Greek Philosopher Socrates never wrote anything. All these Socrates Quotes we read today are derived from the theatrical and dialogical representations of Socrates in the works of his disciples and their disciples.
Principle among them were Plato and Xenophon. However, they have their inclinations and differences in intellect. For example, Plato was a philosopher, while Xenophon was a soldier. Thus, it influenced Socrates’s historical quotes in their account.
Corresponding to this ‘Socratic problem,’ there are also contradictions between the messages of his quotations. Most of the portrayals of Socrates are in terms of ironical dialogues, which are often ambiguous.
What comes out most prominently in his quotes is his cynicism or skepticism, which was to become the pillar of Western modernity. For instance, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.”
Socrates lived a brief life, from 369 BC to 400 BC, and died by consuming hemlock. But Socrates’s quotes are still prevalent because it offers an argumentative or dialogical aspect that gave birth to Western dialectics.
Why Socrates is Important Today?
Socrates is important due to his unique method of inquiry, his emphasis on ethical living and self-reflection, his example of principled civil disobedience, and his profound influence on the development of Western philosophical thought.Here’s why some reason:
- Socratic Method: Introduced a form of questioning to stimulate critical thinking.
- Ethics and Morality: Prioritized the health of the soul and virtues like wisdom and justice.
- Self-Reflection: Advocated for introspection with “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
- Civil Disobedience: Stood by his beliefs even in the face of death, setting an example for many to follow.
- Influence on Western Philosophy: Laid foundational ideas that shaped Western philosophical thought through his teachings and influence on thinkers like Plato and Aristotle.
Socrates Quotes On Wisdom And Knowledge
1. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
2. “An unexamined life is not worth living.”
3. “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”
4. “To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.”
5. “I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”
6. “The end of life is to be like God, and the soul following God will be like Him.”
7. “He who is not a good servant will not be a good master.”
8. “One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.”
9. “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
10. “Prefer knowledge to wealth, for the one is transitory, the other perpetual.”
11. “He is richest who is content with the least, for contentment is the wealth of nature.”
12. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
13. “Those who are hardest to love need it the most.”
14. “When the debate is over, slander becomes the tool of the loser.”
15. “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”
16. “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
17. “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”
18. “By all means, marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.”
19. “Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
20. “To find yourself, think for yourself.”
Long Socrates Quotes On Life and Happiness
21. “He who is not a good servant will not be a good master. The conditions of life are not the goal, but the journey itself.”
22. “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”
23. “He is richest who is content with the least, for contentment is the wealth of nature.”
24. “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of – for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again.”
25. “By all means, marry; if you get a good wife, you’ll become happy; if you get a bad one, you’ll become a philosopher.”
26. “Beware the barrenness of a busy life. The life that is unexamined is not worth living.”
27. “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
28. “An unexamined life is not worth living. The more a man knows, the more he realizes how little he knows.”
29. “There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend.”
30. “Remember, no human condition is ever permanent. Then you will not be overjoyed in good fortune nor too scornful in misfortune.”
31. “The easiest and noblest way is not to be crushing others, but to be improving yourselves.”
32. “To find yourself, think for yourself. To be yourself, you must live your truth and not what others expect of you.”
33. “We cannot live better than in seeking to become better, nor more agreeably than having a clear conscience.”
34. “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.”
35. “Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.”
Socrates Quotes On Virtues and Ethics
1. “He who is not a good servant will not be a good master. We must first learn to obey before we are fit to command.”
2. “Worthless people love only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.”
3. “Let him that would move the world first move himself.”
4. “The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.”
5. “Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.”
6. “Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.”
7. “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of – for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again.”
8. “Four things belong to a judge: to hear courteously, to answer wisely, to consider soberly, and to decide impartially.”
9. “He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it.”
10. “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”
11. “Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.”
12. “The end of life is to be like God, and the soul following God will be like Him.”
13. “Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior.”
14. “The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion.”
15. “From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.”
