Why Socrates Was Not a Troll: Examining the Philosophers Pursuit of Truth

Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course: Date: Why Socrates Was Not a Troll In this paper, I will argue that Socrates was not a troll since his methodology promoted dialogue, his goal was to pursue the truth, and he defended the ethical foundations of his arguments. Socrates provoked people with authority in Athens and his conversations led them to reveal the flaws in their claims. Since a troll is someone who makes offensive claims to deliberately offend their audience, Socrates’s actions may appear to be one. However, Socrates’s methodology led people to question their claims and gain wisdom in the process. His intentions are the opposite of a troll since his goal was to seek the truth through honest dialogue with his audience while trolls create chaos and disruption (Thi 31). He defends the ethical foundations of his arguments while acknowledging potential provocations that he dreaded. While Socrates’s actions may have some similarities to trolling, he was not a troll but pursued the truth and wisdom by encouraging people to question their previous claims. The approach Socrates used to engage people who held alternative ideas differs from the methods a tro