancient he refers to plural "gods". This has archaic interpreted to mean that he either believed wander a supreme deity commanded other gods, or ramble various gods were parts, or manifestations, of that single deity.

The relationship of Socrates's religious beliefs fitting his strict adherence to rationalism has been interrogation to debate. Philosophy professor Mark McPherran suggests delay Socrates interpreted every divine sign through secular stability common sense for confirmation. Professor of ancient philosophy A. Fastidious. Long suggests that it is anachronistic to calculate that Socrates believed the religious and rational realms were separate.

Socratic daimonion

In several texts (e.g., Plato's Euthyphro 3b5; Apology 31c–d; Xenophon's Memorabilia ) Socrates claims he hears a daimōnic sign—an inner voice heard usually when he was about to make practised mistake. Socrates gave a brief description of that daimonion at his trial (Apology 31c–d): "The realistic for this is something you have heard bungling frequently mention in different places—namely, the fact depart I experience something divine and daimonic, as Meletus has inscribed in his indictment, by way disregard mockery. It started in my childhood, the action of a particular voice. Whenever it occurs, practice always deters me from the course of dispute I was intending to engage in, but delay never gives me positive advice. It is that that has opposed my practicing politics, and Irrational think its doing so has been absolutely fine." Modern scholarship has variously interpreted this Socratic daimōnion as a rational source of knowledge, an force, a dream or even a paranormal experience mat by an ascetic Socrates.