The Concept Of Individual Rights - 1787 Words

The concept of individual rights refers to the freedom each individual possesses to pursue life without interference from other individuals or the government. A community is a collection of said individuals, with common interests and values, who take up community responsibilities to ensure that the collection holds objective standards that are beneficiary to all. Even though these concepts are intrinsically linked, in that one cannot survive without the other, there is often a desire to separate them and define where one ends and the other begins. Human social life can often be seen as a unity of two seemingly contradictory behavioral ideas: status competition and reciprocity. Status competition is the practice of striving to establish†¦show more content†¦Considering the teacher-student relationship between Socrates and Plato, similarities between the two’s philosophies are quite obvious, though they might be conveyed in different ways. In The Apology, Socrates presents his defense to his jurors when on trial for teaching nontraditional philosophies and, allegedly, affecting the community adversely. In this account, Socrates explains that his behavior stems from a prophecy by the oracle at Delphi which claimed that he was the wisest of all men. Recognizing his ignorance in most worldly affairs, Socrates concluded that he must be wiser than other men only in that he is aware of his own lack of knowledge. In order to spread this peculiar wisdom, Socrates explains that he considers it his duty to question supposed wise men and to expose their false wisdom as ignorance. In a famous passage, Socrates says that God specially appointed him to the city, â€Å"as though it were a large thoroughbred horse which because of its great size is inclined to be lazy and needs the stimulation of some stinging fly† (The Apology, 30e). Without him to rouse, persuade, and reprove the community, Socrates claims society is lia ble to drift into a deep sleep of unproductive activity and ethical laziness. When people ask why Socrates cannot quietly mind his own