#Socraticmethod

[anthonynysa]

Is Free Will an Illusion? A Day in the Life of Your Decisions.

A Choice: Morning Snooze

Alarm goes off, you are still half asleep, and you stretch your right hand out to reach the little button marked "Snooze." Did you do that based on your decision, or did your brain respond on autopilot by now, conditioned by excessive sleep deprivation? Neuroscientists will argue that the brain made that call something like milliseconds before consciousness kicks in. So, was it you who actually decided, or did your brain go into action because the situation called for it?

The next in line is the choice of breakfast. You stand in front of your fridge, staring at it, and caught up in thought about the meal between eggs and cereals. You choose cereals. On what basis? Probably because you saw a commercial for it last night. Or probably because your body is craving some sugar after long fasting. Or keys to choices, even if unaccepted, could already be chosen on your behalf by previous experiences and biological programming.

Commute: Driving or Your Instincts?

It is very likely that you don’t think of every little thing: pressing the gas, switching lanes, stopping at a red light. For the most part, your brain relatively runs your commute by remote, with defenses lowered. After taking the same route every day, your body seems to just know where to go. Is that really free will, or rather is it just you executing pre-programmed behaviors, like a sophisticated biological GPS?

Let’s take it further: suddenly, you decide to take a different route. Aha! That was free will. But—wait!—was it? What if your brain already calculated that the other route would probably be preferred based on past experiences of being stuck by traffic patterns or subconscious stress levels? Maybe just “randomly” picking that route was a less random choice than it originally appeared. 

Midday: The Illusion of Choices

As you come towards lunchtime, and you begin to browse a menu, so many options! You feel like you are in control-no doubt, you get to choose what to eat. Let's take this apart:

Your upbringing has influenced your preferences, your past meals, and what type of culture exposure you had as well as from whom you receive the meal.

Such cravings of your body are ruled by biological factors such as blood sugar levels and hormones.

Though there could be marketing influencing your decision-you may have seen a burger being advertised earlier and now you are leaning toward it, unknowingly.

Insofar as free will is a summing up of past experiences, biological needs, and external nudgings, how free truly are your choices?

Afternoon: Can You Will Yourself to Work Harder?

You sit at your desk, trying to concentrate. You tell yourself-I will be productive by my choice. But do you truly? Studies suggest our ability to focus is governed by neurotransmitters, brain structure, and even how little sleep we got last night. On some days, no matter how much we will ourselves to concentrate, our brains just can't comply.

Even decisions to move towards motivation are suspect: Did you choose to be motivated today, or were you happening to be on the right side of the dopamine and serotonin balance? If you had gotten less sleep or a different genetic predisposition, would you even be able to join work, have concentration, and work? 

The Night: Interaction and Subconscious Scripts

You are with friends after work. Every interaction, every joke told, every opinion given- these are conscious choices, aren't they? Or do they come from experience, social conditioning, and subtle cues of body language developed over decades by other people?

Oh, you laughed at a friend's joke. Was that a conscious choice? Or was your brain lining up all possible social cues and producing the right answer? Deeper still-were you free to decide what kind of sense of humor you liked, or was it influenced by the environment you grew up in?

Night: Do You Decide to Overthink?

As you're lying in bed, you're having multiple thoughts racing through your mind. You'll play scenes from the day, analyze conversations, plan for tomorrow-even think about whether you made "the right" choices throughout the day.

But if each decision were merely an automatic response to the past chemistry of your brain, subconscious biases, and environmental triggers, was there ever a "right" decision? Or were you just along for the ride? 

So, Is Free Will an Illusion?

Come on, who hasn't debated about that before? For centuries, this has been a subject of deliberation among philosophers. Neuroscientists are now saying that many decisions we make may occur before we become fully conscious of their existence. Determinists hold that everything we do is the set of dominoes set in motion by a preceding cause, so free will doesn't really exist at all. But far from being the correct opinion, there are some philosophers who believe that as long as one feels they have free will, their choices being tainted by biological and past effects is no sin.

So, what to take from this? Perhaps free will is an illusion. Perhaps we are only the sum of experiences, subconscious programming, and biological forces. But so what? If life were to illusion us into feeling we do have choices, maybe that's the punchline.

Come on, when your alarm rings tomorrow morning, is it or is it not a possibility you won't hit snooze? 

[tmarshconnors]

" Awareness of Ignorance is The beginning of Wisdom.

Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher. Here are five facts about Socrates:

Philosopher of Classical Greece: Socrates (469–399 BCE) was a classical Greek philosopher and a key figure in the development of Western philosophy. He is often credited with laying the groundwork for the Western philosophical tradition.

