An Apology From Socrates

While this in itself is corrupt, it was that he changed Pheidippides from the time he entered Socrates' "Thinkery" into a corrupt scoundrel, completely devoid of morality that was even more deplorable. At the beginning, Pheidippides is a respectful son who loves his father, but after "graduating" from the Thinkery he is beating his father with a stick (lines 1321-1333). Socrates ... ... middle of paper ... ...revailing notion that the gods control the behavior of mortals like puppeteers as was often espoused in Greek lore. But rather, that gods are benevolent towards their human subjects. Thus, Socrates seems to have conjured up a new kind of divinity, thereby making him guilty of Meletus' third charge.

People who have experienced this accuse Socrates of making his own truths about the natural and unnatural world when in actuality he his still in search of a better meaning. This becomes a key factor in the "Apology" where Socrates is brought up on charges for corrupting the mind of the youths and the people that attended to his lectures. His best defence comes about when he tells the Athenian jury about his account of a confrontation of his friend Chairephon and the Oracle of Delphi. Socrates friend from youth, Chairephon, ventured to the land of Delphi to ask the Oracle that presided there if there was a man that contained more wisdom than Socrates. The Oracle responded that there was no man wiser than he.

Socrates implies at the beginning of his speech that his fate is doomed because the people who judge him believe in the persuasive falsehoods and won’t be willing to listen to the truth. The death of Socrates also reveals the internal fallacy in Athenian democracy. The consequence of a recalcitrant philosophy stands against the whole city is written, because the gulf between the belief of the society and the philosophy is impassible. Socrates’s way of living seems to be unreasonable for most people, and as the same time is not suitable for the proper operation of society which doesn’t want civilians to question the essence of life. However, Socrates shifts the focus of philosophy from the heaven to the earth.

He systematically interrogated the politicians, poets and craftsman. Towards the end of all the interrogation, Socrates tells the jury that he would rather be himself than anyone else. Towards the end, Socrates realized the Oracle was correct; while so-called wise men thought themselves wise and yet were not, he himself knew he was not wise at all, which paradoxically, made him the wiser one since he was the only person aware of his own ignorance. Socrates’ paradoxical wisdom made the prominent Athenians he publicly questioned look foolish, turning them against him and leading to accusations of

Socrates was a very wise man but hated by many due to this. His arrogance resulted in him being abhorred by many. A man named Chaerephon had asked the oracle of Delphi whether there was anyone wiser than Socrates. The answer was no and this surprised Socrates. He decided to go find out for himself if he was the wisest by going around and testing the wisdom of the most revered men in society.

Since Euthypro isn’t willing to go out in public, he could never be accused like Socrates of corrupting anyone since no one hears him. It is therefore true as Socrates states that a man could be thought of as wise until he shares his wisdom. The sharing of one’s thoughts, which challenges the norm of the society, would have to be a form of corruption. Only Socrates can be accused of such corruption, since he publicly shares his thoughts. Euthypro also shares his thoughts, but only with Socrates.

Basically Socrates turns the tables on his accuser and accuses Meletus of "dealing frivolously with serious matters." Socrates says that the youth he supposedly corrupts follows him around on their own free will, because the young men enjoy hearing people and things being questioned. In this line of questioning of Meletus, Socrates makes him look very contradictory to his statements in his affidavit. Socrates then moves on to the second part of his defense. Moving on to the second charge that he does not believe in the Gods accepted ... ... middle of paper ... ...nse and cross-examination of Meletus, he hits on contradictions in the affidavit that Meletus wrote.

In “Crito” by Plato, Socrates and Crito are having an intimate conversation about reasons why Socrates should escape. Socrates is charged on corrupting the minds of the youth in Athens. Crito, who is Socrates student and close friend, tries to persuade him to escape because he did not believe Socrates committed any actual crime. Socrates believes that if the government is punishing him because he broke a commandment; then he did perhaps break a law. Socrates saw the law being a general father figure for society.

Most of us find it easier to live in ignorance than to acknowledge our weaknesses. For instance, the prophecy by the oracle at Delphi who claimed "Socrates is the most wise", Socrates could not accept this truth and went as far to test the gods (The Apology). He tested of the Delphic Oracle by finding someone that was wiser than him, but he could not. "Socrates is most wise" because he was aware of his ignorance and questioned “noble” people and gods (The Apology). Those around Socrates, who claimed to have knowledge, were ignorant of their obliviousness.

Socrates maintains that he is not like other philosohers. He is a free-thinker, and his beliefs are those of private and intimate thoughts of Gods. Socrates also states that he is not a teacher, however he was not at all happy with the analogy, but took it as a compliment and used it in his defense. He used these accusations to his advantage by saying that he never charged charged anyone for believing or listening to them. The combination of these arguments should have cleared Socrates of the charge of heresy.