Talk:Socrates

Socrates was influenced by a number of early thinkers and educators, though he often claimed that his insights were guided by a divine inner voice (daimonion). Among those who shaped his thinking were pre-Socratic philosophers, sophists, and rhetoricians, including both men and women.

Anaxagoras of Clazomenae introduced Socrates to natural philosophy. Anaxagoras argued that Nous (Mind) was the cosmic ordering principle, and Socrates was initially drawn to him for this reason. However, he later rejected Anaxagoras' explanations for being overly mechanical and lacking in ethical focus.[1]

Prodicus of Ceos, a sophist known for his study of language, impressed Socrates with his ability to draw fine distinctions between words. Socrates is said to have attended his lectures and credited him with sharpening his interest in ethical definition and clarity of thought.[2]

Damon, a music theorist and advisor to Pericles, is mentioned in Plato’s Republic as someone from whom Socrates learned about the moral and educational effects of music. Damon’s teachings helped Socrates explore the idea that rhythm and harmony influenced character and conduct.[3]

In Plato’s Symposium, Socrates attributes his understanding of love (eros) to Diotima of Mantinea, a priestess and philosopher who taught him that love could lead the soul from physical desire toward the contemplation of divine beauty. Socrates recounts her insights with great reverence, presenting her as the source of his metaphysical understanding of love.[4][5]

Aspasia of Miletus, a renowned rhetorician and the companion of Pericles, is believed by several ancient sources to have taught Socrates rhetoric. Her influence is thought to have helped him refine his methods of dialectic and argumentation. While her role was not widely acknowledged in classical accounts, modern scholarship suggests that her contributions were diminished over time as women’s roles in philosophy were historically marginalized.[6][7]

Socrates also interacted with many sophists, male teachers who travelled and taught rhetoric, virtue, and public speaking for a fee. Though he often criticized them for charging money and for lacking a commitment to truth, he adopted many of their methods—particularly their dialogical approach to education.[8]

• Plato, Phaedo, 97b–99d.
• Xenophon, Memorabilia II.1.21.
• Plato, Republic, Book IV.
• Plato, Symposium, 201d–212b.
• Bloch, E., 2020. Diotima and the Socratic Path of Love. Ancient Philosophy, 40(1), pp.1–15.
• Pentassuglio, F., 2020. Paideutikos eros: Aspasia as an 'alter Socrates'. Archai, 30. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14195/1984-249X_30_15 [Accessed 19 Jul. 2025].
• Buckingham, W., n.d. Aspasia. Available at: https://www.willbuckingham.com/aspasia/ [Accessed 19 Jul. 2025].

• Kerferd, G.B., 1981. The Sophistic Movement. Cambridge University Press.

LostHistoryRecovered (talk) 15:23, 19 July 2025 (UTC) Reply

Damn. Dinomaster691 (talk) 17:20, 3 April 2026 (UTC) Reply

Should we add that socrates meme here? It's been blowing up recently and now has a KYM page ~2026-51002-1 (talk) 06:17, 12 March 2026 (UTC) Reply

i know nothing about it... I'm just here, man TheMehAtWiki (talk) 12:21, 26 March 2026 (UTC) Reply

"if it does get added, will the responsible one be the contributor or the suggestion?"

-----------------

I dont think we should add it, the meme is popular but it shouldnt have a mention in an article, let alone this one.. Dani Bay (talk) 21:09, 15 April 2026 (UTC) Reply

I have heard the claim repeated that Socrates did not write his thoughts down because he thought writing would "introduce forgetfulness into the soul of those who learn it". I think this would be relevant information to the article, but I am not sure how trustworthy this source is, since the article itself mentions that the reliabilty of many socratic dialogues are up for debate.

I will leave this up to others more familiar with the topic to decide whether or not to include it in the article.

VeryGoodMint (talk) 14:57, 19 May 2026 (UTC) Reply