Short paper on Socrates
Socrates compared Athenians to a dazed sluggish horse that could possibly be awakened by the persistent biting of an (annoying!) fly. This idea of Socrates as a transformative "philosophical gadfly" inspired many who have read about Socrates's life and deat. Your formal writing assignment this week is to write a 600-900word essay that answers each of the following question:
1. Did Socrates philosophical lifestyle have the potential to "wake up" Athenians in a way that could have been useful to that society?
2. Does the importance of being awoken in that way justify the extreme manner that Socrates chose to live and die?
3. Do you agree that (to use a famous phrase from the eighteenth century Prussian philosopher Immanuel Kent), awaken an individua--or an entire societ-- from "dogmatic slumbers" is constructive and useful role of raising probing philosophical question? Is there a significant opportunity for philosophers or others to play this kind of constructive role in our own societ? Please ensure that your essay addresses each component of the assigned questions and that your answer is well-organized,uses excellent, college level prose and makes judicious use of textual evidenc.