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Socrates

Socrates

42 6.6
An ancient Greek thinker who used questions to find truth
  • proper noun
  • /ˈsɑkrəˌtiːz/
translation icon : Sócrates
  • But that is the difficulty Socrates gets into in trying to give the definition of a concept.
  • the philosopher Socrates
  • Socrates and Plato
  • death of Socrates

It's trying to trace the entire tradition from Socrates, right?

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Examples

  • Would we not trade half our GNP for tapes of Socrates in conversation with his students?

    Academic text (1990)
  • Only with such a conception of individuality is it possible for us to distinguish Socrates' thinking from Plato's.

    Academic text (2017)
  • So Socrates seems like a not too bad place to start.

  • Come on, Socrates, let's go.

  • It's trying to trace the entire tradition from Socrates, right?

  • Who knows, like Socrates, that his wisdom is worth nothing at all?

  • And at my age, it would be foolish for me to be like Socrates' enemies and fear death more than I love truth.

  • Why does Plato have Socrates make this speech just at this junction?

    Academic text (2017)
  • It was Socrates who once said, "Death is the greatest of all human blessings."

  • Many philosophers, including Socrates, have shaped our understanding of ethics.

Surface Forms

Socrates main

Etymology

The name Socrates comes from an old Greek name made of sōs meaning 'safe, whole' and krátēs meaning 'power' or 'ruler'. So a simple way to remember him is to think of Socrates as having 'steady power' or moral strength, which fits the famous thinker who stood firm in his ideas.