Socrates

Socrates (c. 470–399 BCE) was a classical Greek philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is best known through the accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon. Socrates never wrote any texts himself, but his contributions to the field of ethics and epistemology are foundational. He introduced the Socratic method, a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue that stimulates critical thinking and illuminates ideas. In 399 BCE, the Athenian state put Socrates on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth, leading to his execution by consuming poison hemlock. His philosophical ideas and methods profoundly influenced his student Plato, who documented them in dialogues like "Apology" and "Crito."