It can be argued that Socrates was a man who single-handedly refounded the modern definition of western philosophy. In the Apolgy , the script written to describe the trial of for his life, Socrates astonished his judges and listeners by appearing, despite a valiant defense, to purposely be found guilty and sentenced to death.
Socrates' most important contribution to Western thought is his method of enquiry, known as “elenchos” (or universally as the “Socratic Method”), which he generally applied to the examination of the human condition and overall moral conduct. Socrates' method of elenchos involves questions and answers regarding the definition of logic, hoping to help eliminate fallacies in the thought process and reduce invalid assumptions in the conversation. The ultimate goal for this method is to produce a way to achieve a specific definition of a subject by induction, and redefining of terms when necessary throughout human interaction.
Here is a very elementary example of a common conversation with the Socratic Method showing how something such as the definition of a pair of pants can be quite farfetched for the average man:
G = Mr. G ; S = Socrates
G: Ho, Socrates. Nice pants.
S: I am astonished by your words, my young friend.
G: Hmm.. why is that? Did I say something to offend?
S: Mr. G, you are an intelligent fellow, aren't you? Last week I was walking the markets of Athens and my disciple Plato and I were overhearing a few merchants complementing and praising the wisdom of Mr. G. Oh, and I was just thinking it was a shame that I never had the chance to talk to you in a serious fashion, and maybe savor your great wisdom, learning about things under and above the sky and the many other great things you must know about. And here you are claiming that this is a nice pair of pants.
G: Pray-tell, are they not nice pants, Socrates?
S: You tell me, o' wise Mr. J, being the man of such extended reputation of wisdom. What do you mean by “pants”?
G: By “pants,” I mean to define as an article of clothing for the specific use of covering the lower portion of the body.
S: Well then, Mr. G. I see that those merchants knew what they were saying. You are undoubtedly a well-educated and knowledgeable person—at least as far as the knowledge of pants is concerned. However, one concept still puzzles me. Mr. G, are you professing that every article designed for the lower portion of the body are pants?
G: Hmm.. Yes, Socrates, this is what I am claiming.
S: That is very odd indeed! I heard that last year that robes were very much in fashion for Athenian women. Are you claiming that I am wearing a nice women's robe? A man of such knowledge, wisdom and virtue should be unlikely to insult the elderly like me, though. This is what puzzles me, Mr. G, that your great virtues will fail when you interact with the elderly.
G: I apologize, Socrates, I mean no offense that you are wearing women's clothing. What I truly meant was that pants are an article of clothing that men use to cover the lower portions of their bodies.
S: Now I am truly shocked Mr. G.
G: How so, Socrates? Why are you shocked?
S: The other day my wife Xantippe went shopping in what I thought was a pair of pants. But if pants are what men use to cover their bodies. Are you claiming that my wife is a man? That is quite shocking a suggestion considering the fact that we have been married for over 20 years and have had 3 sons and now to have found out she is a man. Quite shocking indeed.
And so on and so forth, the conversation would continue until a satisfactory presentment of “pants” can be agreed upon.
In a more serious note, the philosopher applied his method to the examination of key moral issues during the time, often called the “five cardinal virtues” including, piety, temperance, wisdom, courage and justice. Such an examination challenged the implicit morals of men, bringing out fallacies and inconsistencies in their beliefs, causing confusion and puzzlement known as “aporia” (or the state of confusion Mr. G probably was in). In the light of such inconsistencies, Socrates in fact professed his own ignorance, that he has not achieved real wisdom, and that he only knows to question. Yet those around him charged that by being aware of one's ignorance is wiser than those who, though ignorant, claimed knowledge. And he used this claim of wisdom as the foundation of his moral exhortation. Accordingly, he claimed that man's primary goodness involves the caring of the soul, concerning the truth and understanding that “wealth does not bring goodness, but [achieving] goodness brings wealth and other blessings…” The life without examination is a life not worth living. He also claimed that to be wronged is better than to do wrong. That singular ideal perhaps can explain why the man was so adamant on accepting the orders of the court and accepting their jurisdiction.