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Socrates was a fascist who hated democracy. His students imposed a noted tyranny on the state of Athens, and his collaboration with that state is why he was sen

Socrates was a fascist who hated democracy. His students imposed a noted tyranny on the state of Athens, and his collaboration with that state is why he was sentenced to death later. The only reason we think Socrates is so great is that literally the only surviving texts are from his supporters. Meanwhile texts from the Stoics or Democritus are lost. Its like if the only record of our time was the writing of Henry Kissinger.

nabla9 7y ago
Most of what we know about Socrates came from the writings of his student Plato. What is you opinion on why Plato writes that Socrates did not support tyranny? Plato was supporter of the thirty tyrants led by the first cousin of Plato's mother. Plato also clearly supported of the idea that philosopher kings should rule, so I find it strange that he says Socrates was not supporting tyrants.
- astazangasta 7y ago
  Plato was a young man when Socrates died. Imagine a bitter fascist a generation later attempting to keep alive the cult of a noted collaborator put to death for his collaboration. Of course he will say Socrates did not support the tyranny.
  - nabla9 7y ago
    I don't follow. Plato was big supporter of the idea of philosophy of philosopher tyranny, but he was so shamed of his own philosophy that did not want Socrates to be associated with it?
    - astazangasta 7y ago
      No. Plato wanted to present an idealised world ruled by philosophers like himself. He wanted to deny that this world was equivalent to the highly unpopular government that had been imposed on Athens by their nemesis Sparta. That is, he wished to deny that Critias, despite being educated in the manner Plato favored, was a true representative of that philosophy, since the result was so unpopular. This is a position taken by many ideologues, Marxist, capitalist or otherwise, who repudiate the failures of their system in practice - the system fails because it is not "real" Marxism, etc., which can remain forever perfect in theory. In reality it isn't difficult to see the outcome of Plato's philosophy (I am thinking mostly of The Republic) as playing out in real life exactly as the Thirty Tyrants did - a bunch of rich brats raised to think they were wise philosophers visiting their "wisdom" on a captive populace.

nabla9 7y ago

Most of what we know about Socrates came from the writings of his student Plato. What is you opinion on why Plato writes that Socrates did not support tyranny? Plato was supporter of the thirty tyrants led by the first cousin of Plato's mother. Plato also clearly supported of the idea that philosopher kings should rule, so I find it strange that he says Socrates was not supporting tyrants.

astazangasta 7y ago
Plato was a young man when Socrates died. Imagine a bitter fascist a generation later attempting to keep alive the cult of a noted collaborator put to death for his collaboration. Of course he will say Socrates did not support the tyranny.
- nabla9 7y ago
  I don't follow. Plato was big supporter of the idea of philosophy of philosopher tyranny, but he was so shamed of his own philosophy that did not want Socrates to be associated with it?
  - astazangasta 7y ago
    No. Plato wanted to present an idealised world ruled by philosophers like himself. He wanted to deny that this world was equivalent to the highly unpopular government that had been imposed on Athens by their nemesis Sparta. That is, he wished to deny that Critias, despite being educated in the manner Plato favored, was a true representative of that philosophy, since the result was so unpopular. This is a position taken by many ideologues, Marxist, capitalist or otherwise, who repudiate the failures of their system in practice - the system fails because it is not "real" Marxism, etc., which can remain forever perfect in theory. In reality it isn't difficult to see the outcome of Plato's philosophy (I am thinking mostly of The Republic) as playing out in real life exactly as the Thirty Tyrants did - a bunch of rich brats raised to think they were wise philosophers visiting their "wisdom" on a captive populace.