Miljohn Denver Y.

Paynor Ancient and Medieval Political Theories

ABPS III June 27, 2012

Dubito, Ergo Cogito, Ergo Sum!

Man is a rational animal, capable of knowing things, making decisions and basically,
endowed with innate reason. For Socrates, man is his soul. Soul which is regarded, for him, as
reason. I am a rational animal. I am able to think and act with my natural reason. Also, I am
capable of doing things which is basically right. This makes me a man capable of thinking and
reasoning.
In making decisions, I always considered things which are right. Things which are in
conformity with what I considered as good. Socrates made a great impression when he says,
Knowledge is virtue. Where he meant that in making decisions, I should always consider
things which are good. Good meant intelligent, and virtue means wisdom.
In my study of Ancient and Medieval Political Theories, I learned bunches of knowledge
about Socrates, a Greek philosopher. I am inspired by his teachings and beliefs. The most
significant saying of Socrates that I always take into my life and I almost adopt as my philosophy
is, Wisest is she who does not know. It is more important to feign ignorant than tell the world
that you know everything. In this sense, as one considers himself ignorant, this will trigger him
to know more and grasp more. He is still wiser than any person admitting that they know
everything. The Socratic Irony of Socrates clearly states the paradoxical idea of being wise.
I stayed for almost six years in the seminary, two which I spend on the College
Department. My two years of sojourn in the Philosophy Department gave me a broad
background on the realm of philosophy. I remembered one Latin term of Rene Descartes,
Dubito, Ergo Cogito, Ergo Sum which can be translated into English as I doubt, therefore I
think, therefore I am. Socrates considers man as a rational animal, capable of inquiring and
thinking. I doubt therefore I am wandering. I think therefore I am rational. Then, I exist. I exist as
a man, capable of knowing and grasping facts and ideas, but as I exist, my decisions should be
ethical. Self-knowledge would play an important part. As Socrates states, my choices should be
which is good. I must be able to know the difference between good and evil.
Finally, my journey as a rational being continues. I must be able to act in accordance with
my innate reason. I exist therefore I am. I exist for a reason, I doubt for a cause. I must be
knowledgeable enough to act as what my beingness dictates.