Socrates

I tutor English and literature, psychology and religion, along with writing for university students. I am sharing this work that is from one of my friends who is brilliant but isn't fluent in english, she is from Argentina and I have translated all of her course work into english. She finished her degree in pyschology with honors and is working on her masters. Her ideas and understandings are very deep; profound; and come from a deeply mature spiritual understanding of  God, philosophy and psychology. Her thoughts and comparsions reflect her intellectual as well as her spiritual prowess. Her own understanding of man and the deeper teachings of the Torah, the bible, religion, of God. Enjoy~
 

Socrates contributions to ancient Greek Philosophy motivated me to seek out the truths of the great masters of philosophical thought. His primary belief was that if one reaches higher levels of knowledge and understanding that an individual will then have the tools available to achieve happiness because he says:  "that with knowledge we are able to attain the essence of a thing. " Conversely, without knowledge one cannot reach virtue. Knowledge is light, ignorance is darkness. Therefore, knowledge creates higher levels of understanding, wisdom, and competence, in contrast to ignorance which creates confusion, blindness, mediocrity and incompetence.

This is partial truth because education and knowledge generate an ability to manipulate life and govern behavior more effectively, to rationalize emotions and desires, thus creating awareness of the internal and external worlds.  Satisfaction is derived from a highly spiritual life, which also includes knowledge and wisdom. It appears that he repressed emotion only to serve reason. Also, he adds, "that a life unexamined is not worth living. " I agree with this concept as a life without self examination is close to superficial and mediocre.  He also said, "Know yourself."

This means that we must examine and delve into our inner motives, emotions, beliefs, purposes, goals, mores and values.  Knowledge, truth, beauty and virtue create clarity and illumination. Integrity of soul is the highest aspiration one can seek and this loftiest of all goals is worthy of highest merit. These are the attributes that when achieved are permanent and last throughout eternity.  An individual who develops his potential to reason will deeper higher levels of satisfaction. Knowledge expands comprehension. Comprehension will lead to virtue and good life, whereas, mistakes are caused by lack of information, discipline or ignorance.

I agree with Socrates in that knowledge serves to manipulate the external and internal worlds. Education develops and shapes healthy, spiritually sound individuals to attain character traits which will foster resistance against obstacles, temptation, challenges and tests that are always prevalent in ones growth process.   However,  I am more convinced by Arthur Schopenhauer's thought that a human being is always dissatisfied because life brings with it situations that are neither satisfying nor joyous and that also include suffering, yet virtue is its own reward. To continue with Schopenhauer thought: "to increase knowledge is also to increase distress."  Why? When we start to achieve knowledge and start to know ourselves more intimately, we become aware that our motives and thinking are flawed, imperfect,  they oftentimes betray us. In juxtaposition to Socrates, Schopenhauer believed that humans are governed more by irrational desires than by reason. We cannot reach happiness as it a momentary pleasure that is experienced when a need is satisfied. As soon one need is satisfied one experiences boredom and the introduction of another need surfaces. Thus, to be aware is to suffer and this is well said in the book of Ecclesiastes:

"In much wisdom is much grief, and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow." 

To summarize, although I do not agree in total with Socrates definition of happiness                 and satisfaction, I do consider him to be a heroic model of righteousness,             integrity and profound conviction; a paradigm of  valor, courage, virtue, wisdom, dignity and humility and I value his contributions to life as one of the worlds most brilliant thinkers and wisest of philosophers to add to the world of thought and truth. 

from the archives of FAU.. course work...do not use without authors permission..c.cohen and y. liebowitz