Socrates redirected enquiries away from the natural sciences towards ethics and ethical conduct found in social sciences (William 1971 page 138)
Q2. Natural science binds people to rules that govern the natural world and does not allow for free thinking. Natural sciences use scientific and empirical methods and approaches to study the natural world. Natural sciences include astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences and physics.
Socrates, a natural scientist himself, questions the wisdom behind this knowledge (David 2010 page 16). He understands that the knowledge that individuals were seeking was way beyond the reach of any human being. This comprehensive knowledge that they seeked was beyond their reach because of the casualty with which natural scientists undertook to seek knowledge.
Socrates goes against the norm in that in his list of virtues he does not find the need to have good judgment. Sophists believed that it was important that students learn the virtue of good judgment so that they could use such knowledge in their households and politics. They taught the use of words to bring good judgment. Socrates differs with this by dictating that good judgment depended greatly on knowledge acquired by an individual in his lifetime. He goes further to explain that such good characteristics are only important and desirable when there is an absence of knowledge (Sara et al 2009 page 41).
Social sciences use scientific methods to study human behavioral patterns. Humanities is included in this category and encompass a critical and analytical approach to the study of human conditions. Examples of such social sciences include anthropology, business administration, psychology, law and archaeology.
The search for answers in natural sciences brought sophists to the social sciences. Natural science gave explanations of such issues as the origin of the universe that presented problems with the traditional religions. This was in opposition to the role that gods play in the world at the time.
Q3. Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth of Athens together with impiety. He was charged, found guilty and sentenced to death. He later drank poison in his jail and died.
Socrates is said to corrupt the youth of Athens by teaching them false ideas about the gods of Athens (David 2011 page 46). Socrates is accused of demeaning the role of the gods of the Greek in that he considers gods that are supposedly half human and half gods to be demons. This is considered trivial as it instills a different kind of thinking to the people of Athens – one of a rebellious and informed kind.
He devoted his time to teaching the youth of Athens. He refuses to teach the old since they could not change from what they have grown up to believe. He teaches the youth issues of wisdom and virtue together with reason in the hope that they would change to become better men (Charles 1815 page 315).
Q4. Socrates was unapologetic refusing to take back his statements about the government and natural sciences.
He refused to accept exile over the death penalty. In his reply, he cites the role of his accusers in teaching falsehoods to the people of Athens. He asserts that it were better for him to honored rather than be disgraced for his role in building the city (William page 2002 11).
Socrates took poison while in jail with sobriety and serenity to end his life. He is quoted to saying that ending a person’s life could not end the teachings of moral dissent engulfed in reason (Gill 2007 page 5).
References
William K. (1971). Socrates. Cambridge university press
David L. (2010). The ironic defense of Socrates: Plato’s apology. Cambridge University Press
Sara A et al (2009). A Companion to Socrates. John Wiley and Sons, 2009
David M. (2011). Socrates and Athens. Cambridge University Press
Charles D. (1815). The ancient history of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians and Grecians. Vol 2. J. Bioren & T.L. Plowman.
William B. (2002). Socrates and the Enlightenment Path. Weiser Books.
Gill M. (2007). Trials that changed history: from Socrates to Saddam Hussein. . Sarup & Sons