MULLING OVER THE WISDOM OF SOCRATES

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Philosophy as the name implies refers to views or belief held by an individual, a sect or even people in general. Many refer to it as the love of wisdom. It is principle based on reasoning, knowledge of nature, existence and reality instead of experimentation.

One wouldn't be done speaking about philosophy without having to mention the Great Socrates of Athens. Born in 470BC and believed by many to be the father of modern philosophy. Although Socrates never got to write down his ideas, his philosophy was made evident through great minds that drank from his breast. Men like Plato, Xenophon, even Aristotle who made names for themselves in one way or another benefited from his philosophy.

I took some time to examine some of Socrates' words of wisdom and decided to express my thoughts about them, although these thoughts do not not in any way modify his opinions.
Here are some of Socrates' quotes and what I have to say about them;

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing
This is considered Socrates' most popular quote and one of my favorites too. He went on to place much more emphasis when he said "I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that i know nothing". Evidently, wisdom does not come from showing how much one knows but how much he could learn. Socrates upheld that to know is to believe that you are ignorant. Even the wise king Solomon described a wise man as one who listens and takes in more instructions not one who wants to show the world how much he knows.

Falling down is not failure, failure comes from when you stay where you have fallen
This fact is unarguable. Many people have fear of failure that they tend to believe that since they failed on the first attempt, it wouldn't really count trying again. Socrates opines that there are possible tendencies that we might fail to succeed after countless efforts but he suggests that through vigorous persistence and determination success could be attained. Some of world's renowned innovators and scientists became successful not by giving up but through continuous efforts even if they had to fail countless times. People like Thomas Edison who generated the electric power and many others owe their success to hardwork and determination.

It is better to change an opinion than to persist in a wrong one
Pride, they say comes before the fall. Presumptuousness is a key factor that steers many away from being flexible. Some tend to stress how 'whole' they are and as such can't pay attention to instructions even when they are aware they ought to. They prefer their ego over facts. For some, it might be assumptions that it's already too late to turn back and are therefore ready to take responsibility for the outcomes. Socrates suggests and I concur that it is never too late to jump down the wrong boat.

I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think
A wise man would rather learn to fish than being handed a fish. Socrates is of the opinion that instead of making one understand through careful explanation, allow them comprehend as they examine carefully by themselves. People seem to get clearer understanding of a subject matter when they carefully examine the fact themselves. Instead of showing, allow people see.

Great Socrates made other exertions through his quotes. Some of which includes;

• An honest man is always a child
• Know thyself
• To do is to be
• The unexamined life is not worth living
• Prefer knowledge to wealth, for the one is transitory, the other perpetual.
• By all means marry, if you get a good wife you'll be happy, if you get a bad one you'll become a philosopher.

And many more.

Socrates was a man of great wisdom and advanced philosophy. It is remarkable to note that his wisdom survived even after centuries of his existence. Plato, one of his students presented the idea that the world would be reformed should philosophers become kings and kings, philosophers. Explaining that only those who understand how the world really works are capable of making something better out of it. Since men could possess such deep reasoning, how much more the one who supplies them with such wisdom?

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