Compare And Contrast Socrates And Machiavelli - 1419 Words

Socrates vs. Machiavelli: The meaning of truth As philosophers, both Socrates and Niccolo Machiavelli developed theories in response to the warring political environment around them. However, the theories and principles developed by the two philosophers are vastly different in regard to the concept of truth, Socrates would hate Machiavelli’s model prince due to Machiavelli’s manipulative view of truth. While Socrates desired a state that focuses on fundamental truth and ethical decisions, Machiavelli advocated a state led by a pragmatic, logical, and even cruel decision maker. The difference between the two theories is stark, not only would Socrates disagree with Machiavelli’s concept of a prince, he would view the prince with utter†¦show more content†¦Despite being taken to court by the Athenians for allegedly corrupting the youth, Socrates continued his line of questioning at his trial. Socrates stated that he saw himself as the only one seeking to un cover the truth about the government and thus the only voice for reform for Athens. His argument continued, later comparing himself and his truth-seeking campaign to a fly on a horse â€Å"rousing, persuading, reproving every one of you† (Plato 57). Socrates was so devoted to the idea of truth in government, he refused to renounce his beliefs while facing the death and was willing to argue for them while on trial. Socrates’ was willing to defend his ideal of ethics and the truth until his death, however, Niccolo Machiavelli had a starkly different view of the truth and ethics and politics. Machiavelli lived during a time of constant warfare, political upheaval, and regime changes resulting in a flexible and pessimistic view of the truth’s role in society. In the Prince, Machiavelli argues that the idea of truth in the government is only a method to manipulate the unsuspecting public. A leader does not need to be truthful as long as the public believes he is. Politics during Machiavelli’s time was much harsher than that of Socrates and his work reflects his cynical history. While Socrates experienced a major change in his home government during his lifetime, Machiavelli witnessed multiple periods of governmental turmoil.Show MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Machiavelli And Socrates1534 Words   |  7 PagesGovernment 241: Political Philosophy Professor Ives October 13, 2017 The morality which guided Socrates were an end all, be all for him. He did not wish to live without his search for truth. Socrates would see a Machiavellian Prince as self-centered, and void of morals. A Machiavellian prince would not appreciate the way Socrates carried himself and would see him as a challenge to his authority. Socrates would not support a Machiavellian society because most likely he would not be free to philosophizeRead MoreNiccolo Machiavelli And Socrates1768 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophers. Odds are, Niccolà ² Machiavelli and Socrates are among the five. Growing up in different times with similar abundant political turmoil and uncertainty, Machiavelli and Socrates developed ideas of how to deal with such unrest. On one hand, Machiavelli’s ideas resulted in a work titled The Prince, informing leaders how he believed they should conduct themselves in order to be effective. In Machiavelli’s mind, an effective leader is one that keeps his state unite d. Socrates, however, denounces traditionalRead MoreNiccolo Machiavelli And Plato1890 Words   |  8 PagesNiccolo Machiavelli and Socrates are widely regarded as two of history’s greatest thinkers, both of which had strong, albeit very different, ideas of what it meant for a person, or a ruler, to be good and virtuous. From Socrates’ thoughts and ideas as recorded in the Apology and Crito, it can be concluded that he would not find Machiavelli’s version of â€Å"the Prince† to be the ideal ruler, or preside over a completely prosperous society. Although, Socrates may have disagreed with many of the aspectsRead MoreSchool Leadership Roles And Responsibilities10143 Words   |  41 Pagesis a positive effect on student achievement and behavior. The researcher will compare academic testing data and office referral decline before and after the implementation of the character education program. The data will be analyzed to determine if there was a significant positive effect on student behavior and overall academic achievement due to the implementation of a character education program. The data will compare growth between testing periods in which the c haracter education program was implementedRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pageswork processes unintelligible. Translated, for example, into piece rates, standard costs, or overhead allocation rules, the underlying logic may be clear to the accounting expert but irrelevant to most employees (van der Veeken and Wouters 2002). By contrast, standard cost information broken down into its constituents for each process step could more easily be used for operational problem solving. (Ahrens and Chapman 2004: 279–80) Internal transparency in performance measurement and control systemsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesPASSWORD-PROTECTED ASSESSMENT WEB SITE If your instructor has signed up for this object, an access-code-protected Web site is available so you can take the Skill Assessments in the book online and receive immediate, real-time feedback on how your scores compare with those of thousands of other students in our PREFACE xix ever-expanding database. (Two assessments in the book—â€Å"Source of Personal Stress† in Chapter 2 and the â€Å"Best-Self Feedback Exercise† in Chapter 10—are not available online.) COURSESMART