Philosophy and Ethics of World Religions

Question 1

When he told his story about his experiences with the oracle of Delphi, Socrates was trying to justify that he was the wisest of all the Greek philosophers. Notably, Socrates begins his defense by stating that he already ‘knows that he knows nothing’, which confirms that doubt is the beginning of philosophy. Particularly, when one begins to question the ancient accepted wisdom, especially those that he cherishes, he/she begins to become philosophical. By questioning those who had reputation for, or were perceived to have wisdom, Socrates became wiser than them since unlike them, he did not claim to know what he did not understand. According to Plato, Socrates accuses his prosecutors of eloquence at the beginning of the trial, meaning they are employing the art of speaking persuasively. However, Socrates noted that the only eloquence he knew of was that of the truth. In the whole story, Socrates acknowledged that the wisdom of man is not true since when examined critically, it is bound to fall apart, and that those that can recognize this are the wisest. 

Question 2

Socrates notes that only God is wise and that he cannot lie. Despite his declaration about god, Socrates starts questioning the oracle and investigating how or why the oracle could be true. I agree with Socrates assertions since by questioning why and how god could be true we can raise our doubts, which is an important aspect in philosophy. In philosophy, questioning accepted wisdom of tradition, particularly one’s dogmas, one’s cherished beliefs, and one’s axioms is important in gaining wisdom regarding the particular custom. Most world religions claim to have answers and truths about various day-to-day occurrences, which should not be the case. It is important to seek truth and knowledge by investigating religious claims. 

Reference

Lim, J. (2006).  Socrates: The public conscience of Golden Age Athens . New York: Rosen Pub. Group.