Lukehilosophy The World We Need Essay, Research Paper

Throughout this category I have developed a solid apprehension of the doctrines of great ancient philosophers such as Parmenides, Aristotle, Plato. However the philosopher I find myself holding with most is Socrates. Although there are some distinguishable differences in what I believe to be the ultimate significance behind life, which I will subsequently turn to, I believe his ideas on how one should populate their life to be the wisest of any philosopher we have studied. First, allow me associate what I understand Socrates doctrine to be. Socrates believed that we all have a psyche. He believed that we are to populate our life by rules, and that these rules should be what are considered to be good. He was convinced that there were moral absolutes, a right and a incorrect, his ground being that if there weren? T everything would merely be comparative. This seems most logical. Besides, harmonizing to Socrates, in order to happen which criterions we should populate by we should prove these criterions in existent life state of affairs to see if they are right or incorrect. From what I understand, we are to populate our lives harmonizing to rights and wrongs & # 8211 ; in our traffics with others, and our private life every bit good. And, this is all in order to be populating harmonizing to the dictates of the psyche, if you will, and non by the desires of the flesh. One of the most interesting thoughts Socrates had, I believe, were his ideas sing the? true philosopher. ? He said that the true philosopher is frequently misunderstood by other work forces, that they do non understand that his whole life is the chase of decease. And, that when decease eventually comes he does non run into it with apprehension, but with the credence of understanding that the psyche is eventually to be unencumbered of the organic structure and all its immoralities. The psyche will eventually run into truth off from the restraints of an imperfect organic structure. He believed that the psyche is immortal and imperishable. He believed that? good psyches? departed to an unseeable universe where felicity is secured and they are free of human foolishness and mistake, and of all the jobs that usually plague us. Evil psyche, on the other manus will roll about in wretchedness paying their punishment until they are reincarnated to a signifier adjustment of their former immorality ways in life. And, although I do non believe this position, I appreciate it for the idea and logic behind it. I am intrigued with the manner Socrates can look beyond the physical, and do world of the religious facet while keeping no commitment to any certain God or Gods. I can hold with his doctrine sing populating our lives in an attempt to be good, and care foring the psyche above the organic structure, and puting all accent on the psyche and non on the organic structure. Although we can non scientifically turn out that the psyche is imperishable & # 8211 ; or beyond that, if we even have a psyche, but we do cognize that the organic structure is merely impermanent, so it seems logical to put importance on something beyond the physical. I think Socrates concluding behind the grounds of our psyches, is superb even if wrong & # 8211 ; which I am in no agencies connoting. His thought of anamnesis/recollect machinations me. Where would we have any thought of flawlessness, if non from our psyches? Surely anything from the organic structure or physical has yet to demo us any signifier of flawlessness. For the interest of associating to the reader why I think Socrates doctrine could lend much to human good being, allow me take a minute to relay my ideas or? doctrine? on life. I agree with Socrates on the base he makes that nil good or perfect can of all time come from the physical. Pleasing the desires of the flesh ever consequences in merely impermanent felicity, and even so it is questionable if it is a existent felicity, or merely a impermanent beginning of satisfaction. Socrates said that the psyche is where we can cognize flawlessness, and that the of import things of this life prevarication in life for the development or realisation of the psyche, and that through proper development of the head in its chase of truth, beauty and goodness that the end and intent of human life can be achieved. I personally believe that yes, we all possess a psyche, and that yes it is good to populate for the ageless and non the present. However, I beli

eve that personally we can have not have a good soul, on our own. Human nature alone, I believe would support this. We are not essentially good creatures as can be supported by the fact that if we were, we would not be plagued with hate, dissension, and strife in our world. I would go on to say then that we must find apart from ourselves a righteousness that can heal our souls, and bring them into the light, because we are imperfect and incomplete of our own to ever fully realize truth, beauty, and goodness. I realize that philosophy deals with reason, and that perhaps authority should not be used, but I hold to the truths found in 1 Peter 2:24 which reads ?He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.? So you see, in and of ourselves we are sinful creatures – soul included, but in ?He,? meaning Jesus Christ, we have been made complete. Socrates view of how life should be lived, except for my reliance on a personal savior for salvation, lies very closely beside my beliefs in the area of what should be made of importance in our lives. Matthew 6:25 reads ?Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?? This is the philosophy of Socrates, that why worry with these things? What will they matter when you die? Is it not more important to focus instead on lasting things and things that will have an eternal reward, and bring true happiness in this lifetime? I believe Socrates would probably agree with Jesus Christ, although probably in different terms, when he said in Matthew 6:19-21 ?Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves in treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.? So you see, it is because Socrates philosophy lie so very close to the beliefs of my faith, that I believe his philosophy could be a balm to the world?s problems. Too many of us, myself not excluded, put so much importance on things that don?t account for much at all. What a person wears, what a person drives, or how a person looks is placed far above things such as honesty, integrity, love, and other virtues. We are society I believe to have been so blessed and made so rich that we have forgotten the joy that can be found in hard work, loving someone, and the simple pleasures in life. I wonder sometimes if many people could be happy if they were alone. The physical wouldn?t matter much then, at least beyond what is needed for a comfortable existence. All they would be left with is self, and whatever they have in their soul to be happy or sad about. If society were to try to readjust itself to Socrates way of life, it would be such a huge reform. But it would be, I think, a very comfortable reform; it would be like hearing an old favorite song, or like remembering something we know we should have never forgotten. Such a reform wouldn?t be just like a decision to suddenly ?live in the clouds,? we would just learn and finally realize what we have been missing. I don?t ever expect to see such a change in society, because it is such a personal thing, it is an entirely different way of seeing things, and would warrant entirely different behavior. It isn?t something that a government could mandate, it isn?t something that can be done so to speak, its more of a lifestyle change; it can?t be faked. I believe that Socrates? philosophy could be the solution to a lot of the world?s problems. Things such as racism, jealousy, and greed, and materialism all appear so trite when you look at it in regards to the soul, and humanity could learn to be at peace with itself. Socrates, stating that he was not greedy for life, was willing to die for what he believed to be the truth. Socrates said he spent his whole life getting ready for death, let us all hope we have found the truths that will leave us at peace when we are to die.