Plato 's Apology And Crito

According to the majority of the jury members of Athens, Socrates is a corruption to the youth, doer of evil and does not agree with the gods of his people. In the Apology, written by Plato these are the assumptions and accusations Socrates is held in court for. In court, he is faced with what most men fear, being wrongly accused leading to the death sentence. Socrates argues and strives to prove that he has no fear of being hated, being accused of serious crimes, being threatened with punishment, or being put to death.

While the formal charge against Socrates accuses the philosopher of “corrupting the young, and…not believing in the gods whom the city believes… [emphasis added],” I believe that

Socrates was a thinker of ancient Greece, and someone whose wisdom had become a popular topic of discussion and conflict while he was alive. As Socrates was growing up, the government of Athens had been trying to instill and utilize a working democratic system in which the people of Athens had a voice in the assemblies. Although this “voice” was granted to some, not everyone was able to have a say. Socrates was accused of being impious toward the Gods of Athens, trying to corrupt and bring down the governmental system, and corrupting the minds of the youths.

One of Socrates’ key points at his trail explaining his past charges was that for a long time after the Delphic oracles declared him the wisest he has since strived to prove this declaration false by seeking others wiser than him (p.32). While much of Socrates’ reflection on the past explains his motives and beliefs, his cross-examination of Meletus begin an interrogation in which he attempts to fight his newer charges. Accusing his accusers and Meletus of not entirely being sincere with their legal actions. Socrates would ask Meletus who influence the youth to do well (p.36). Followed by Meletus’ response, Socrates would then challenge Meletus’ notion that everybody in Athens except for Socrates would be an ideal good, however, it can never be one person, but a group of people, whereas one person can be more beneficial in educating the youth using an analogy of horses and horse trainers (p.37).Socrates is also noted as saying that his accusers never reached out to him to be counselled on any unintentional things he has done but more so have no interest in doing so. Moving on to speaking on deities, Socrates challenging Meletus’ accusation, states that his beliefs of spiritual beings, particularly off sprints (e.g. children of gods) conflict with Meletus’ claims (p.40). Furthermore, Socrates’ sole belief in spiritual entities prove Meletus’ claim that Socrates believes in no god at all false. Even more so Socrates goes on succeed in showing Meletus’ own personal knowledge on the issue being questionably vague reflecting much inconsistencies, which he believes was never the issue of topic, but more so to formally indict him with something for trail

In 399 B.C.E, the scholar Socrates was put on trial based on acquisitions by Meletus and other Athenians that say that he has corrupted the youth of Athens with his complex way of thinking. This trial is a matter of life and death to Socrates so he makes his defense to the people of Athens as to why he should not receive a guilty verdict. Although it may translate to apology, it stems from a greek word that means defense. Socrates has nothing to apologize for because he believes himself to have enlightened the people and not corrupt them. Socrates speech is broken up into different parts: his defense, his confrontation of Meletus, his response to the guilty verdict, and his acceptance of it. Socrates valued his life and used many examples

In Plato’s Apology and Crito are two consecutive plays that explain how Socrates, which was considered an honored and the most wise man in all Athens by the oracle is sentenced to death by because he did not want to admit his wisdom and the importance of the Gods. In the Apology and Crito, it is seen how religion and politics are linked when Socrates is declared by the Delphic oracle the most wisest man in the whole Athens because unlike other people in Athens he knows he does not know anything, “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” Apology, Socrates. Socrates beliefs in the Gods, especially Apollo, but by going against what the oracle says he faced political issues. After, his declaration Socrates is taken in a trial and he is accused of corrupting the youth and not believing what the Gods told the oracle. In his speech Socrates tries to defend himself by questioning one of his accusers, Miletus and using a series of

In the Apology, Socrates was told by the Delphic Oracle that there was nobody wiser than him. With ancient Greece having been a prominent home of philosophy and art since

Socrates discovered that men of good repute were not wise in their moral values and were foolish., while those of lesser means were more knowledgeable. The argument here is that Socrates earned a poor reputation because he publicly exposed the wealthy men of Athens in their ignorance and lack of knowledge. This inquisition led Socrates to have many enemies. (Apology, 3) During the trial Socrates referred several times to the force of truth. He is implying that he wants Athenians to accept logical conclusions even if they may not want to. Socrates also claims that obsession with wealth and material things must never take precedence over the care of one's soul. Socrates challenges their values and asks if they are not ashamed of their eagerness to possess wealth, honor, and reputation and caring little about wisdom and truth and enriching their souls? Socrates is attempting to reveal to the jury that the soul is forever and is more important then physical obsession. Furthermore, he says that "this is the command of God and that my service to you is to show you that I'm here to improve your soul." (Apology, 6) Wealth and prestige, for most Athenians, was very important and hearing these claims and the commands from god further fueled the anger against Socrates. Later he identifies himself as a gadfly sent by god to awaken and arouse the people and to show them the way to enlightment and improve their soul. To prove his mission that he was given by god, he

Chiefly among Socrates’ arguments is the argument of justice versus injustice. At many points throughout the account, Socrates declares the charges against him as unjust, in his understanding of the term “justice”. He begs the question of how a court of law could unjustly accuse him of these crimes. Through Socrates’ dialogue, he expresses his views on public office.

Furthermore, Socrates is also accused of corrupting the youth, and not believing in the Athenian Gods. Basically, accused of being an atheist. At this point there is dialogue between Socrates and a man named Meletus. In the past Meletus has been known to be irresponsible along with bringing unsuitable cases to

Socrates asserts there is a difference between divine wisdom and human wisdom. The gods know all, but humans cannot know everything. As Socrates says, “…gentlemen, it’s pretty certainly the god who is really wise, and by his oracle he meant that human wisdom is worth little or nothing” (27). Socrates’ point in making this statement is that any man who thinks his wisdom is comparable to the gods is sadly mistaken and unwise. Furthermore, Socrates explains that when he proves men to be unwise, he is actually serving the

Socrates was charged with impiety he does not believe in the gods whom the people believes in he is portrayed as an atheist and he speculates about the heaven and thing beneath the ground, he seeks natural explanation for astronomical and geological phenomena rather than the gods and also he corrupts the youth he infuses in them a spirit of criticism his questioning of authority had effects on the youth. He makes the weaker reason seem to be stronger.

The Oracle responded, “There was no man wiser than he”. Socrates was caught by surprise because he never thought of himself as being wise wisest of all. Socrates also explored out to test the oracle's statement, to see if what was said was in fact the truth to himself. He approached a man that was seen by the public to be very wise and knew everything of everything. He then proceeded to question the man to see if he was a wise as he thought himself to be. Socrates tried this method on another man, that said to be even wiser than the man before. The same thing outcome happened in both the men. He tried this method on many people and found out that everyone wisdom (including his own) was little or worthless. Socrates learned that to know everything, is to know nothing, and expect that not knowing everything is

Plato’s portrayal of Socrates is a man who lives through constant questioning to find and examine life, and who also believes that goodness should be put above all else. Socrates is constantly face to face with injustice, continued to involve himself with politics. For he wasn’t afraid of the consequences, which could lead to his death. In The Apology Socrates doesn’t believe death should act as a factor in any decision people make. He believes they should be made by looking close into their lives, examining their lives to see if they choose to live their lives in a manner that upholds goodness and justice. Socrates overtly says that the interests of the state can only be second to the interests of the gods. Socrates believes that

Socrates knowing himself, held in certain that he had “no wisdom small or great” (Plato, trans. 1871). Upon