Socrates and Galileo

Socrates was deeply involved in politics that according to Plato 's account , Socrates was in no way subtle about his particular beliefs on government . He openly objected to the democracy that ran Athens during his adult life (Wikipedia , 2006 . He himself was put on trial for the reason of being involved in the oligarchy form of government implemented by the Spartans . When Democracy was restored he was placed on trial , which is interpreted by some scholars to be an expression of political infighting (Hooker , 1996 , and then executed

Our other philosopher seems to

have little or no record at all of political interest , although according to Machamer (2006 ) he politically named the four moons circling Jupiter (now known as the Galilean Moons as the Medicean stars (after the ruling family in Florence , his patrons . Beyond this , no record shows any other political patronage on his part

Despite their differences , both these men have excelled in their different areas in life and have helped create who we are now at this present age . This goes to show that we are but standing on the shoulders of giants who have been inquisitive enough to learn more of life and way to live it REFERENCES

Hooker , Richard (2006 , Greek Philosophy : Socrates , Washington State University Machamer , Peter "Galileo Galilei , The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2005

Edition , Edward N . Zalta (ed , URL

Nails , Debra "Socrates , The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2007 Edition

Edward N . Zalta (ed , URL

Singer , Charles (1941 , HYPERLINK "http /www .google .com .au /books ?id mPIgAAAAMAAJ pgis 1 " \o "http /www .google .com .au /books ?id mPIgAAAAMAAJ pgis 1 " A Short History of Science to the Nineteenth Century , Clarendon

Press (page

217

Weidhorn , Manfred (2005 . The Person of the Millennium : The Unique Impact of Galileo on

World History . iUniverse , p...