PHIL 51.001 – FYS: Who Was Socrates?

Socrates is by far the most famous Greek philosopher and, perhaps, the first real philosopher known in the Western tradition. In this course, we explore the intellectual and historical context within which Socrates is thought to have revolutionized philosophy so as to better understand his significance for his contemporaries and for us. Our focus, however, will be on the large and perennial human questions that Socrates made his own: How should we live? What is virtue? What sort of society should we strive to provide for our families and for ourselves? And: what is philosophy and what role should philosophy play in our lives?