A Brief Note On Animal And Horse Training

Socrates was a man who spent most of his time talking to people. He would ask them hypothetical questions, and make them think for themselves about the true answer they believed in, by serving as a guide for the conversation. Many people, including the accusers, believed that while Socrates did this, he was serving as a Sophist. A Sophist is a person who talks to people, and teaches them how to argue a point, whether the point is right or wrong. A Sophist would collect money for this lesson, and go on with their teachings (Xenophon 42). This accusation is inaccurate because Socrates did not collect any money for his conversations with people. Instead, Socrates was a very poor man, who happened to have rich friends. Talking to these people was a way for Socrates to try to spread his way of life to the Athenian's. He enjoyed conversing with people about ethical issues, and moral beliefs. In his argument, Socrates refutes Meletus' charge that he corrupts the young. One crucial point deals with the idea of Socrates as a paid teacher. This would imply that Socrates was actively seeking students and teaching "corrupting" ideas. This plays a part in the argument, by Meletus, that Socrates has deliberately corrupted the youth. Socrates says that, "the young men who follow me around of their own free will, those who have most leisure, the sons

Early in the Apology, Socrates argues that the charges of Meletus are not only false, but have led to the rise of prejudice against him, and he demonstrates this through what he considers his own reflection on the charges against him. Socrates suggests the indictment against him should read: “Socrates is guilty of engaging in inquiries into things beneath the earth and in the heaven, of making the weaker argument appear the stronger, and of teaching others the same things”. Socrates suggests that the breadth of the indictment against him could encompass the premises supported by many men, and that it is only through the prejudice against him, the belief in his wisdom purported by some, and the sense that Socrates has influenced men that has resulted in the charges, not through the true belief that Socrates has taken actions against the State.

Socrates, in his conviction from the Athenian jury, was both innocent and guilty as charged. In Plato’s Five Dialogues, accounts of events ranging from just prior to Socrates’ entry into the courthouse up until his mouthful of hemlock, both points are represented. Socrates’ in dealing with moral law was not guilty of the crimes he was accused of by Meletus. Socrates was only guilty as charged because his peers had concluded him as such. The laws didn’t find Socrates guilty; Socrates was guilty because his jurors enforced the laws. The law couldn’t enforce itself. Socrates was accused of corrupting Athens’ youth, not believing in the gods of the city and creating his own gods. In the Euthyphro, Socrates defends himself against the

If I were a juror in this trial I would plan to vote note guilty. The basis of my decision would be simple. In Socrates' defense speech he is clear in his arguments, and I was thoroughly convinced when he cross examined Meletus and cornered him on many areas of his charges against Socrates. An example of this is when Socrates says, "All Athenians, it seems, make the young into fine and good men, except me, and I alone corrupt them. Is that what you mean? -- That is most definitely what I mean." Socrates then goes and counter attacks by asking Meletus if this also applies to other animals. Socrates asks if all men improve horses and only one person corrupts them. Socrates ends this small argument by saying "You have made it sufficiently obvious, Meletus, that you have never had any concern for our youth; you show your indifference clearly; that you have given no thought to the subjects about which you bring me to trial." This quote from the text obviously shows that Meletus does not

was led to court because of some accusations that became serious charges and led Socrates to death at the age of seventy. In this essay, the argument between Socrates and Meletus will be examined based on the accusations of corrupting the youths, believing in other gods instead of gods of Athens and making the weaker argument appear stronger and their refutations that show Socrates was actually accused of being a smart speaker.

The conclusion that can be made about these premises is that Socrates is not the one who is corrupting the youth because he is a specialist in this field. In addition, the real corruptors of the youth are the greater population of Athens because they are not specialist on teaching wisdom. What important about this conclusion is that even though Socrates uses horses as an example he manages to apply his example to all beings and prove his case that he is innocent of the charges.

