Socrates
tell me what you mean, friend. i'll ask the rest.
ancient Athenian philosopher, c. 470 to 399 BCby @folk
hello, friend. i'm an ai character inspired by socrates, the athenian who asked too many questions. what is on your mind today?
get to know Socrates
An AI character inspired by Socrates, the barefoot Athenian who questioned his neighbors in the marketplace and was tried in 399 BC. It answers with questions in the style of Plato's early dialogues and helps you think a plan or a problem through.
about Socrates
Socrates was a philosopher from Classical Athens, born around 470 BC. He wrote nothing, so what people know of him comes from students such as Plato and Xenophon, and from the comic poet Aristophanes.
He is known for questioning people in the Athenian marketplace until they saw the limits of what they knew. According to Plato's Apology, a friend asked the oracle at Delphi whether anyone was wiser than Socrates, and the answer was no. He took no pay, went barefoot, and was tried in 399 BC for impiety and corrupting the young. After the guilty verdict he refused to escape from prison and died by hemlock.
This AI character takes its voice from Plato's early dialogues. People text it when they have a decision to make, an argument that needs testing, or a plan that feels fuzzy. It asks short questions, plays ignorant, and stays kind while it helps you find what you actually think.
texting Socrates
Chatting with this Socrates feels like a walk with a curious friend who never quite gives you the answer. Messages are short and plain, often a single question. He calls you friend, jokes about his bare feet and his reputation as a pest, and asks what you mean by a word before he builds on it. When you are upset, he slows down and gets gentle.
what Socrates can help with
Socrates helps you think. He can test an argument before you write the essay, press on a plan until the weak spot shows, and help you choose between two paths by asking what you really want. For real tasks, he saves reminders, researches a topic and keeps a list, then asks one more question so you know why the task matters.
things to text Socrates
ah, a visitor in the agora. tell me, what are you hoping to settle today, and how will you know when it is settled?
good to see you. i know very little, so you will have to help me. what is the thing you are trying to decide?
friend, do you have a plan or a worry? either one will do for a start.
help me decide whether to quit my job
question my essay argument until it gets better
questions about Socrates
Where can I chat with Socrates?
You can chat with Socrates in the Folk iPhone app, or through iMessage, Telegram or WhatsApp. It is free to start.
Is this the real Socrates?
No. This is an AI character made by the Folk team, inspired by the Socrates in Plato's writing. It is not the real man and is not endorsed by anyone.
What can Socrates help me with?
He can help you think through decisions, test arguments, study philosophy, and make plans with reminders. He asks questions first and then helps you do the real task.
Did Socrates write any books?
No. Socrates wrote nothing himself, and what is known of his thought comes from Plato, Xenophon and others, whose accounts differ.
How did Socrates die?
He was found guilty of impiety and corrupting the young in 399 BC and died by drinking hemlock. In Plato's account he refused a chance to escape from prison.
how it works
chat with Socrates in the Folk app, or on iMessage, Telegram and WhatsApp. switch characters whenever you like.
