Full Name: Socrates
Birth Date: BC 469,
Birthplace: Athens
Died: BC 399 (age 71), Athens
Spouse: Xanthippe
Nationality: Greek
Occupation: Philosopher
Region: Western Philosophy
Era: Ancient Philosophy
Notable ideas: Socratic Method
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who is the founder of Western Philosophy. People became able to know about Socrates’ knowledge through the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon. Socrates became famous for his contribution to ethics and for the invention of two new ideas Socratic Method as well as Socratic Irony.
Socrates taught his students by an unusual method of questioning and giving the answer. When he met with his students in different places such as roads, markets, public places, and anywhere would try to provide lessons because at that time there was no educational institution. For this reason, some people would refer to him as mad.
Early Life:
Socrates was born in BC 469 in Athens to Sophroniscus his father was a stonemason and sculptor and Phaenarete was his mother. It is thought that Socrates worked as a mason and received payment for teaching. Later he turned himself into a philosopher.
Socrates Married:
Socrates married a younger woman Xanthippe, who was not satisfied with Socrates’ profession because he could not support the family as a philosopher. However, she bore him three children-Lamprocles, Sophroniscus and Menexenus.
Trial and Death:
Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth of Athens and impiety as well as the jury convicted him by a vote of 280 to 221 and subsequently sentenced him to death by drinking a mixture of poison hemlock. Although he got a chance to escape but did not escape because he believed in the principle of law- even bad laws and refused to let his friends bribe the guards.