Athenian philosopher — who left no writings — whose method of elenctic questioning (exposing inconsistency in interlocutors' beliefs) founded Western philosophy's commitment to rational self-examination — who was executed by Athens for impiety and corrupting the youth.
Creates the philosophical method of elenchus — Socrates's practice (systematically exposing that those who claimed knowledge lacked it) established that self-knowledge (knowing what you do not know) is the beginning of wisdom; his method is the foundational practice of Western philosophy.
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