Socratic Method: Socrates is best known for his method of teaching, which is now called the Socratic method. Instead of lecturing, he engaged in dialogues with his students, asking them a series of questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. This method is still used in modern education.

Never Wrote Down His Ideas: Socrates did not leave behind any written records of his teachings or philosophy. Most of what we know about him comes from the writings of his students, primarily Plato, who documented Socratic dialogues and discussions in their works.

Charged and Executed: Socrates' unorthodox teachings and questioning of traditional beliefs led to his being charged with impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. In 399 BCE, he was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock, a poisonous substance, as depicted in Plato's "Phaedo."

Philosophical Focus: Socrates was concerned with ethical questions and the pursuit of virtue. He often questioned the commonly held beliefs of his time, seeking a deeper understanding of concepts such as justice, piety, and the nature of the good life. His philosophical inquiries laid the foundation for subsequent philosophical developments in ethics and epistemology.

[tsqc]

Cybersecurity Awareness: Education with Chuck Brooks

[anhcocoach]

Happy Holi! 🌸🎨

Celebrate the festival of colors with joy, love, and laughter. Let the vibrant hues fill your heart with positivity and hope as we welcome the arrival of spring.

🍀✨ This Holi, embrace the power of colors to transform your mind, body, and soul!

🌼 Whether it’s laughter shared with loved ones or moments of self-reflection, Holi reminds us that every color represents a new opportunity for growth and happiness. May this joyful festival bring new beginnings and endless smiles into your life! 💖🌷✨

🌐 Visit: app.anhco.org

[theologymade]

What if Wonderland wasn’t just nonsense—but a journey through the biggest questions of life?

Introducing Alice’s Philosophical Adventures in Wonderland — a mind-bending retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, where Alice doesn’t just fall down a rabbit hole—she dives into philosophy.

From Socrates to Sartre, logic to identity, each chapter explores a new idea through curious characters and whimsical riddles. It’s Wonderland like you’ve never seen it before: surreal, thoughtful, and full of wonder.

Perfect for fans of dark whimsy, literary retellings, philosophy, and all things Wonderland.

#AliceInWonderland #Philosophy #Bookblr #Litblr #DarkWhimsy #FairyTaleRetelling #SocraticMethod #Existentialism #WonderlandAesthetic #BookRecommendation #FantasyReads #PhilosophyMadeSimple #IndieAuthors #CottagecoreWithChaos

[bdprimetv]

সক্রেটিস এর জীবনী ️| Biography of Socrates

সক্রেটিস—যিনি ইতিহাসের অন্যতম প্রভাবশালী দার্শনিক এবং পশ্চিমা দর্শনের পিতা হিসেবে পরিচিত। কিন্তু কেন এথেন্স তাকে মৃত্যুদণ্ড দিয়েছিল? 😲🔥 তাঁর দর্শন, শিক্ষা এবং বিতর্কিত বিচার নিয়ে জানুন এই ভিডিওতে!

🔹 সক্রেটিসের জীবন ও দর্শন 🏛️ 🔹 সত্য অনুসন্ধানের ‘সোক্র্যাটিক মেথড’ 🤔 🔹 কেন তিনি মৃত্যুদণ্ড পেলেন? ⚖️ 🔹 তার ��ত্তরাধিকার আজও কেন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ? 📖

এই ভিডিওটি দেখলে আপনি সক্রেটিসের জীবন, তার নৈতিক শিক্ষা এবং দর্শন সম্পর্কে গভীর ধারণা পাবেন। 📜✨

✅ সক্রেটিস সম্পর্কে জানার জন্য পুরো ভিডিওটি দেখুন! 👍 যদি ভিডিওটি ভালো লাগে, তাহলে লাইক, কমেন্ট এবং শেয়ার করুন! 🔔 নতুন দার্শনিক ও ঐতিহাসিক ভিডিও পেতে সাবস্ক্রাইব করুন!

