23c Socrates Private Life

Private vs. public lifestyles

Socrates was one of the first philosophers of the civilized world. He spent his life publicly dedicating himself to the Greek gods and to fixing the people of his city. Throughout his life, Socrates upheld his views that truth and wisdom were very important. While some people suggest that Socrates should have lived a private life in order to avoid his trial and death, living a private life would have meant giving up what he deemed important.

On one hand, Socrates could have lived a private life. In 23c Socrates mentions how the young men who follow him around try to “examine” people. The people they examine get angry at him. Had Socrates lived a private life, no one would have been examined and become angry. Had he lived a private life, Socrates would have avoided his trial and execution.

In addition, 38c of The Apology explains how Socrates couldn’t escape death because he didn’t want to beg for his life the way many people on trial do.

He knew that had he taken the pity route, he would have had a better chance to save his life. Socrates himself said that had he lived privately he would have had time to manage his own property and made money. Through Plato’s writing, Socrates says, “I have never had time…to manage my own property…I am totally broke.” (22e). He later mentions his “general self-neglect” and how there is “something supernatural” about how he “stood so many years neglecting” his own property; “going around to each” person because they needed it. Had he not done what he did, he would have had property and money. Socrates knew that if he changed his ways, his life would be spared and he could have been happy, at least happy in the face of

others.
On the other hand, if Socrates had chosen to avoid his trial by living a private life, then he would have been the opposite of Hector. In 28b, Plato wrote that “He (Hector) was much more afraid to live as a coward, and not get revenge for his friend.” Basically, it is more important to do what you think is right rather than hide and submit to others. Socrates also said that he should stand his ground (as he has been assigned to by the God) no matter what. He uses the example of a commander ordering a person to stand their ground and to not “take into account death or anything else next to shame” (28d).
However, Athens was a democracy (which means one person gets one vote) during the time of Socrates’ trial. The politicians of this time were more worried about getting votes and not losing them than they were worried about being right. With truth thrown out the window, Socrates would have had to give up on proclaiming the truth. He would have had to give up his views on wisdom as well. During his trial, Socrates talks about his search for wisdom. After the Oracle of Deplhi told Chærephon (Socrates’ friend) that there was no one wiser than Socrates (20e), Socrates went about deciphering what that meant by interrogating the wise people of that time (21b-22c). Once he was on board with how he was wisest, Socrates sought to show others how they were not wise. Plato wrote that Socrates, “in alliance with the God,” shows wise people that they are not wise (22e). Socrates would have had to give up wisdom and truth because even had the audience decided to let him go on the condition that he stop philosophizing; he would have continued (29a). However, had he chosen to save himself and follow that ruling, Socrates would have had to give up wisdom because he could not have continued this practice of showing people they were unwise. Continuing this practice would have violated living privately.
In addition, Plato writes that Socrates said, “I wake you and convince you, and criticize each and every one of you, and am constantly at it, all day long, settling all over you,” (30d). Socrates spent each day trying to improve his fellow citizens. If Socrates had lived privately before the trial no one would have noticed their faults and been able to improve themselves. If Socrates stopped this after the trial then there would still be many people in need of fixing themselves.
Furthermore, surrendering to cultural practices and thoughts would have caused Socrates to give up what he deems as important. Truth can be seen as important to Socrates when he addresses his audience and says, “Gentlemen, I am ashamed to tell you the truth; however, it must be told,” (22a). Earlier in the passage, Socrates states, “while they said little or nothing that was true, from me you will hear the whole truth” (17b). In both of these quotes Socrates shows that he not only knows the truth but wishes to share it with the people around him. Knowing the truth and sharing the truth are important to Socrates because it is what he bases his life work on- going around trying to get people to see the truth of their ways. He would have had to give up truth because many people in his society did not want the truth or thought they knew a truth different than his. Wisdom is important to Socrates as he says in his defense, “In all likelihood, gentlemen, God is really wise, and this is what he means by his oracle: that our human kind of wisdom is worth little or nothing” (22e).
In conclusion, Socrates did the right thing by living his life the way he did; rather than living it privately. When regarding the position that Socrates should have avoided his trial and death by living privately, one should bring up that then individuality and values are lost.