This is a very interesting question. To answer it, I will presume that we are time travelers with the advantage of nearly two and a half millennia of historical perspective.
For starters, I might ask Socrates what he would think about being the father of so much later philosophical thought. His influence on nearly every school of philosophy can't be understated. I think he would be amused to hear this, and it would be interesting to hear his own take on his legacy. I have the feeling that he would brush it off, but it would be wonderful to know his perspective on his own lasting influence.
For the purposes of historical inquiry, I would also like to ask Socrates how many of the quotes, sayings, and ideas attributed to him by others are accurate. Plato, Xenophon, Aristophanes, and many others left us most of what we know and understand about Socrates. I would like him to tell me what he thinks of these portrayals.
Of course, Socrates was known for seldom giving a straight answer to a question. I have a feeling that if you were actually able to ask these and other questions of the philosopher, you might find it to be a frustrating experience. Nonetheless, it would be a curious thing to do.
According to the Oracle at Delphi, Socrates was the wisest man in the world. He was also the father of modern western philosophy, and he encouraged philosophical thinking to move beyond the realm of physical science into the areas of morality and ethics. Given this background and the fact that his main focus was on how to live a moral life, here are some of the questions that I would have liked to ask him:
Now that you have been sentenced to death, do you remain as convinced as ever that you have done the right thing by challenging society? How do you think your death will impact the world? In what ways could the world be improved if everyone agreed with your way of thinking? As society evolves, do you think that ethics and morals will become more or less important, and why?
https://www.ancient.eu/socrates/
Socrates was one of the wisest men to ever live. Sadly, he was convicted of political crimes by men who did not like him, so he was forced to commit suicide. The account of Socrates' trial and death is detailed in Plato's Apology, Phaedo, Crito, and Euthyphro. There are many questions I would liked to have asked Socrates had I been able to meet him.
First, I would ask him why he would submit to an unjust sentence. Socrates answered similar questions when his followers attempted to help him escape, but I would like to press the point which St. Augustine would later make, which is that "an unjust law is no law at all." Second, I would ask Socrates to share the key to living a life of wisdom. Finally, I would ask him to share insights which would help me become better at asking good questions.
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