As Plato once said "philosophy begins in wonder". Plato was part of a triad of great thinkers who had in common a student - teacher relationship built on questioning and discussion rather than memorization and recollection of facts. Although they agreed and disagreed on many topics, it was their style of questioning and the resulting intense debates which brought them renown. Despite the passing of twenty-five hundred years their topics remain relevant to the modern world. .
The first of these great minds, Socrates, was born in Athens around 470 b.c. to a sculptor and midwife. As a young man he studied popular philosophers of the time, but felt that their ideas were not pertinent to the people. The "pre-socratics" toiled over questions like the the distance of the earth from the sun. Even if the answer were known, it would have no bearing on the lives of anybody. Socrates focus was on morality and politics, which affected everyone's life. It was the questions that Socrates raised that led to his notoriety and fame. Simple questions people thought they knew the answer to went through the Socratic thinking process and revealed to many that not only did they not know the answer, but neither did he. It was the fact that Socrates questioned everything that got him in trouble. Socrates revealed how little people in power knew, as well as everyone else. He also taught people to be true to themselves above all other things, which is a key point in his enemies accusations that he corrupted youth and had no reverence for the Gods. "If you take my advice you will think little of Socrates, and a great deal more about truth.".
Plato, a student of Socrates, was born to a wealthy aristocratic family and became Socrates" student at age twenty. Not only was he important as a philosopher himself, but also because he recorded Socrates" work. (Socrates wrote nothing) Therefore what we know of Socrates is based on the writings of Plato.