Socrates’ Ideas in an Interview with a Wise Man Essay
In most modern societies, wisdom is viewed as a combination of an intrinsic insight and years of experience and is generally lauded as the desired state of mind. Wise people are seen as authorities, and their opinions are treasured and followed as the principles that one should consider essential for a happy and fulfilling life. However, the concept of wisdom is not a social constant and, thus may vary depending on one’s values and philosophy. Keeping Socrates’ ideas in mind, I believe that my friend’s grandfather is the wisest person in my community since even in the times of social conflicts he promotes the ideas of compromise and cooperation, thus encouraging a peaceful resolution of any issue.
When applying the allegory of the cave as told by Socrates to the interviewee, I must admit that my friend’s grandfather neither would turn away from the truth nor would be shocked by it. Instead, he would observe it calmly and accept it as an integral and inevitable part of life. From the standpoint of proactiveness and the willingness to change the world for the better, the specified approach toward managing complex issues might be seen as the sign of weakness.
However, it seems that the ability to recognize the point at which one cannot influence the current state of affairs and, instead, focus on what can be changed is the sign of true wisdom. Rather than taking immediate actions, the interviewee would observe and make conclusions to finally arrive at the decision that seems most sensible. Therefore, I believe that this person is wise since he can align his priorities and refuses to focus on the negative issues that he cannot change. His proverbial peacefulness and willingness to compromise add to the overall impression of him being extraordinarily wise.
In addition, approaching the philosophical stance of the interviewee from the perspective of Socrates’ “Apology,” one will also have to admit that the interviewed man is very wise. Specifically, my friend’s grandfather showed no inclination to believe that his own opinion or life position could be defined as wise. Instead, he pointed to several issues that he deemed as philosophical and ethical flaws, thus being entirely certain that his philosophy required further improvements.
The identified phenomenon could be attributed to the interviewee’s humbleness; however, after a series of questions, it became clear that he was quite objective about his beliefs and philosophy. Therefore, the respondent’s recognition of the flaws in his arguments and the willingness to address them can be regarded as another sign of wisdom.
Finally, referring to Socrates’ opinion on Plato’s “Symposium,” one will have to agree that the interviewee’s wisdom is largely defined by his ability to experience, express, and share love. The respondent’s very personality was based on the idea of love, which stretched from having warm feelings to others to being protective and supportive toward family members. Thus, the interviewee proved to be a very wise person.
Following the traditional expectations of wisdom, the interviewee was very peaceful and focused on the idea of a compromise as the means of resolving both external and internal conflicts. His ability to embrace the principles of love and understanding, as well as the skills of resolving complex dilemmas by searching for the objective truth, are worth appreciation and have to be recognized as the manifestation of wisdom. Embodying the ideas of nonconfrontation and compromise, his philosophy is worth being considered exemplary.
