The Apology Written By Plato

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The Apology Written By Plato, is a detailed account of the trial of Socrates, who was a great philosopher in Athens. Socrates was brought to trial based on charges of “corrupting the youth” and “not believing in the gods” (23d). The people of Athens believed Socrates was corrupting the youth because they simply did not understand his method of inquiry, which consisted of Socrates teaching them to question what they thought to be true. Socrates’ method of inquiry drove his listeners to question their beliefs and often brought them to a state of puzzlement, or a state Plato calls ‘aporia.’ There are many examples of the Socratic method present in The Meno, which is also written by Plato. The entirety of The Apology consists of Socrates explaining his methods, like those in the Meno, and telling the jury that his intentions were all for the best sake of the city of Athens, which he implies when he says he is “a gift from the god to the city of Athens.”

The Meno is another story written by Plato in which Socrates uses his method of inquiry on the youth of Athens. The story illustrates how successful the Socratic method is in terms of helping the city of Athens by creating a more educated and ethical community. The story’s dialogue begins with Meno asking Socrates if virtue can be taught, and Socrates responds by saying “I myself, Meno, am as poor as my fellow citizens in this matter, and I blame myself for my complete ignorance about virtue” implying that he does not know the true definition of virtue, nor does anyone else, making it impossible to teach. Meno claims that virtue is different for different people based on things such as sex or age, and Socrates rejects this idea. Meno then proposes that virtue is the desire for good ...

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...y of Athens that proper understanding of virtue and knowledge would lead to a better life and an overall better community.

Although Socrates method of inquiry may have first appeared to be a malicious attempt for Socrates to earn power, his intentions were pure from the beginning. The people of Athens were unable to admit their ignorance. They allowed their egos to blind them from the truths behind Socrates’ teachings. Had the people of Athens given Socrates a chance, they would have realized he was not trying to prove anyone wrong, on the contrary, Socrates was pushing for people to thrive for knowledge to create a better community within the city of Athens.

Plato. Apology. Complete Works. Ed. John M Cooper. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.

Plato. Meno. Complete Works. Ed. John M Cooper. Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.

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