Description
Book SynopsisSocrates is important to us for many reasons. First, he recognized the value of logic and showed us how to use it to discover truth. Second, he led an exemplary and courageous life which cannot fail to inspire anyone who reads about it. His calm and eloquent defense of himself during the final trial for heresy, which ended in his condemnation and execution, are among the most famous passages in world literature. No one, apart from the great religious teachers, has had a more profound impact on human thought. Socrates himself wrote nothing. Fortunately his pupils Plato and Xenophon recorded his sayings for posterity. Indeed the connection between Socrates and Plato is so close that this little book could alternatively been titled The Essence of Plato. The latter's philosophical treatises did not survive, so that all that remains to us is the Dialogues which mostly recount the life of Socrates. Axios Press's Essence of ...series takes the greatest works ever written in the field of practical philosophy and pares them down to their essence. We select the best passagesthe ones that are immediately relevant to us today, full of timeless wisdom and advice about the world and how best to live our livesand leave behind the more obscure or less important bits. Our selections are not isolated: they flow together to create a seamless work that will capture your interest and attention from page one. And we provide useful notes and a solid introduction to the work.
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Socratic Method 2. The Search for Truth 3. The Good 4. The Importance of Modesty 5. Do Not Be Judgmental 6. The Rule of Reason 7. Avoid Sophistry 8. The Value of Observation (When Combined with Logic) 9. Rein in the Emotions 10. The Pursuit of Wisdom 11. Ultimate Reality 12. An Inner Voice 13. God (the Gods) 14. The Soul 15. Pleasure 16. Temperance 17. Right Conduct 18. Obedience to the Law 19. Honoring Parents 20. Marriage and Family 21. Rights of Women 22. Friendship 23. Training 24. Care of the Body 25. Death Bibliography Index
