SOCRATES - INFLUENCES

<BODY> <BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFcc"> <CENTER><FONT SIZE=5><B><FONT SIZE=6>SOCRATES</FONT><BR> THE EXAMINER</B></FONT></CENTER><P> <FONT SIZE=4><B>Influences</B></FONT><P> The importance of Socrates is clearly shown by the fact that scholars tend to divide Greek philosophy into the Pre-Socratics and those who followed after Socrates. Socrates rejects <A HREF="../02/02f01.html" TARGET="_top">Heracleitus</A>' universe of constant flux in favour of <A HREF="../01/01f01.html" TARGET="_top">Parmenides</A>' perfect universe. He too searches for the unchangeable, invariable, eternal and absolute "reality" beneath the apparent contradictions. The major change Socrates initiated was the change of focus from nature to human nature.<P> Socrates' search for absolute truth found its most articulate exponent in his devoted disciple, <A HREF="../04/04f01.html" TARGET="_top">Plato</A>, who developed it into a Theory of Ideals or Forms. It is Plato's picture of Socrates as he appears in the "Dialogues" and the "Apology" which has continued to live in the western imagination. Exaggerated and absurd as it is, Aristophanes' character in his comedy "The Clouds" probably more clearly reflects popular opinion of the day. Socrates was, after all, condemned to death for corrupting the youth of Athens. Aristophanes depicts Socrates as head of a "Thinkery" where he investigates and argues over trivial points and teaches students to outwit their creditors. Many Athenians no doubt associated Socrates with a group of professional teachers known as <A HREF="../t03/g049.html" TARGET="_top">sophists</A> who taught students to examine issues and to argue effectively. There was, however, a major difference between Socrates and the sophists - Socrates believed in absolute morality; the sophists believed that an action could be good or bad depending on the circumstances. <BR clear=left><BR> <HR width=100%> <A HREF="http://www.creatorix.com.au"><IMG SRC="../creatorix.gif" WIDTH="85" HEIGHT="40" BORDER="0" ALT="Creatorix" align=right></A> </BODY>