The Corruption Of The Youth By Socrates

With so many people starting to follow and listen to the message that Socrates delivered so frequently, there would be twice as many people who thought that he was trying to corrupt the youth. This would not be the case for those who listened to and accepted what Socrates had to say and this started to create a cultural clash. The older generations of Athens that included the likes of leaders, politicians, and parents, would begin to criticize Socrates for implementing this new way of thinking into their children and fellow citizens. “Either I do not corrupt the youth or, if I do, it is unwillingly,” (The Apology, 86). Socrates didn’t willingly try to corrupt the youth, he just hoped to broaden the mind and vision of the people of Athens. Socrates also put a lot of energy and focus on the idea of wisdom, and how being wise should be a person’s number one priority. "Let us reflect in this way, too, that there is good hope that death is a blessing, for it is one of two things: either the dead are nothing and have no perception of anything, or it is, as we are told, a change and a relocation for the soul from here to another place." (The Apology, 88). Socrates was most concerned with his soul, and he felt that this is will live on with him forever. Wisdom should trump the honors that you can receive from war, and the lust for materialistic

Socrates, one of the greatest philosophers in history, was arrested, put in jail, and was sentenced to death. The reason for being put in jail and getting the death sentence was because some believed he went out all over Athens, corrupting their youth and creating chaos in their way of life. Although these are some big accusations at the time, some believed that Socrates did commit these crimes to the fact that some of the people of Athens, particularly did not like Socrates due to the fact that Socrates was a controversial figure in the city to which some didn’t understand him and some of the people of Athens would worry every time that Socrates would go out and question the gods, that the result would have them fearing that their gods would come down and smite all of them with their eternal wrath. Fearing the gods over a man’s intellect and questioning, Socrates was put under arrest and was allowed a trial for his defense of the claims brought upon him. During the time that Socrates was put in prison, Athens was going under some dramatic changes from their hegemony in the classical world in a declining matter due to them being defeated by Sparta in the Peloponnesian War. With their defeat to the Spartans, Athens unknowingly forced themselves into a down spiral state where they entered a period of doubt and instability about their identity and place in the world. The result of this period made the Athens clung to their past ways, past glories, ways of wealth, and their

Socrates is known to be a great philosopher in Greece, who’s teaching has been giving great impact in today’s world. Socrates throughout his life has been teaching in Athens, unbothered. At the age of seventy, he was put on trial and executed by Athens. A lot of factors influenced his trial in 399 BCE. It still raises the same question as to what really happened and why was Socrates sent to trial at such a late age in life.

Athens could also be seen as a place where they educated their citizens. Socrates understood that he would not be the man who he is today, without Athens. Like anything, a child would not willingly do harm on a parent, especially if they receive love and protection, and no harm in return. This parental versus child relationship is quite similar to the relationship Socrates had with Athens. The people of Athens could have assumed that Socrates would try to escape and that his death sentence would not follow through, but Socrates did not see this as an important factor. He believed that if he escaped, it would hinder the image of Athens because he would not be following their laws, which might influence the citizens to also break the laws of Athens. People with a lot of influence, have a lot of followers, for example, the people of Athens. If Socrates, supposedly the wisest man were to escape from prison and his death sentence, other people might think it is fine to disobey Athens as well. On the other hand, the citizens expected him to escape, but the fact that he stayed in prison to face his death sentence shows how seriously he took subjects like harming others and obeying the state to heart. Another objection to this argument could be, that Socrates was falsely accused and was harmed when he was truly innocent, he did not commit any of the crimes he was accused of, but Socrates still had the opportunity to a fair trial, he just did not use

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

His position had an immense impact on the guilty verdict of his trial because he behaved arrogantly toward the judges who would choose his verdict and punishment. For example Socrates refused to refer to the judges to the as their titles but only as, Athenians. This caused an outrage towards Socrates this was seen as disrespectful. As well Socrates would talk back to the judges, “Do not interrupt me Athenians, with your shouts. Remember the request which I made to you, and do not interrupt my words”(pg. 41). Logically Socrates should have been much more agreeable towards the judges considering the situation he was in, but in contrast he remained true to his philosophical lifestyle and pursued his innocence in a way he felt was best.

