Socrates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Socrates - Essay Example It is however not well known how Socrates supported himself. Whereas some contemporaries point out that he got paid for teaching philosophy, others like Plato points out Socrates did not accept any payment, citing his poor status as a proof of lack of payment. During his late adulthood, Socrates married a young woman Xanthippe and together had three sons Lamprocles, Sophroniscus and Menexenus. Socrates however had little to do with the upbringing of his sons and more with the intellectual and philosophical development of the Athens youth. He also served as an Athenian soldier and participated in three military campaigns one in which he personally saved the life of a popular Athenian general (Cohen, 30). Socrates’ philosophy was greatly preoccupied with the notion of the good and evil of the society. His aim was to bring about an ethical society that depended on the inner need to live ethically rather than being guided by theological or other perspectives (Abel, 430). Socrates work therefore founded a basis for the development of theories of ethics and republic that were coined by later philosophers. First, Socrates believed that the true value of life is in the pursuit of true knowledge. From his perspective, â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† (Cohen, 46). To stress on ethics as a concept to die for, he does not accept exile when convicted and chooses to remain in Athens and face death in an environment where he could cross-examine people as he wished. Although he feels that he is the one wronged by the state and those who brought him to trial ( Abel, 11). In the light of the ethics, he proposed, Socrates explained further the notion of soul and the body. The soul and the body exist separately. â€Å"An orderly soul will, therefore, be able to rule over bodily desires†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and lead the thoughts towards what is ethical and true (Cohen, 46). After the accusations and ultimate conviction,