Socrates' understanding of the task of philosophy

Abstract

The article tries to present Socrates' understanding of the task of philosophy step by step with reference to contemporary interpretations. Along the way, an inevitable obstacle is encountered, and that is the problem of the contemporary meanings of Socrates 'philosophy. Socrates did not leave a written trace behind, so we draw knowledge about his philosophy and life from the main testimonies, which are the writings of Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato and Aristotle. Given our acceptance and affection for certain testimonies, we are moving further and further away from the definition of historical Socrates. The paradox of this distancing, is shown in the fact that Socrates in this way in his mental heritage becomes closer to us as our contemporary. But what cannot be ignored is the fact that Socrates, with his philosophy, left an indelible mark in the development of the whole of philosophical thought and the determinants of modern culture as a whole. The transition from the question of nature to the question of human life, through the introduction of a method aimed at eliminating misconceptions and the possibility of determining the right direction for action, is what makes Socrates one of the most important philosophers and leaves him in today's view of the source of modern thought.