The Trial And Death Of Socrates And The Gita - 1563 Words

Given the current movement calling for all people to be themselves or â€Å"be-you-tiful† the idea of nonconformity has transferred to being an example of conformity itself. In this essay, I will argue that this paradox is also true of the ancient texts The Trial and Death of Socrates and The Gita, despite their conflicting messages on the importance of individuality. In The Trial and Death of Socrates, Socrates seems to take an individualist approach in that people choose to follow their â€Å"god†, or conscience, while The Gita argues that people are being guided by truth. The Gita shows this with Arjuna’s devotion to Krishna’s wishes despite his inherent ties to his family. Both Socrates and Arjuna find themselves at odds with their devotion to†¦show more content†¦The Gita makes this known by having the god Krishna, who in himself is the universe, tell Arjuna that in following him he is following his duty, which in Arjuna’s case is figh ting in the war he does not want to be apart of. The Trial and Death of Socrates also speaks of following god, but not a god in the traditional sense. This difference was also lost upon the Athenians surrounded himself with, shown by the way they sentence Socrates to death for not adhering to their conception of gods (Plato 27a). In a sense their rationale is wrong, because the â€Å"god† Socrates speaks of is not a god at all, but rather his conscience. Take the quote, â€Å"I was attached to this city by the god--though it seems a ridiculous thing to say--as upon a great and noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a gadfly. It is to fulfill some such function that I believe the god has placed me in the city† (Plato 30e). Notice Socrates’ use of the word â€Å"the† before god, this shows that god is not a supreme being, but rather a concept. The particular concept is the concept of universal truth, which â€Å"speaks† to Socrates through his conscience. Now that the idea ofShow MoreRelatedCritical Essay : A Synthesis Of Action1467 Words   |  6 Pagesanswering the question, â€Å"how should one act?† To illustrate this notion, the use of action was examined as it pertained to the texts The Bhagavad Gita, The Trial and Death of Socrates, and the Daodejing. As it was portrayed in The Bhagavad Gita, action was discussed through the perspective of one’s duty or obligation to act. In The Trial and Death of Socrates, action was shown on the principle of supporting one’s own beliefs. Regarding the ideologies of the Taoist philosophy and tradition, the DaodejingRead Morebhagavad gita vs. Socrates Essay1695 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ The Dialogues of Self Self: Oh wise Socrates what an honor it is to meet you. I hope you have the time to converse with me. I have read the Bhagavad-Gita and the Dialogues of Plato concerning your trial and death, and have several questions concerning your belief in the immortality of the soul. Socrates: Of course my friend. That is the reason I am here. Self: Excellent. You speak of it being a noble risk to believe in the immortality of the soul. That on a basic level I understandRead MoreTrue Knowledge Is Blinded By Ignorance1658 Words   |  7 PagesBrendan Kane Journey of Transformation Dr. Viezure 10, December 2014 True Knowledge is Blinded by Ignorance I agree with the quote from the Bhagavad Gita â€Å"Knowledge is enveloped by ignorance, hence all creatures are deluded†. Humans are not fully capable of understanding true and complete knowledge, due to their ignorance. Because of human ignorance, which is defined as not completely understanding something, humans are not able to reach their full potential, and gain true wisdom. Everyone possess