I Know, That I Know Nothing

Socrates, one of the most influential Philosopher’s of Ancient Greek Era and a time, mentor to Plato, Socrates ideas of Justice helped spread the Western Civilization, through Aristotle who in part taught Alexander the Great; molded modern societies.

The Western way of thinking.
Aristotle, taught Alexander the Great this is one example of what ideas are able to do when you put force behind the expansion of them. I sit in college often and listen to people talk about the theories and Philosophies of the old, as if the “ancients” had some unique and hidden agenda behind their teachings. Some hidden metaphorical meaning, to often, many make the mistake of thinking the ancients and anything less than a very narrow view of reality. Traveling long distances almost never happened back then, so they were often limited to their surroundings. In modern society we can reach the other side of the world instantly, we can connect with others and share ideas; we can look at places we have never been without even leaving where we are now. So how can any modern problems be fixed using old ideas?

What ideas get to make it?

What ones fade out?

Socrates was put to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens,” he pushed them into “Free Forms of Thought,” which transcended the idea or ideas of “Gods,” or, “gods.” He was able to help the masses awake to the reality the existed in, a state controlled by an elect few. The same way reality works today.

Challenging the “State,” and the status quo!

The ones that are often thought of as controlling Nature and the forces of reality that surround us and mold our rational way of thought, the “gods” of course; are the ones of the old that the people of that time used to explain the “things” they saw and the experiences that accured. There are also many of those that see that the “Philosophies” were a mere prediction of the future we are living in. With an even bleaker one nearing upon us, taking some of the old ideas and blending them with modern views; could possibly stop the spread of the political disease that has been seeping in for years. Sure we can think that old ideas can solve new problems, but not if we are not willing to learn from the past mistakes that lead to the fall of societies before us. History has already happened and if we fail to learn both the mistakes of the past and the triumphs that helped push forth the ideas of change in the future, then we are always destined to repeat history as we live it.

So what did Socrates mean when he said, “I know that I know nothing.”