Philosophy is the view of life of a person or group of people which is a basic concept of life that is aspired. Philosophy is also interpreted as an attitude of someone who is aware and thinking adult in everything in depth and wants to see in terms of a broad and comprehensive with all relationships. The development of philosophy starts from the days of ancient philosophy to modern philosophy. Various new thoughts emerge and together seek the truth to reach a true truth.
With the existence of philosophy, figures emerged who made changes with various thoughts. These thoughts make people use their minds to think more deeply and explore knowledge that is very useful today. Various new discoveries have been obtained so that it makes someone wiser in dealing with an existing problem.
In this paper, the author will discuss the figure of the Athenian philosopher who has a lot of influence in the history of Ancient Greek philosophy. He is Socrates, in this paper the author will try to describe the various highly controversial Socrates' thoughts of his day and glance at the life journey of the famous Socrates with his good and simple personality.
A. SOCRATES BIOGRAPHY
Socrates (470 BC - 399 BC) was a philosopher from Athens, Greece and was one of the most important figures in the Western philosophical tradition. Socrates was born in Athens, June 4, 470 BC, and was the first generation of three great philosophers in Greece, namely Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Plato and Aristotle were Socrates students. Socrates' father was a stone mason named Sophroniscos. His mother was a midwife named Phainarete, from which Socrates named his method of philosophizing with the midwifery method. Socrates married a woman named Xantippe and was blessed with three children, Ramprocles, Sophroniscos and Menexene. Socrates is an enigmatic figure in the history of philosophical development. He never wrote a line in a writing.
The lifetime of Socrates was contemporary with the sophists. He is known as a person who is virtuous, honest and fair. How to convey his thoughts to the youth he used the question and answer method. Therefore he gained a lot of sympathy from the youth in his country. But he was also disliked by many by accusing him of being a person who ruined the morale of his country's youth. In addition, he was also accused of rejecting gods or gods that had been recognized by the state.
The continuation of the accusations against him made him tried by the Athens court. In the court process he said that his defense was later written by Plato in his text entitled Apology. Plato told of the accusation. Allegations say that Socrates did not only oppose the religion recognized by the State, but also taught his own new religion. One of the men who charged him, Melithus, said that he was a godless person and added: Socrates said the sun was a rock and the moon was land. Socrates of course said that the new accusations that said he was atheist were contrary to the previous charges, and then he presented a broader range of views.
The Book of Apology gives a clear picture of a particular human figure: a man who is very confident, big-spirited, does not care about worldly preferences, namely that he is guided by a divine voice, and is convinced that clear reasoning is the most important condition for living properly. In Apology, Socrates defends himself not for his own sake, but for the sake of the judges. According to him, the judges were community mosquitoes, sent gods to the country, and it was not easy to find other people like him (Socrates). Socrates answered (denied) the accusation, and asked him who was the one who was improving the youth. Melithus answered at first the judges, then pressed a little to say that all the people of Athens except Socrates improved the youth. Socrates congratulated that Athens had the good fortune to have so many people who tried to improve youth, and good people would certainly be more appropriate to be associated with than bad people, so he would not be able to be so stupid as to intentionally damage them. After the decision was read, he was denied an alternative sentence of thirty minae (for which Socrates named Plato as one who could afford it, and was present at the hearing), and Socrates delivered his final speech about death. He said that death is not the end of everything, death is a separate body from the soul to proceed to the next world. In the court process Socrates was found guilty of voting 280 against 220 (Bertens, 1975: 82). He was charged with the death sentence. Socrates was sentenced to death by drinking poison, some said poisons from cypress plants, which were clearly poison from plants.