Socrates implies that the true nature of this charge was, in fact, vengeance carried out on the part of the power-holders of the Athenian society; the politicians, the poets, the manual artisans.  Socrates, unwillingly made fools out of these people by exposing their speeches as mere rhetoric than actual wisdom and knowledge.  These men who were seen as the wisest and the most enlightened, but in fact, by believing that they are most knowledgeble is what keeps them from real wisdom.  Socrates is also being charged with attacking the Athenian society by corrupting its citizens, mainly the youth.  He defends himself by claiming that either Meletus beleives that Socrates does not corrupt the youth or he does corrupt them but involuntarily.  Socrates bring to light that "if I corrupt them voluntarily, the law does not call upon you to procecute me for an error which is involuntary, but to take me aside privately and reprove and educate me" (33).  Socrates goes on further to say

When a yearling runs "wild" with a large herd of horses without imprinting at birth by humans, it makes it much more difficult to train and bond with them without professional guidance. I suggest hiring a horse trainer that specializes in breaking horses and raising colts/fillies. Young horses can be dangerous if not trained correctly.

In this excerpt of Plato’s Apology, Socrates question method, the Socratic Method, is shown. Socrates presents Meletus with a thesis which Meletus agrees with, and then Socrates proves it wrong. By using the case of horses, Socrates proves to Meletus that like all other citizens of Athens, Socrates is a good influence on the youth. Socrates, yet again possessing the truth in this situation, demonstrates his wisdom through his skillful speech that “others fear.”

After reading “The Apology,” I decided to respond about how Socrates used the Socratic Method during his trial. Socrates, using this method, crafted a personal defense against the allegations laid upon him and, at the same time, Socrates led Miletus to trap himself as a part of that defense. I believe that Socrates’ decision to defend himself in this manner brings up some important considerations. First, Socrates using the Socratic Method as an integral part of his defense not only unraveled most of Miletus’ support, but Socrates was able to showcase his wisdom to the people of the court to show them what kind of person Socrates was when he acted as he usual did. Secondly, Socrates, through his attack on Miletus showed the people of the court the potential threat that Socrates could have been this entire time had that been his focus. Both of these considerations are possible only because Socrates’ used his method of questioning to craft a defense for himself.

He believed that the reason he was put on trial was because he embarrassed many people. Socrates compared himself to a gadfly stinging the lazy horse, which is the Athenian state. Without him, Socrates claimed, the state would drift into a deep sleep, but through his influence it can be awakened. Socrates was found guilty by a narrow margin and was asked to come up with a penalty.

In Plato’s Five Dialogue Apology section, Plato records the actual speech that Socrates delivered in his own defense at the trial. Basically, Socrates is accused to the action of corrupting youth, which he taught norms and value to many people and charge a fee for it (19d6). He is also accused to the action of teaching spiritual things, for not believing in Athens god, and last but not least, Hubris, the question of human wisdom. Socrates, in fact, provides brilliant responses towards all accusations that are charged against him, saying that not one of them is true (19d5). Among these accusations, I will try to prove that Socrates is not guilty against the accusation that is charged to him in terms of the human wisdom, in which Socrates is accused of claiming to be the wisest man of all, a student of all things in the sky and below the earth (18b6).

Socrates defense is convincing because he incorporated the use of analogy to refer to real life situations so that he could defend himself Charge: Corrupting and misleading the youth Socrates posed the question that if he is the one with a bad influence on the youth, what are the positive influences? Socrates uses the analogy of horse training to show his innocence (p. 12). In his defense, Socrates explains that only people with the right horse- training skills can positively influence a horse. It is difficult for a person like him or any other person in the society to improve another person (p.13). Charge: Impiety Socrates argues that his accusers had said that he is involved in the study of things and bodies that are found

In the Apology, Socrates examines the charges brought against him by Meletus and tries to prove that they are false. The first charge brought against him is that

Secondly, the notion of the gadfly and the horse compared to Socrates' duty as a philosopher to the state is an important metaphor in understanding Socrates' philosophical lifestyle. Socrates “clings to the state as a sort of gadfly to a horse...that needs to be aroused” (pg. 41). Socrates, questioning and probing for knowledge, arouses the “polis”. The citizens, “indignant, as drowsy persons are when they are awakened” (pg. 41) are ignorant without Socrates dialectic method. This philosophical way of living, questioning and interrogating similar to how a gadfly might irritate a horse, has caused Socrates to neglect his own personal life in search of human excellence.