#Socrates #History #Philosophy #GreekPhilosophy #SocraticMethod #সক্রেটিস #দর্শন #ইতিহাস #শিক্ষা

সক্রেটিস, সক্রেটিসের জীবন, সক্রেটিসের মৃত্যু, সক্রেটিসের দর্শন, সক্রেটিসের বিচার, সক্রেটিস কে ছিলেন, গ্রীক দর্শন, প্রাচীন গ্রীস, সক্রেটিসের শিক্ষা, সক্রেটিক মেথড, দর্শন, ইতিহাস, নৈতিকতা, দার্শনিক, প্লেটো, অ্যারিস্টটল, Socrates, Socrates Philosophy, Socrates Death, Socratic Method, Greek Philosophy, Ancient Greece, Who was Socrates, Philosophy, Ethics, History, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates Trial, Western Philosophy

[philosophystudentorg]

What Is The Socratic Method? A Simple Definition | PhilosophyStudent.org #shorts

Dive into the Socratic Method, Socrates’ legendary technique of using dialogue to uncover deeper truths about ethical and philosophical concepts. Please Visit our Website to get more information: https://ift.tt/61SYVHw #socraticmethod #socrates #philosophy #criticalthinking #plato #ancientgreekphilosophy #shorts from Philosophy Student https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zifu-NBgP8

[butcherofblaviken248]

Its't its the size the about size in the fight, its about the dog in the the big dog its not"

Confucius

[anthonynysa]

Would Socrates Have Used Social Media? A Thought Experiment.

Imagining that it's 2025, Socrates, in the modern-day café, has opened his laptop. He just got greeted on Instagram with "You have 1 new follower!" and looks intrigued. Probably not the type to run away from the prospect of easily exploring the "new" digital world, or for that matter, a seeker of wisdom using the Socratic method of questioning everything. But would Socrates-the ultimate skeptic and conversationalist-actually use social media? Let's enter this thought experiment.

First poking at the obvious, Socrates was not the type who cared much for writing anyway. In fact, it is famously said that there exists no authentic record of his own writings. Whatever we know of him comes down to the hearsay of his pupils, notably Plato. Socrates was all about intellectual dialogue face to face-the debates in public lugares; challenging assumptions; dissecting thoroughly even the unlovable and uncomfortable thoughts. Would he engage in Twitter threads, Facebook debates, or TikTok rants? Well, that would be far-fetched. 

The Socratic Method: Online Style

Essentially, the Socratic method involves asking questions that invite people to challenge ideas and to think again. So, it sounds very similar to online debates, does it not? After all, social media is an arena where everyone can give their opinion—and sometimes, those opinions might need a little poke and prod. Picture Socrates diving into Twitter discussions, replying to tweets with the simple yet certain rebuttal, "But why?" That would surely lead to some terribly amusing yet slightly cumbersome exchanges. Nevertheless, Socrates wouldn't be there to earn likes or retweets. He'd be there to get to the truth even if that meant grinding the nerves of everyone involved.

It isn't hard to imagine how much trouble for Socrates it would be to portray an Agitator in the online space to inspire critical thinking among users. For a social media platform, one is given an opportunity to share their views, close, say the Agora (the marketplace) in Ancient Athens. Socrates would in all probability make those platforms as an arena to question people's presuppositions or assume things. Things like, "What is the real worth of a 'like?'" or "What does it mean to be really heard with a tweet of 280 characters?" It would take an endlessly flowing challenge to the received wisdom, with the assurance that Socrates had a huge number of followers on social media because let us be true, his philosophy spells intrigue. 

The Problems With Social Media That Socrates Would Have Hated

But Socrates would certainly never ignore any problem with social media. Seeing how many times online discussions reduce to three-second arguments or how misinformation spreads like wildfire, he would probably have spent a great deal of time shaking his head in disappointment. He had really believed in the quality of discourse. For him, seeing people argue in sound bites or tweet memes highlighting ever flimsy details of a complex issue would, in all regards, make him cringe. Remember, Socrates was all for refining ideas and actually trying to reach proper understanding and not just to score a wing for an argument or chase followers.

Besides that, Socrates probably wouldn't have appreciated social media's obsession with self-promotion. He would have turned to a scroll of curated Instagram posts, each showing candidates at their Pops-the-Root Beer moment and asked, "Is this really living?" He might have thought that the constant scramble for likes and followers alludes to the more serious pursuit of wisdom. 

Had He Been Living, Would He Have Been On Facebook?

Here's another interesting thought: Would Socrates have been on Facebook? He certainly had an affinity for conversation - perhaps he could have joined a few philosophical groups to get the dialogue going. But knowing how rapidly Facebook can swoosh into cat videos, rants about political parties, and unsolicited opinions on pineapple pizzas, Socrates may likely have been out of there before long. He would probably value spaces that allow for a deep exploration of ideas, rather than mere soundbites shared with a click of a button. 

Conclusion: Socrates will throw himself amidst the noise of the digital world.