The method of death also gives an example, how a philosopher is loyal to his teachings and still holds firmly in his belief even though life is at stake. Socrates has died, but his name and thoughts are forever alive. Socrates was a mediocre person, everyone agreed that Socrates's face was very bad, his nose was thick and his stomach was so fat; he was "worse than the Silenus in the Satirical drama" (Xenopon, Symposium). He always wears dirty and old clothes, wherever he goes always barefoot. His attitude that doesn't care about heat and cold, hunger and thirst amazes everyone. In the Symposium, Alkibiades, which tells Socrates when he was on military duty that he was more responsible than other friends. When he was cut off in supplies and was forced to leave without food, he remained strong compared to the others. At that time the weather was freezing, ignoring the cold he still strode with certainty on the ice pile that was petrified in his usual manner, shabby and barefoot. The ability to control all physical passions is constantly highlighted. He rarely drank wine, but while he wanted to, he had a stronger drink than everyone.
B. SOCRATES THINKING
The sophists live in the same age as Socrates, and indeed there are similarities in opinion between the two. According to Cicero, Socrates moved philosophy from heaven to earth, meaning that the targets investigated were no longer the universe, but humans. But not only did Socrates make this, the sophists too. They also make humans the target of their thoughts. That is why Aristophanes called Socrates a sophist. Even so there is a big difference between Socrates and the sophists. Socrates' philosophy is a reaction and a criticism of the sophists. The term "sofis" experiences its own development. Before the 5th century the term meant: scholar, scholar. In the 4th century scholars or scholars were no longer called "sofis", but "philosophical", philosophers, while the term "sophists" was applied to teachers who traveled from city to city to teach. Finally the term "sophist" is no longer fragrant, because a sophist is a person who deceives other people by using illegitimate reasons. The teachers around were accused of being people who asked for money for their teachings.
The teaching that all truths have relatively shaken established scientific theories, shook religious beliefs. This causes confusion and chaos in life. This is why Socrates rose. He must convince the Athenians that not all truths are relative, there are general truths that can be held by everyone. Some truths are relative, but not all of them. Unfortunately, Socrates did not leave the writing. The sophists assume that all knowledge is the relative truth, there is no general knowledge. By that definition Socrates can prove to the sophists that general knowledge exists, namely the definition itself. So, the sophists are not entirely right, the truth is that some knowledge is general and some is special, the particular is knowledge with relative truth. As the following example: what is a chair? People can check all the seats, if possible all the seats in this world. For example the judge's chair consists of a seat and backrest, four-legged, from teak wood. Second, the recliner consists of seating, sandara and four-legged, made of stainless steel, and so on. So it can be concluded that every seat is always a seat and a backrest. These two features are found in all seats. Whereas the other features do not belong to all seats. So, everyone will agree that the chair is a leaning seat. This example is objective truth - general, not subjective - relative. About the number of feet, material, size, etc. It is a relative truth. So, indeed there is general knowledge, that's the definition.
The teachings can be obtained from the writings of his students, especially Plato. Bartens explained that Socrates's teachings were intended to oppose the teachings of sophistical relativism. He wants to uphold science and religion. The way socrates gave his teachings was that he came to people with various backgrounds, such as: political experts, officials, craftsmen and others. The method is practical and is carried out through conversations. He analyzes opinions. Everyone has opinions about wrong and wrong, fair and unfair, brave and cowardly, etc. Socrates always responds to the first answer as a hypothesis and with further answers and draws consequences that can be deduced from these answers. If it turns out that the first hypothesis cannot be maintained, because it produces impossible consequences, then the hypothesis is replaced with another hypothesis, then this second hypothesis is investigated with other answers, and so on. Often the conversation ends with aporia (confusion). However, it is not uncommon for dialogue to produce a definition that is considered useful. The method commonly used by Socrates is usually called dialectics. According to Plato, dialectics in the sense as a method to explore knowledge by way of question and answer, not discovered by Socrates. Presumably this method was first practiced systematically by Zeno, a student of Parmenindes; in Plato's dialogue entitled Parmenindes, Zeno outperformed Socrates in the same way as what happened in Plato's other dialogues where Socrates outperformed others. But there is enough reason to suppose that Socrates practiced and developed this method at the same time. The Socrates method is called the dialectic because dialogue has an important role in it. Another name is Maieutics, midwifery, because this way Socrates acts like a midwife who helps the birth of a baby "the right understanding".
