El paradigma socrático

Abstract

The paper starts from some contradictory interpretations of the character of Socrates, to think over the fate of this paradigmatic philosopher. In order to do so, it restates how this character brings forth two different and mutually exclusive forms of understanding the value of life in society, on the one hand, and the value of freedom of thought, on the other. Socrates is thus seen as the individual who lives the paradox of caring for life in society and attributing supreme worth to critical, autonomous thinking, which always opposes custom and social norms.