Socrates: The Immortal Philosopher
2007-10-08 04:35 PM | Posted by Tejvan Pettinger | Permanent Link | Spirituality
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I have to admit I struggled through my first year of philosophy. I found Descartes dreary and logic perfectly illogical. I was rather pleased when I could drop (Western) philosophy for Politics and Economics.
I appreciate very few Western philosophers, but, I do have great admiration for Socrates. Socrates was unlike many philosophers because for him the aim of philosophy was not to write down great works of intellectual magnificence. Socrates was primarily interested in searching for and living the real meaning of life.
I wrote an article at Pick the Brian about Socrates and the lessons we can learn from his life.
Some Quotes from Socrates
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
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Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.
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By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
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I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.
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If thou continuest to take delight in idle argumentation thou mayest be qualified to combat with the sophists, but will never know how to live with men.
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Serenity, regularity, absence of vanity, Sincerity, simplicity, veracity, equanimity, Fixity, non-irritability, adaptability, Humility, tenacity, integrity, nobility, magnanimity, charity, generosity, purity.Practise daily these eighteen "ities" You will soon attain immortality.
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The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.
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The unexamined life is not worth living.
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One who is injured ought not to return the injury, for on no account can it be right to do an injustice; and it is not right to return an injury, or to do evil to any man, however much we have suffered from him.
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If all misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart.
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An honest man is always a child.
Sri Chinmoy has written this short tribute to Socrates:
Although thy pen was silent, mute, A sea of knowledge dire In thee the world of yore had seized. Thy voice was Spirit's fire. All wealth and ease of the world sublime Thy deeds were apt to disdain. Therefore thy spouse, Xantippe, Was tortured by a ceaseless pain. Many a foe of giant cloud Against thy knowledge stood. But gloom saw its doom in thee, With thee thy high manhood.