Socrates was a public thinker that did not deserve to die for his ideas. He was simply standing up for his beliefs and the Athenian Jury blamed Athens’ fall on Socrates. If the beliefs of an individual do not harm others then the person does not deserve to be punished. Everyone including Socrates has their own ideas, but he had enough conviction to voice them during that time and encouraged

In Plato’s dialogue Apology it discusses the trial of Socrates and mentions how the accusers are and the charges that Socrates was faced with. It was also mention how Socrates feels about the chargers and how he defends himself. The two charges he was faced with was corrupting the youth and impiety. At the end of the trail Socrates was found guilty and he explained how he was not afraid of death and that he was happy with how his life turned out. There are also different ways people believed whether Socrates was guilty or not and how would their lives would have turned out if he was still alive, especially how Socrates life would have been if he wasn’t sentenced to death.

This is evident within in which he describes the death of Socrates and more specifically the events around it. Here it is shown that Socrates was put to death for attempting to convince the people of Athens to think more broadly and begin to question the basis of their culture before blindly following along with it. Interestingly, it is shown that from here the people following the culture, being the dominant party, quickly conclude that he aims to corrupt and harm the people of Athens and thus put him to death. This is clearly not true, however, as it is revealed to the reader that Socrates was not corrupt, nor had his beliefs come from anger or courage but “It had been grounded in philosophy.” showing that he had thought this through, despite this the authorities still put him

In the philosophical dialogue “The Apology” by Plato, we are introduced to a highly intelligent Greek philosopher named Socrates, we learn that he is a teacher and that is on a trial because of two main accusations. One, not recognizing the gods that are recognized by the republic, and two, the corruption of the youth. ¨He says that I am a doer of evil, who corrupt the youth; but I say, O men of Athens, that Meletus is a doer of evil, and the evil is that he makes a joke of a serious matter, and is too ready at bringing other men to trial from a pretended zeal and interest about matters in which he really never had the smallest interest. And the truth of this I will endeavor to prove.¨ Socrates defends himself of this accusation by presenting proving the government has no real interest in the improvement of the youth, they are just afraid of what he is teaching them and that is to think for themselves and

Socrates, an Athenian philosopher, is on trial for three separate charges of corrupting the youth, undermining the democracy, and disrespecting the gods. By acting in this manner, he is ruining Athens and one may conclude that he hates the very idea of Athens. Socrates has put logic and reason over belief, rejected the traditional democratic government, set bad examples for the youth, and much more, and is therefore guilty of all three charges. The first charge that Socrates is guilty of is corrupting the youth because he is a shameful influence to those who follow him.

There was probably quite a bit more tension in the Athenian court room than in our mock trial, none the less it was quite interesting to see the different points that were made for and against Socrates during his trial. Looking at the trial today the different points that were made and the evidence, it is absolutely absurd that a man would be sentenced to death based on that. However, we are looking at the situation through different eyes and in a different time. We do not truly understand how those people were brought in that environment and how that affected their thought process. Also the anger with Sparta clearly was not subsided by this time, which allowed some of the jurors to take their anger out on Socrates because of the small

Socrates’ trial and consequent death sentence was an unfair decision that reflected the intolerance of the Greek world, specifically that in Athens, during the period of scientific backlash. Socrates was a philosopher whose progressive ideas placed him far ahead of his time. Aristophane’s The Clouds, which parodied Socrates, was published at unfortunate time that gave fire to the growing hatred of the philosopher and his work greatly influenced the jury’s decision. It seems odd that this took place in Athens, the society that has come to symbolize democracy and free-thought, because through a historicist lens, persecuting a man who was found guilty of superfluous charges, all of which he denied his guilt, is a definite societal step backward and greatly contradicts what Athens is lauded for.

Socrates defense was well executed, planned, and proved to be the stronger and more supported side of the trial. He begins by asking," Which is better, to live among bad citizens, or among good ones?" as well as, "Is there anyone who would rather be injured then benefitted by those who live with him?"(Plato). He then goes on the offense. If he corrupted the youth of Athens, making them bad citizens, they would do harm to himself and others which isn 't the case. Socrates was not a violent man despite having served in war and his followers were philosophers not criminals.

Socrates was put to death after Athens was released and he was ACCUSED of impiety and professing falsehood to the youth, corrupting them and making appear the worst cause as being the best.