Socrates Greek philosopher Roman copy of a lost Greek original of c BC Socrates BC is considered to be the intellectual father of modern Western philosophy His method of enquiry was to enter into a penetrating discussion with his companions questioning the nature of knowledge itself in pursuit of absolute truths Socrates himself wrote nothing but versions of his conversations are recorded in the written works of his pupils Plato and Xenophon Socrates pursuit of true knowledge brought him into conflict with the piety laws of his native Athens where his eventual prosecution led to enforced suicide