Socrates: Philosopher, considered the founder of Western philosophy Bust, 15cm alabaster, ancient Greece

Socrates (c. 470–399 BC)

Was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. Socrates was a polarizing figure in Athenian society, who authored no texts and is known mainly through the posthumous accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon, which are written as dialogues, gave rise to the Socratic dialogue literary genre. Contradictory accounts of Socrates make a reconstruction of his philosophy nearly impossible, a situation known as the Socratic problem. Socrates exerted a strong influence on philosophers in later antiquity and has continued to do so in the modern era. He was studied by medieval scholars and played an important role in the thought of the Italian Renaissance. Platos dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. Depictions of Socrates in art, literature, and popular culture have made him a widely known figure in the Western philosophical tradition. In 399 BC, Socrates was accused of impiety and corrupting the youth. After a day’s trial, he was sentenced to death. Socrates spent his last day in prison, refusing offers to help him escape.  

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