The real reason, you say? Not really to care about any followers or content going viral. His social media would have been a podium for questioning thought, challenging, and search for the truth; in a word, a philosophic-style podcast with plenty of trolling bait. Like everything else, he would have approached it with caution-scrutinizing the usefulness of this instrument and never allowing himself to get twisted and turned by any of the bull it would have undoubtedly presented.

In the end, it is less about whether or not Socrates would have engaged with social media and more about whether we would engage with these social sites as avenues of real conversation, rather than simply seeking the next hit of dopamine in our feeds. Long live Socrates, who probably would just ask us to log off every once or twice, look around, and go, "Is this the best way to spend our time?"   

[develop-inspire-transform]

Blind Spots: How Knowing About Them Can Help Move You, Those You Know, and All of Humanity Forward

Blind Spots: How Knowing About Them Can Help Move You, Those You Know, and All of Humanity Forward

Photo by Taras Chernus on Unsplash

Have you ever considered your blind spots? No? Probably not, seeing as we are blind to them. What in the world are they, and how do they function; and, even more importantly, what can we do about them? Alright, let’s take a look.

What is a blind spot; and, how do they function?

You know what you know, right? Okay. Let me write it this way. You are aware…

[tmarshconnors]

The Trial of Socrates

The Trial of Socrates is one of the most famous legal cases in ancient history. Socrates, a classical Greek philosopher, was put on trial in 399 BCE in Athens. He was charged with two main offenses:

Corrupting the youth of Athens: Socrates was accused of leading the younger generation astray by encouraging them to question established norms and authority, particularly the Athenian democracy.

Impiety (asebeia): He was also charged with disrespecting the gods of the city and introducing new deities. This accusation arose from his criticism of traditional religious beliefs and his promotion of more abstract philosophical ideas about divinity, including the concept of a singular, higher moral being or force.

The Context:

Athens had recently undergone political upheaval, including the fall of the Thirty Tyrants, a pro-Spartan oligarchy that briefly ruled the city before democracy was restored. Some of Socrates' followers, like Critias and Alcibiades, had connections to this oligarchic regime. This made him a controversial figure, even though he himself avoided political involvement.

The Trial:

The trial was held in front of 501 jurors, a large jury by modern standards. Socrates defended himself, but his defense was more of a philosophical discourse than an attempt to win the favor of the jury. He argued that he had done nothing wrong, suggesting that his mission of questioning others and seeking wisdom was a service to the city, not a crime. He even referred to himself as a "gadfly," a figure meant to stimulate the city to self-examination.

Rather than appeal to the jurors' emotions, Socrates remained defiant, claiming he had a divine duty to seek and speak the truth. His unwillingness to pander to the court likely contributed to his conviction.

The Death Sentence:

Socrates was found guilty by a narrow margin. After the guilty verdict, there was a second phase of the trial to determine his punishment. He sarcastically proposed that he should be rewarded with free meals for life, as a benefactor of the city. When pressed for a serious proposal, he suggested a small fine, which the jury found insufficient.

The jury ultimately sentenced him to death by drinking hemlock, a poison that induces paralysis and death. Despite offers from his friends to help him escape, Socrates accepted his fate, choosing to abide by the law even though he believed it to be unjust. His calm acceptance of death is famously depicted in Plato's Phaedo, where he engages in philosophical discussion with his friends until the moment of his death.

Socrates' trial and execution are often seen as a pivotal moment in Western philosophy, marking the conflict between free thought and democratic governance. His death also serves as a symbol of the risks involved in challenging societal norms and authority.

[scrumptiouskidprofessorfish]

I wondered what seared through Socrates's brain when he started to think how horrible Seminars can be for a grade. - #memes#socraticmethod#socraticseminar#biggay#nope#justno#trueevil#thisisdark#nuuh#justsop#evilmemes#edgymemes#teenpost#tumblr#canrelate#relatable#plzstop#schoolmemes#schoolactivity https://www.instagram.com/p/ByXWojYHr-2/?igshid=2bglxfdrm9e8

[makebritaingreatagain]

What you did there. I see it.

Also, this could easily be a Zen Koan :P

I’ll never be this funny again please validate me

[charmingdisaster]

View this post on Instagram

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Teatime at charming disaster HQ #socraticmethod #hemlock #greekphilosophy #tea #teatime #socrates #greek #philosophy

[nickedinger]

“Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phardo” by Plato, translated by G.M.A. Grube #book #review #thepicturesaysitall #philosophy #socrates #socratic #plato #soul #socraticmethod #books #bookstagram #booksofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B1mdrKuhq64/?igshid=411pir48es30