Often referred to as the Father of Western Philosophy, Socrates was a believer in practicality in philosophy for the betterment of society. The Greek Philosopher was very popular and criticized in his native country, Athens, because of his views on Athenian intellectual and cultural life.
Socrates often looked down upon his predecessors and politicians, which made him infamous among them. Though he believed in democratic republicanism, his views on democracy were not exactly clear.
Socrates is known to have written nothing; his philosophy was penned down by his students, Plato and Xenophon. Plato has highlighted his teacher’s views on rationalism and ethics. Socrates believed women held a higher position in society during a time where Athenian women were poorly educated and had no rights of their own.
Most of Socrates’ life was spent in penury; he moved around the city like a vagabond. All he did was converse with people of all colors, classes, and creeds to analyze their thought processes.
Such were Socrates Quotes that he was sentenced to death for supposedly manipulating the youth of the country. He got many chances to flee from the prison, but he accepted his death peacefully to teach his disciples the importance of discipline.
Contents
Socrates Quotes
- The Only Thing I Know For Sure Is That I Know Nothing At All, For Sure.
Socrates
- We cannot live better than in seeking to become better.
Socrates
- I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think
Socrates
- We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
Socrates
- Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.
Socrates
- He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.
Socrates
- Beware the barrenness of a busy life.
Socrates
- Everything is plainer when spoken than when unspoken.
Socrates
- The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.
Socrates
- Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
Socrates
- Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
Socrates
- understanding a question is half an answer.
Socrates
- Let him who would move the world first move himself.
Socrates
- Through your rags I see your vanity.
Socrates
- Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.
Socrates
- Prefer knowledge to wealth, for the one is transitory, the other perpetual.
Socrates
- The greatest way to live with honour in this world is to be what we pretend to be.
Socrates
- If you don’t get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don’t want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can’t hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is law and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.
Socrates
- wealth does not bring goodness, but goodness brings wealth and every other blessing, both to the individual and to the state.
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- The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing
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- There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.
Socrates
- Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.
Socrates
- Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle.
Socrates
- The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.
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- The hottest love has the coldest end.
Socrates
- The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.
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- Esteemed friend, citizen of Athens, the greatest city in the world, so outstanding in both intelligence and power, aren’t you ashamed to care so much to make all the money you can, and to advance your reputation and prestige–while for truth and wisdom and the improvement of your soul you have no care or worry?
Socrates
- The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.
Socrates
- Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
Socrates
- Envy is the ulcer of the soul.
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- There is no solution; seek it lovingly
Socrates
- He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.
Socrates
- Children nowadays are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannise their teachers.
Socrates
- Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.
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- The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion.
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- Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior.
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- If a man comes to the door of poetry untouched by the madness of the Muses, believing that technique alone will make him a good poet, he and his sane compositions never reach perfection, but are utterly eclipsed by the performances of the inspired madman.
Socrates
- If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart.
Socrates
- 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.
Socrates
- Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults.
Socrates
- Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.
Socrates
- Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others.
Socrates
- The unexamined life is not worth living.
Socrates
- I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.
Socrates
- If you want to be a good saddler, saddle the worst horse; for if you can tame one, you can tame all.
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- I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.
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- I only know that I know nothing
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- The really important thing is not to live, but to live well. And to live well meant, along with more enjoyable things in life, to live according to your principles.
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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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- The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our separate ways, I to die, and you to live. Which of these two is better only God knows.
Socrates
Conclusion
Known for his handful personality, Socrates had a large impact on society, and his profound views became a foundation for Western Philosophy. He has a polarizing personality, but it can be well concluded from his beliefs and thoughts that he was way ahead of his time.
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