With this way of working, Socrates found a way of thinking called induction, namely: concluding knowledge that is general in nature with the origin of a lot of knowledge about special things. For example: many people consider their expertise (blacksmiths, shoemakers, sculptors, etc.) as their virtues. A blacksmith argues that his virtue is if he makes good iron tools. A shoemaker considers his superiority, if he makes good shoes. And so on. To know what "virtue" in general, all the special characteristics of the various virtues must be removed. Stay the general virtues. Thus with induction it is also found what is called the general definition. This general definition at that time was unknown. Socrates was the one who discovered it, which turned out to be very important for science. For Socrates the general definition is not first needed for scientific purposes, but for ethics. What is needed is ethical understanding, such as: justice, truth, friendship and others.
Socrates also said that the human soul is not merely his breath, but the principle of human life in a deeper sense. The soul is the essence of man, the essence of man as a responsible person. Because the soul is the essence of man, then humans must give priority to the soul's happiness (eudaimonia = having a daimon or good soul), more than body happiness or outward happiness, such as: health and wealth. Humans must make their souls become the best souls possible. If it is only life, it has no meaning. Socrates' famous establishment is "Virtue is Knowledge". The virtue in the field of good life certainly makes people able to live well. Living well means practicing his knowledge of good life. So good and evil are associated with the question of knowledge, not with human will.
In the last part of Socrates' life, where he expressed his views on what happened after death, he was truly convinced of immortality. As in the footage of Socrates's closing speech after he was sentenced to death:
"And now O people who have punished me, I want to predict your destiny; for I will soon die, and moments before the death of man are endowed with predictability. And I predict, my assassins, that shortly after my departure, a sentence which is far more severe than what you impose on me will surely await you ... if you think that killing someone you can tackle that person so that you do not criticize your despicable life ; it is not an honorable and liberating way out; the easiest and most dignified way is not to suppress others, but by improving yourself. Death may be the same as sleeping without dreams - which are clearly good - or perhaps the soul's move to another world. And is there anything that burdens humans if he is given the opportunity to talk to Orpheus, Musaeus, Hesiodus, and Homer? So, if this is true, let me die repeatedly. In the other world they will not punish someone for just asking: of course not. Because unless it's happier than we are now, those in the other world are eternal, if what is often told is true ... "
From the description of the closing remarks above, Socrates has believed that there is life after death, and death is the transfer of the human soul to the next world. Dead people only leave bodies. Socrates argues that the spirit existed before humans, in circumstances that we do not know. Even though the spirit has been laced with the human body, but when the human died, the spirit returned to all its origin. When people say to Socrates, the king intends to kill him. He replied: "Socrates is in a jug, the king can only break the jug. The jug broke, but the water will return to the sea. " That is, the broken body is the body, while the soul is eternal.
COVER
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher born in Athens in 470 BC who was the most important figure in the western philosophical state. He is a simple person, who is always dressed in old and dirty and never wears footwear. He is a good, honest and fair person. Socrates' father was a sculptor and Socrates's mother was a midwife who later with her mother's work she got inspiration from the thoughts of a midwife. Pre-Socratic Philosophy only deals with natural objects, while Socrates in addition to discussing nature also addresses humans, souls, and others.
From these things arises thoughts that are very useful today. The thoughts are as follows:
Thought about the existence of general truth, because Socrates thinks that not all truths are relative or also called induction thinking, which concludes knowledge that is general in nature with the origin of a lot of knowledge about special things.
The dialectical method, which was actually applied by a philosopher named Zeno who was a student of Parmenindes. Nevertheless, Socrates was the one who developed this method. The way it works is like the name of the method, namely by asking questions or having a dialogue. This method is also called Maieutics or midwifery.
The idea of "virtue is knowledge" so everything is related to existing knowledge. Even Socrates has explained that good and evil in human life are associated with knowledge, not with human will.
Thought about the existence of immortal humans or immortality. Socrates argues that people who die only leave bodies, and their souls will go to the next world.
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