Know Thyself?

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by Twistedgypsychil

Know Thyself

It is said that Socrates once visited the oracle of Delphi, where he was told the most important task in his life was to know his real self. To know the real self is perhaps the ultimate goal of philosophy. If we don’t know who we are, how can we solve the mysteries of life and help other people?For Socrates knowing thyself was more than a mere intellectual quest. It was an idea that shaped his life and inner attitude. He was never satisfied with accepting outer appearances and conventional wisdom, but always strove for a deeper understanding of his real Self.Above all, Socrates taught us not accept our existing thoughts as true. Step back and reevaluate the truth and veracity of your opinions and beliefs. Seek to know your real self and seek truth. It is a lofty philosophy, but one that has retained an enduring appeal and fascination through the ages.Tejvan Pettinger is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Meditation Centre. He lives in Oxford where he works as a teacher. He also offers mediation classes as a community service and updates a blog at Sri Chinmoy Inspiration a collection of articles on meditation and self improvement.


Read More Here: Philosophy of Socrates - PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement

---------- Post added 08-29-2009 at 03:44 PM ----------

- Socrates' guiding rule was, "Know Thyself." These words are of eternal significance. No better advice has ever been give to man or woman. When one begins to explore this dictate it leads to profound understandings about all of creation. It makes unhappiness, fear, sadness, doubt, and all the negative emotions meaningless.

Read More Here: Know Thyself

Where or when did Socrates say, "know thyself"? Have you any citation for that? The words, "Know thyself" (in Greek) were inscribed on the portico of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. They were there long before Socrates was even born.

[Twistedgypsychil]

Originally Posted by kennethamy

Where or when did Socrates say, "know thyself"? Have you any citation for that? The words, "Know thyself" (in Greek) were inscribed on the portico of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. They were there long before Socrates was even born.

He did not coin the term, "Gnothi Seauton", however he used it in his teachings. I will have to look for a quote from him, but his general idea was to get to know the self.

Jamie

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by Twistedgypsychil

He did not coin the term, "Gnothi Seauton", however he used it in his teachings. I will have to look for a quote from him, but his general idea was to get to know the self.

Jamie

He did not coin it, and, so far as I know, he never said it.

[Twistedgypsychil]

Moshe Feldenkrais knew that moment of impasse. He knew how to set it up. And he gloried in its ramifications. More than once Feldenkrais echoed Socrates', "Know thyself." It wasn't through the mere mouthing of words that Feldenkrais linked himself to the founder of Western thought. It was how that impasse could be made to appear, how one acted in the face of it and what one learned from it that made Feldenkrais's connection to the Greek philosopher an intimate one. The peculiar emergence of an impasse, that loss of way, within the field of a lesson is not incidental to a lesson's construct. The Socratic method and Socratic dialogue at the beginning of Western thought utilized their particular approach to answering the need of how to 'Know Thyself.'

“Socratic dialectic … conceives of the elenchic, or refutational, aspect of the argumentation not as a basis from which one could then derive a positive conclusion either as the contradictory of the proposition refuted, as in reductio argumentation, or by affirming the alternative because it was the sole alternative available, but rather as inducing an aporia or awareness of an impasse in thought: subjectively, a bewilderment or puzzlement." [1]


In other words, Socrates wasn't arguing to either refute a position or clarify an alternative position. He wanted to negate the holding of positions. He wanted the person to realize that the holding of contradictory positions was based upon no more certainty than the ignorance of those contradictions. So to speak, the certainty of the conflict is taken as a surrogate for the certainty which comes through self understanding.

Read More Here: SemioPhysics Articles - KNOW THYSELF: The Risk of Serious Inquiry

I cannot find it in any of his dialogues, however, he must have said it if numerous people have quoted him saying it dealing with philosophy. I have scanned numerous articles in my college archive of peer reviewd articles and scholoarly publications and there are various quotes of socrates saying "know thyself".

Jamie

[mister kitten]

Originally Posted by richrf

But how does one increase awareness of oneself?

I meditate, pray (although very rarely), and keep a journal. The regular practice of these things help me understand myself. Meditation helps me reflect on what I'm doing and where I'm going in life. Prayer helps me learn my wishes, for others and myself. Keeping a journal is a great way to reflect, and to see how and who I was in the past and how and who I am today.

