So who was Socrates?
Most of what we do know about Socrates comes from the writings of another very important person in Greek history, Plato. Both Socrates and Plato were very important Greek philosophers of ancient Greece.
Socrates was a Greek philosopher who is to this day, widely credited for laying the foundation for Western philosophy. Socrates' most important philosophy, from what we know gathered from Plato’s writings, were: the necessity of doing what one thinks is right even in the face of universal opposition, and the need to pursue knowledge even when opposed. Socrates’ main mission was to educate the citizens of Athens.
Socrates actually wrote nothing, because he felt that knowledge was something to be gained by living and interacting in the world. He had several dialogues with the people of that time, and his philosophical inquiries of the people consisted of questioning them on the positions they held on certain ideas, to the point of having them contradict themselves, therefore showing them that what they originally asserted to be true, was in fact not the case. Basically, in all dialogues he had with others, he was cross-examining them, in order that they would look deeper within themselves, and to show them that they actually knew nothing at all. In fact, Socrates himself radically proclaimed to know nothing at all but that he knows nothing about anything.
Socrates was regarded as a teacher by others, but he did not think that of himself. He also refused payment for any of his work with students and many of them were very loyal to him. The parents of said youths were said to often be displeased with his influence upon them, and his earlier association with opponents of the democratic organization had already made him a controversial political figure.
Although the amnesty of 405 forestalled prosecution of his political activities, an Athenian jury charged Socrates for corrupting the youth and interfering with the religion of the city of Athens and sentenced him to death in 399 B.C.E. Socrates admitted in court that he could have avoided the trial by abandoning his philosophy and going home to mind his own business, and even after his conviction, he could have avoided the death penalty by escaping with the help of his friends. However, he did not argue the death penalty, and instead accepted it with extreme grace. The way in which he was put to death was that he was instructed to drink Hemlock, which is a poisonous plant. Once he drank it, he fell asleep and died in the company of his friends and disciples.
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