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Socrates

c. 470–399 BCEGreek philosophyAncient (before 200 BCE)Person

Socrates was an Athenian philosopher who wrote nothing himself and is known mainly through the dialogues of his student Plato and the writings of Xenophon. He was tried and executed in Athens in 399 BCE; how closely Plato's Socrates matches the historical man is still debated.

References

Quotes (2)

“the unexamined life is not worth living”
— Socrates (in Plato), Plato, Apology 38a, tr. Benjamin Jowett
Watch on YouTube: Increase your self-awareness | Tasha Eurich ↗Tasha Eurich discusses this idea
Watch on YouTube: Alain de Botton on understanding ourselves ↗Alain de Botton discusses this idea (Modern Wisdom)
VerifiedsourceMaxim: Know yourself.Translation: public-domain translation (Jowett)
“I should not like either, but if I must choose between them, I would rather suffer than do.”
— Socrates (in Plato), Plato, Gorgias 469c, tr. Benjamin Jowett; Socrates on whether he would rather suffer or do injustice
VerifiedsourceMaxim: Do what is just, even when it costs you.Translation: public-domain translation (Jowett)