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ABSTRACT:
The present paper deals with the classical problem and mystery regarding the great philosopher of all the timeSocrates. Some writers, historians and critics raise questions on existence of Socrates- Was he really born? Did he really live in the earth? Such questions have been also raised on existence of Shakespeare. I have consulted some resources and found logical evidences that forward the truth that Socrates really existed in the earth, without any doubt.
KEYWORDS: Existence, Kilpatrick, Enigma, Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Socratic Problem, Mac Flecknoe,
Caricature, Mock-Heroic, Sherlock Holmes, Mythology, Skepticism, Robinson Crusoe, Alexander Selkirk, Phaedo
INTRODUCTION
Jorge Luis Borges can inspire anybody to look into the history and solve any hidden mystery. Borges investigated the historical case of Kilpatrick, the secret and glorious leading Irish revolutionary captain, who turns to be the hero and the traitor, the same, at the same time. He suggests us that history must be interpreted. Enigmas must be exposed, explored and publicized. Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. His birth is often quoted as c. 469 BC - 399 BC. 1 He is the founder of Western philosophy. However, details about him are unclear, paradoxical, and inaccurate. Socrates did not write anything. All the details come from others, from his students like Plato and from his contemporaries like Aristophanes and Xenophon. Inaccurate and inconsistent details have created a problem, which is called the Socratic problem. Purpose behind this paper is to get into the issue and explore the truth. The Socratic Problem Richard Tarnas is right to say all great people have suffered in history at the birth of a new thought. 2 Jesus, Buddha, Galileo and many others suffered at their innovations. Socrates is still suffering from vigorous dispute over his identity and existence, though he is believed to have died at the birth of philosophy. His enigmatic and inscrutable identity is moving in the whirlpool set by historians, authors and interpreters. Socrates is an enigma, the whole issue standing as the Socratic problem, in his appearance, personality, and behavior, views and methods. The extant sources such as Plato's 'Theaetetus' (143e) and 'Symposium' (215 a-c, 216 c-d, 221 d-e), Xenophon's 'Symposium' (4.19, 5.5 - 7), and Aristophanes's 'Clouds' (362) describe Socrates as an ugly character - with bulging eyes, bulged out stomach, a flat, upturned nose with flaring nostrils, large fleshy lips, and swaggering gait.
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knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, geometry, music, ancient history, linguistics, etc. was very strange that he didn't work to earn a living and neither took voluntary participation in the state affairs. Another wonderful description is that he denied being a teacher. Neither had he taken any money for his works done. The poor man lived in poverty whole life. Such a man of knowledge and wisdom had the upper hand in every discussion though he never claimed that he knew anything important.
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Socrates is an enigmatic character still in our study because of various details and various interpretations by litterateurs like Aristophanes (Playwright, 450 - 386), historians like Xenophon, philosophers like Plato, and many others. Aristophanes claims to have known Socrates in his early years. Xenophon claims to have known him as his companion, as in his words "I was never acquainted with anyone who took greater care to find out what each of his companions knew" (Memorabilia 4.7.1). Plato's details in his works claim that he had known Socrates in his later years. These three people differ with their accounts, and that was possible because they were from three different professions. Details and interpretations from these and many others have rather developed the complexities - arising the major issue over the skeptic identity and existence of Socrates, with a sense of puzzle, the Socratic problem, that many have worked hard to solve and many are still making efforts. Cornelia de Vogel (1955) argues that all the interpretations that we have by this time represent only a theoretically possible Socrates. 4 I have made my effort to link the 'Socratic problem' with some important literary, historical and mythological events and dare to find a way out.
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fictional character and real character can be related to fictional character and real character of Socrates. Without real identity and existence, Socrates would not have been born in the play of Aristophanes in the history of Xenophon and in the philosophy and dialogues of Plato.
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difference is of the period of living on the island. The story was detailed on purpose by Defoe to give shape of literary work. I want to relate to the influence of the real person in the novel. Aristophanes, Xenophanes and Plato had influence of a real person. Their personal feelings, experiences, and analysis might have lots of variations but they had Socrates in their mind, no doubt.
DARING OF SOCRATES
In Phaedo, Plato writes that Socrates was smiling and had a highly fascinating face when he took the bowl of hemlock and drank the poison in a gulp. There was a long period of gap between trial and declaration of death penalty and the day of execution. During this period, Socrates might have prepared himself, climbing different stages of approaching death. He must have accepted (acceptance being one of the stages) the death with peace of mind, and that might have been exaggerated as daring of the wisest and upright man, Socrates, by Plato, as he was his disciple.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusions, I would like to allude to the above details to confirm with surety that Socrates was a real man, not an enigma, and his entire existence can be justified, without any skepticism. Though I am afraid I have dared with the interpretations above to justify the truth that the 'Socratic problem' is just a falsehood against Socrates, and my interpretations may add further complexities to the problem.
REFERENCES
1. 2. 3. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates
Tarnas, Richard. 1993. The Passion of the Western Mind. UK: Random House Publishing Group. Nails, Debra. Socrates, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL= http://plato.stanford.edu/archieves/spr 2010/entries/socrates/
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Ibid. Ibid. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Flecknoe en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle Ibid. Defoe, Daniel. 2009. The Life and most surprising adventures of Robinson Crusoe. S. Hedgeland. Title part.
10. Howell, John. 1829. The life and adventures of Alexander Selkirk. London: Oliver and Boyd, Tweeddale-court: and Geo. B. Whittaker.