5 great life lessons from Socrates

Socrates, who is considered the father of philosophy, was born in Athens in the year 469 BC. His father, Sofonisvo, was a stonecutter and his mother, Panarota, was a midwife. Despite his humble origins, he was a very important philosopher. There are many life lessons from Socrates that have survived to this day.

This great philosopher lived in principle like any other Athenian. He followed his father’s trade for some time and served as a soldier. He was a man known for being a great worker. The first life lessons from Socrates They relate to your patience and your ability to bear the burdens of your condition.

When he started to gain fame as a thinker and naturalist, his enemies grew in number. This was because he promoted an unforgiving ethic, in which there was no place for dishonesty, dishonor or double standards. That’s why he was persecuted and ridiculed. He also sentenced to die/commit suicide. This last episode became over time one of the great life lessons from Socrates.

Life lessons from Socrates

Below we offer you some of the most valuable teachings of this great philosopher and thinker.

1. Humility

Socrates was not at all physically attractive. His height was too short and he had a rather prominent belly. His features were abrupt and among them stood out his large bulging eyes and his extremely upturned nose. His physical appearance was a source of ridicule. by other philosophers.

However, none of this affected him. On the contrary, he paid little or no attention to those comments. Rather, he always wore the same cloak and was totally austere in his way of life. He barely ate or drank what was essential. Amphiton said of him that no slave would want to be treated the way he treated himself. Plato, for his part, washed her feet and put sandals on her.

2. Respect for the individuality of others

One of the most interesting aspects of this philosopher’s life is that he never wrote. Although everyone considered him to be a very superior mind and full of wisdom, all of Socrates’ teachings were oral. The reason why he adopted that behavior is another of the great life lessons from Socrates.

He always said that everyone should develop their own ideas. If he wrote his own, he would condition the intellectual construction of others.. His was something more genuine: talking endlessly with people, bringing into play his irony and his extraordinary ability to see things from a different angle.

3. Listening, another of Socrates’ great life lessons

The method by which Socrates gave his teachings was of such subtlety and intelligence that it is still applied today (although, less than desirable). Great pedagogues, such as Jean Piaget, were inspired by the Socratic method, which is known as “Mayeutics.”.

The philosopher began a conversation by questioning his interlocutor. He asked him questions that aimed for him to discover if what he said was consistent, or, on the other hand, he had little basis. In this way, each person arrived at the truth on their own. Socrates listened and only questioned.

4. Total openness to the truth

Socrates is the author of the famous phrase “I only know that I know nothing”. In his case it was not a slogan or a way to promote himself. This philosopher really had a unique open-mindedness. Hence he considered that his main resource to arrive at what was true was to recognize that he did not know what was true, It was raising questions before trying to find answers, it was expanding the vision of the world before narrowing it down..

Socrates was also the author of the famous statement “Know yourself”. This phrase was inscribed on the pediment of the Temple at Delphi. She did not seek to describe human beings, but rather invited us all to explore within ourselves. A journey, without a doubt, exciting.

5. The sense of humor

The most famous of the Athenian philosophers also had a great sense of humor. Much of it was reflected in his anecdotes with Xanthippe, his wife. She was 30 years younger than him and famous because she had a character demonized.

That’s why ever Socrates was asked why he married her. and he indicated: “What I like is to learn every day from a person with such a bad character (soon very strong, not very patient). There is no better school than dealing with others”.

Despite everything, when he was sentenced to death his wife went to visit him and burst into tears. Socrates then said to him: “Don’t cry, we are all condemned to death by nature”. His wife replied: “But you have been unjustly condemned”. Faced with this, Socrates replied: “Would it seem less regrettable to you if I had been fairly convicted?”

These are just some of the big ones. life lessons from Socratesone of the most important philosophers in history. He even accepted his death sentence and carried it out with complete serenity. His greatest merit is that he lived just as he preached.

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