Was Socrates a real person or imagination of Plato?

Socrates was the main character in most of Plato’s dialogues and was a genuine historical figure. It is widely understood that in later dialogues Plato used the character Socrates to give voice to views that were his own.

How does Plato describe Socrates?

Hence, Plato’s Socrates is portrayed as a messenger from the gods. He has an inner voice, or daemon, who speaks to him, though strictly in accordance with his ignorance; it only offers intuitions about what is not the case, or what is not right.

Did Plato only write about Socrates?

Plato was not the only author whose personal experience of Socrates led to the depiction of him as a character in one or more dramatic works.

What is the difference between Plato and Socrates?

One of the primary differences between Plato and Socrates is that Plato gave a lot of importance to the soul of the human being than the body. On the other hand, Socrates did not speak much about the soul. According to Plato, each person has a function, and the city can be virtuous when each one performs his function.

Is there evidence of Socrates?

There is plenty of evidence to support Socrates existence. Socrates served as a hoplite during the Peloponnesian wars, and none other than Alcibiades himself mentions his valor during the battle of Potidaea and Delium; he credits Socrates with saving his life during the second skirmish.

What makes Plato’s philosophy unique from Socrates?

One primary difference between these two philosophers is that while Socrates rarely spoke about the soul of the human being, Plato gave a lot of importance to the soul of the human being than its body. Socrates believed in being just, he states that everything has a role to play, and must play it well enough.

How does Plato defend Socrates?

Plato’s speech represents his creative attempt to defend Socrates and his way of life and to condemn those who voted to kill him. One of them, no doubt, was to defend and praise Socrates by making use of many of the points Socrates himself had offered in his speech.

What happened between Plato and Socrates?

As a young man, however, Plato became a student of Socrates and turned his attention to the question of what constitutes a virtuous life. Almost all of Plato’s writings date from after Socrates’s trial and execution. The Apology is presented as the speech given by Socrates in his own defense at his 399 trial.

What was Socrates relationship to Plato?

From historical sources it is known that Socrates was Plato’s teacher and that Socrates was Plato’s elder by at least a few decades.

How did Socrates view the self?

And contrary to the opinion of the masses, one’s true self, according to Socrates, is not to be identified with what we own, with our social status, our reputation, or even with our body. Instead, Socrates famously maintained that our true self is our soul.