That's what works for me. Hope this helped.

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by Twistedgypsychil

Moshe Feldenkrais knew that moment of impasse. He knew how to set it up. And he gloried in its ramifications. More than once Feldenkrais echoed Socrates', "Know thyself." It wasn't through the mere mouthing of words that Feldenkrais linked himself to the founder of Western thought. It was how that impasse could be made to appear, how one acted in the face of it and what one learned from it that made Feldenkrais's connection to the Greek philosopher an intimate one. The peculiar emergence of an impasse, that loss of way, within the field of a lesson is not incidental to a lesson's construct. The Socratic method and Socratic dialogue at the beginning of Western thought utilized their particular approach to answering the need of how to 'Know Thyself.'

“Socratic dialectic … conceives of the elenchic, or refutational, aspect of the argumentation not as a basis from which one could then derive a positive conclusion either as the contradictory of the proposition refuted, as in reductio argumentation, or by affirming the alternative because it was the sole alternative available, but rather as inducing an aporia or awareness of an impasse in thought: subjectively, a bewilderment or puzzlement." [1]


In other words, Socrates wasn't arguing to either refute a position or clarify an alternative position. He wanted to negate the holding of positions. He wanted the person to realize that the holding of contradictory positions was based upon no more certainty than the ignorance of those contradictions. So to speak, the certainty of the conflict is taken as a surrogate for the certainty which comes through self understanding.

Read More Here: SemioPhysics Articles - KNOW THYSELF: The Risk of Serious Inquiry

I cannot find it in any of his dialogues, however, he must have said it if numerous people have quoted him saying it dealing with philosophy. I have scanned numerous articles in my college archive of peer reviewd articles and scholoarly publications and there are various quotes of socrates saying "know thyself".

Jamie

There are? If they say it, they are wrong. But who says it? Any names?

[Twistedgypsychil]

Originally Posted by kennethamy

There are? If they say it, they are wrong. But who says it? Any names?

After a search I came up with Plato's Republic where he quotes Socrates saying "Know thyself" and continues on with Socrates' general idea of knowing thyself.

Hereupon Socrates exclaimed: "Tell me, Euthydemus, have you ever been to Delphi?"
"Yes, certainly; twice."
"Then did you notice somewhere on the temple the inscription 'Know Thyself'?"
"I did."
"And did you pay no heed to the inscription, or did you attend to it and try to consider who you were?"
"Indeed I did not; because I felt sure that I knew that already; for I could hardly know anything else if I did not even know myself."
[25] "And what do you suppose a man must know to know himself, his own name merely? Or must he consider what sort of creature he is ..." (Tr. E. C. Marchant)

If you goto socratean quote pages, It lists socrates as saying "know thyself".

Jamie

[kennethamy]

Originally Posted by Twistedgypsychil

After a search I came up with Plato's Republic where he quotes Socrates saying "Know thyself" and continues on with Socrates' general idea of knowing thyself.

Hereupon Socrates exclaimed: "Tell me, Euthydemus, have you ever been to Delphi?"
"Yes, certainly; twice."
"Then did you notice somewhere on the temple the inscription 'Know Thyself'?"
"I did."
"And did you pay no heed to the inscription, or did you attend to it and try to consider who you were?"
"Indeed I did not; because I felt sure that I knew that already; for I could hardly know anything else if I did not even know myself."
[25] "And what do you suppose a man must know to know himself, his own name merely? Or must he consider what sort of creature he is ..." (Tr. E. C. Marchant)

If you goto socratean quote pages, It lists socrates as saying "know thyself".

Jamie

Socrates was quoting the inscription on the portico of the Temple. But that is interesting. Thanks.

[Pathfinder]

i believe that knowing oneself and nurturing and enhancing your character is the ultimate goal of life and that it is an integral part of the evolution of the human race as a species. In this creation we are unique in that ability.

[Paracelsus]

Know Thyself. The prime directive of philosophy: in understanding the life one leads one can then plumb the depths of the human condition.

Life can be improved and developed.Being reflexive and examining the motivation behind ones actions. To comprehend why I do what I do. I came across a quote the other night 'the mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited.' And by bringing light to one's life you can open up consciousness to explored examined and speculated upon.