What trade was Greek philosopher Socrates trained for?

Socrates was born around 469 BC in Deme Alopece, Athens, Greece. His father was Sophroniscus, a stonemason. Because he wasn't from a noble family, he worked as a stonemason for many years.

In Athens, all men healthy enough were required to serve in the military from the age of 18. He participated in three military campaigns during the Peloponnesian War. He joined the hoplite, a branch which used a shield, long spear and face mask. At the battle of Potidaea, he saved the life of Alcibiades, a popular Athenian general. Socrates was known for his courage in battle and fearlessness, a trait that stayed with him throughout his life.

Socrates believed that the art of philosophy should achieve practical results for the greater well-being of society. After the humiliating defeat by Sparta, Athens entered a period of instability and doubt. During this period Socrates attacked some of the basic principles of wealth and living in past glories. While many Athenians admired his philosophies many did not and felt he threatened their way of life.

In 399 BC, he was arrested as "an evil doer and a curious person, searching into things under the earth and above the heaven; and making the worse appear the better cause, and teaching all this to others." He was convicted by a vote of 280 to 221. He was sentenced to die by drinking a mixture of poison hemlock.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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43 Comments

Effren Hernandez

A man of simple beginnings but great fortitude, character and principles. May he live forever as an example of human patience and wisdom!

Roselyn L Prollo

They wanted to take the streak always to paid of people.To served for their own purpose.

Maia

Todd Van Dell, I have often wondered about these things myself. It's as if actually thinking deeper than average ("conservative") is considered wrong to and "liberal" is used as a curse word! So glad that the mental and spiritual midget in the White House will be out, out, out!!

madammartinez

Very interesting. Did not know any of this. Thanks for "something learned"!

Alane Holmes Nuzum

This isn’t a political platform, please keep your ridiculous comments to yourself, Todd Van Dell

Cedric Walters

Let's pose these question . How do so-called noble families become noble and why has no one challenged that BS ?

Anne Roberts

Each generation has very different goals .Different religions for example . Those people like myself starting as a cadet nurse to go on working in many sectors of the NHS for 60 years as. Trained Nurse our education and philosophies of right or wrong depended on practical hands on care of people / patients Learning from experience but acting on what we have learned so for it to be effective “changing attitudes “ One simple example diets.Many of us nurses and those administrators who were the pioneers of creating a free at source NHS had no knowledge of vegetarian diet vegan diet and the many other demands that those people admitted to-our hospitals demanded . Now all that has changed and every single individual can demand their special need in regards to food All this costs a huge amount of money .The NHS is taken for granted from patients worldwide There are examples of this in all services and trades as the populations have been through technology given access to every corner of the earth s well as Space . Socrates was practical but there are millions now worldwide of individuals just as practical and making the world a far better place to live Never forget you need to look back to understand the present but keep looking forward to changes that make the future exciting mistakes are inevitable however if you learn from them you will be a better human being Todd Van Dell,

Michael O

Great narrative.

Todd Van Dell

It's tragic how those who are wise, and deeply philosophical in the ways of the world are often considered heretics, for they often try to teach others their wisdom, and impart their knowledge to them. And, as we see with Socrates, these brilliant intellectual philosophers get put to death by ignorant fools who cannot understand their deep philosophical intellects. Unsurprisingly, but equally deeply sad and frustrating in 2019, with the sad intellectual midget currently residing in the White House, to hear most Republicans talk, knowledge acquisition obtained through pursuit of a college degree is still frowned upon, and the concept of furthering one's intellectual prowess by the obtaining of such knowledge is considered by far too many right wing conservatives as heresy. Why does knowledge so frighten their tiny closed minds? And what I find laughably idiotic? These foolish knuckleheads seem to believe that you will suddenly become an indoctrinated liberal if you go to a liberal arts college to further your education. (Which is a fallacy, because there are several conservative right wing colleges where you'd never be at risk for becoming an "indoctrinated" liberal. Bob Jones University and Brigham Young University leap immediately to mind, especially since I have Mormons in my family on my dad's side. Not one single liberal among them, I'm pretty sure. I believe, within that community? A liberal Mormon would be an oxymoron.) Like being liberal is a disease you can catch just by going to college to further your education. Just as ignorant as believing you could somehow "catch gay" by even setting foot in my home state of California. The staggering stupidity of the conservative right never fails to just make me laugh.

dvdeaton

Interesting stuff!! Forgot about some of the older crafts, including stone cutting..

Carroll Price

In the dark recesses of my mind, dwelled the correct answer.

Lindsay Fussell

I’ve always pictured Socrates as a much older man at his death. Guess one could say he was wise beyond his years. Also had no idea about his great military career. Thanks for the enlightenment, Ron Harvey!