who was socrates

Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher from Athens, born around 470 BC and died in 399 BC. He is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and is particularly known for his method of question and answer dialogue, now called the Socratic method. Socrates himself wrote no texts; knowledge of him comes mainly from the writings of his students, especially Plato. He focused on ethics and the examination of life, famously stating that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates was a controversial figure in his time and was tried and sentenced to death for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. He accepted his death sentence rather than fleeing, spending his last day in prison. His philosophical approach centered on recognizing one's own ignorance as the beginning of wisdom.