" Why does Socrates say this? Is he sincere? .
In The Apology Socrates proclaims to Meletus and the rest of his prosecutors at his trial for impiety that "If I do have any wisdom, great or small, I am quite unaware of it!". This, at first glance, seems like a bizarre claim for reputedly the wisest man in Athens to be making, until it is shown in the light of some of his other teachings. Socrates was not being modest when he speaks of his wisdom (or lack of), nor was he trying to curry favour with those who were seeking to convict him. Rather, he was being quite honest when he claimed not to know anything at all, for that is what he truly believed. But to find out why Socrates would want to make such a claim, so other examples of his proclamations of ignorance must be examined.
One of the most explanatory statements Socrates makes to justify his claim of ignorance is also found in The Apology. He is telling the story of how, after receiving the news from Chaerephon that the Oracle at Delphi had proclaimed that there is no man alive who is wiser than Socrates, he travels the land seeking to find someone wiser than he is, and prove the Oracle wrong. However, every "wise" man he meets disappoints him in the same way. In one such encounter with one of these teachers of wisdom, Socrates asks him about the nature of being honourable and good, to which the man provides no satisfactory answer. Afterwards, when Socrates ponders the conversation, we see the true nature of his ignorance:.
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" quite possibly neither of us knows anything about being honourable and good. But he imagines he knows when he doesn't, whereas I don't imagine that - for really I don't know. So at any rate I am wiser than he is in this small way: when I don't know something, I don't have the illusion that I do know it".
Socrates shows in this excerpt that he is wiser than other men of learning are, as he knows that he knows nothing, rather than claiming - not least to himself - to have false knowledge.
ren Kierkegaard discusses Socratic irony. ... He always began by claiming ignorance, while his interlocutor claimed to possess knowledge. ... This daimon that possessed him also made it necessary for him to constantly profess his ignorance. This ignorance, which was ironic, was a false modesty. ... This makes the entire Socratic dialectic into a form of "revenge,aE as Nietzsche had called it. ...
Socratic irony is the pose of ignorance on the part of the master, who may in fact know more about the matter than he lets on" (Blackburn, 2008). ... He would question the proclaimed wisest men of Athens while at the same time professing his own ignorance. ... Iakovos Vasiliou brought up the point that the term "Socratic irony" seems to leave the door wide open for abuse. ... "Conditional irony is an important part of Socrates' method for prodding the audiences of both the inner and outer frames into a clearer awareness of their own ignorance" (Vasiliou, 1999). ... Socratic...
In his work, The Concept of Irony, Søren Kierkegaard discusses Socratic irony. ... He always began by claiming ignorance, while his interlocutor claimed to possess knowledge. ... This daimon that possessed him also made it necessary for him to constantly profess his ignorance. This ignorance, which was ironic, was a false modesty. ... This makes the entire Socratic dialectic into a form of "revenge,"" as Nietzsche had called it. ...
In the Socratic view, unless a person knows what the right thing to do is, he/she cannot be a moral person. ... (25b-c) He further argues that most people do not commit deeds, which are morally wrong through intention, but rather through ignorance: Either I have not a bad influence, or it is unintentional. ... Sometimes for example, ignorance is individual responsibility. ... The Socratic model also deals with death and a concept of a higher spiritual power is present. ... If everyone adopted this particular Socratic line, society would doubtless have little to worry it. ...
Socratic ignorance. ... Socrates speaks to the people just for the pleasure of speaking, Socratic dialect, in order to get truth. ... He started of by stating that he is not an eloquent speaker and that he does not know anything, again his Socratic ignorance. ...
This question and answer method is known as Socratic Dialectic, which is also known as the Socratic Method. ... It is easy to think of people who sometimes use a modern version of the Socratic Method. ... Socratic Method is to show us that even though we thought that we knew something, we really didn't. ... People who committ suicide think it's for the best, the terrorists think their acts are favorable in the eyes of God, etc., so I do find truth and sense in Socrates claim that all evil is ignorance....
Socrates that human vices were concecuence of ignorance and tat no person is willingly bad. ... In the Socratic dialogues, he would question the students and carefully apply his dialectical method. ... Basically it would destroy the illusion that we already comprehended the world perfectly and we would accept the fact of our own ignorance. ... He tried to pass on the heritage of a Socratic style of thinking and to guide the progress of the students through mathematical learning to the achievement of abstract philosophical truth. ...
Socrates that human vices were concecuence of ignorance and tat no person is willingly bad. ... In the Socratic dialogues, he would question the students and carefully apply his dialectical method. ... Basically it would destroy the illusion that we already comprehended the world perfectly and we would accept the fact of our own ignorance. ... He tried to pass on the heritage of a Socratic style of thinking and to guide the progress of the students through mathematical learning to the achievement of abstract philosophical truth. ...
