# Socrates — Democracy and Education character guide

> Socrates in Democracy and Education by John Dewey.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** A Socrates

**First appearance:** 0037-iii-the-platonic-educational-philosophy

## Who they are

Classical Greek philosopher known for dialectic method of questioning.

## Relationships

### [Plato](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/characters/plato)

_professional_

Plato was Socrates' devoted student, recording and expanding upon Socratic dialogues as the foundation of his own philosophy.

### [Descartes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/characters/descartes)

_professional_

Descartes' method of radical doubt and self-examination echoes Socratic questioning, establishing a philosophical kinship across centuries.

## In the story

### [Reflection in Experience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/ii-reflection-in-experience)

Referenced indirectly through the Greek dilemma about learning: 'How can we learn? For either we know already what we are after, or else we do not know.'

### [III: Science or Rationalized Knowledge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/iii-science-or-rationalized-knowledge)

Cited as declaring that consciousness of ignorance is the beginning of effective love of wisdom.

### [Physical and Social Studies: Naturalism and Humanism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/xxi-physical-and-social-studies-naturalism-and-humanism)

Socrates appears as a thinker who believed science of nature was not attainable or very important, focusing instead on the nature and end of man.

### [The Historic Background of Humanistic Study](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/i-the-historic-background-of-humanistic-study)

Socrates appears as the philosopher who thought science of nature was not attainable or important, focusing instead on the nature and end of man.

### [Philosophy of Education](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/xxiv-philosophy-of-education)

Referenced indirectly through the Sophists and the philosophical questions about virtue, knowledge, and learning that arose in Athenian education.

### [The Nature of Philosophy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/ii-the-nature-of-philosophy)

Referenced implicitly through the Sophists and the Athenian context of philosophical origins tied to educational questions.

### [III: Intelligence and Character](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/chapters/iii-intelligence-and-character)

Socrates is referenced in the context of the Socratic-Platonic teaching that no man does evil knowingly, linking knowledge and virtue.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/characters/socrates
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/democracy_and_education_se/characters