Final answer:
Socrates valued the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue, and was motivated by living a life based on reason, ethical behavior, and self-examination. He used the dialectical method to explore fundamental questions and was a key figure in establishing the foundations of Western philosophy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Socrates' core values were centered around the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and virtue, placing the highest priority on the care for one's soul. His key motivations in life were to live according to reason, seeking knowledge through continual questioning and dialogue, which he viewed as a path to living a Good Life. Socrates emphasized ethics and believed in universal moral standards, even seeking a moral code that would apply to the gods themselves. His methodology involved the dialectical process to arrive at universal definitions, and he maintained that everyone possesses an inner rational being from birth.
Socrates was not a Sophist; he did not charge for his lessons and claimed no definitive knowledge, but was deeply committed to the analysis of important concepts like truth and beauty. His Socratic Method, characterized by questioning and rigorous logical examination, sought to distinguish what one truly knows from what one does not know. Through his philosophy, Socrates greatly influenced his pupils Plato and Aristotle and subsequently shaped Western philosophy. Despite not writing anything down, his teachings and philosophy have been captured by contemporaries like Plato and Xenophon, leaving a lasting legacy as a paradigmatic historical philosopher.
Ultimately, Socrates was executed for his beliefs and for challenging the established norms, yet his philosophical inquiries deeply impacted the moral and ethical frameworks of society, leading to extensive reflection on ethical behavior and the nature of the good life.