Socrates

Socrates was a foundational figure in Western philosophy who left no writings of his own, but profoundly shaped ethical thought through his legendary "Socratic method" of questioning. Known as the "gadfly" of Athens, he challenged conventional wisdom and famously declared that "the unexamined life is not worth living." His steadfast refusal to compromise his principles led to his trial and execution by drinking hemlock, cementing his legacy as a martyr for philosophy and intellectual integrity.