Plato’s Apology is a story of Socrates being accused of disobeying the state and not acknowledging the deities that they recognize. Socrates is brought to trial, he claims, because of the false wise men of Athens. According to Socrates, these men know that Socrates is the wisest of them all and can easily embarrass them, therefore he is a threat that they must eliminate. After much reasoning to the jury by Socrates, he is found guilty and is sentenced to death.
I find it interesting that this piece places such an emphasis on person versus the state. It is apparent through the text that this issue has plagued society since ancient times. This theme reminded me of the multiple times that challenging the state has worked out to the benefit of humanity.
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For example, the 13th amendment which abolished slavery challenged the very basis of the entire Southern United States’ traditions and economy. Or the many historic court cases such as Brown versus The Board of Education, allowing the desegregation of schools.
Even dating back to colonial times and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Pamphlet, which sought to create an America free of Britain’s grasp. However, the text also reminded me of several times that challenging the state in malicious ways has turned out disastrous. For example, Edward Snowden and his leaking of classified information that the United States government trusted him to keep classified, ultimately resulting in his exile from the United States. This, along with the significance of the corruptness of the Athenian state I think cause the reader to take this piece for more than face value. Instead of brushing the story off as a simple court trial, this piece of literature is significant in that it causes us to question things. Instead of moving along with our normal day to day activities, this piece teaches us to debate whether or not things are just. Furthermore, I think that history supports the idea that it is human nature to question things, such as authority in society. Though Socrates was sentenced to death in the end, I don’t think this discredits his argument of questioning those that we believe are “wise.” After all, many iconic figures throughout history in America have been assassinated,
Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. included. Another lesson this piece teaches us is that standing up for what is right can have just as much if not greater consequences that doing the wrong thing, and even result in death. As is stated by Socrates, “a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying; he ought only to consider whether in doing anything he is doing right or wrong – acting the part of a good man or of a bad” (13).
Plato's The Apology is an account of the speech. Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new gods, and corrupting the youth of Athens. For the most part, Socrates speaks in a very plain, conversational manner. He explains that he has no experience with the law courts and that he will instead speak in the manner to which he is accustomed with honesty and directness. Socrates then proceeds to interrogate Meletus, the man primarily responsible for bringing Socrates before the jury. He strongly attacks Meletus for wasting the court¡¦s time on such absurd charges. He then argues that if he corrupted the young he did so unknowingly since Socrates believes that one never deliberately acts wrongly. If Socrates neither did not corrupt the young nor did so unknowingly, then in both cases he should not be brought to trial. The other charge is the charge of impiety. This is when Socrates finds an inconsistency in Meletus¡¦ belief that Socrates is impious. If he didn¡¦t believe in any gods then it would be inconsistent to say that he believed in spiritual things, as gods are a form of a spiritual thing. He continues to argue against the charges, often asking and answering his own questions as if he were speaking in a conversation with one of his friends. He says that once a man has found his passion in life it would be wrong of him to take into account the risk of life or death that such a passion might involve.
The first story The Apology is the recounting of Socrates’ trial. He is being accused of corrupting the youth’s minds and not acknowledging the gods. Socrates describes himself as a simple, old man who speaks the truth rather than being deceitful with clever words. He claims that the Oracle at Delphi said that he was the wisest man in Athens. This makes the sophists and many citizens of Athens
The author of “The Apology,” Benjamin Jowett, supports his ideas of Socrates by explaining the judgmental views that were made towards Socrates. Socrates is forced to face the jury of Athens due to his gadfly role on the streets on Athens. The citizens of Athens were willing to tolerate persons who could give persuasive speeches and make great shows of rhetoric, but they had no room for Socrates, who was questioning and investigations threatened to undermine a public culture of conformity to traditional authority. Eventually, the practice of philosophy cost Socrates his life. “I would have you know, if you kill such a one as I am, you will injure yourselves more than you will injure me,” Socrates states. Socrates thought that no good man could be harmed; as long as you are doing good then harm cannot affect you. Socrates was told he was the smartest man in Athens, which motivated him to go on the streets to prove he was not. The author proves this point by stating what Socrates says to the jury, “Here is a man who is wiser than I am but you said that I was the wisest.” Socrates went...
Plato’s Apology takes place when Socrates is put on trial in front of the city of Athen’s leaders. It is here Plato speaks his own version of a speech given by Socrates to defend himself. Socrates makes it as clear as he can that he is not afraid of the death sentence verdict he is given and that if he did not receive it, he would continue to question life the way he always has. No signs of fear or anxiety are evident during his speech, which creates a very bold and brave front. Socrates wants to avoid causing himself unnecessary suffering, although he is not afraid of death. He wants to finish his life the way he has lived it so far.
The Apology is Socrates' defense at his trial. As the dialogue begins, Socrates notes that his accusers have cautioned the jury against Socrates' eloquence, according to Socrates, the difference between him and his accusers is that Socrates speaks the truth. Socrates distinguished two groups of accusers: the earlier and the later accusers. The earlier group is the hardest to defend against, since they do not appear in court. He is all so accused of being a Sophist: that he is a teacher and takes money for his teaching. He attempts to explain why he has attracted such a reputation. The oracle was asked if anyone was wiser than Socrates was. The answer was no, there was no man wiser. Socrates cannot believe this oracle, so he sets out to disprove it by finding someone who is wiser. He goes to a politician, who is thought wise by him self and others. Socrates does not think this man to be wise and tells him so. As a consequence, the politician hated Socrates, as did others who heard the questioning. "I am better off, because while he knows nothing but thinks that he knows, I neither know nor think that I know" (Socrates). He questioned politicians, poets, and artisans. He finds that the poets do not write from wisdom, but by genius and inspiration. Meletus charges Socrates with being "a doer of evil, and corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the State, and has other new divinities of his own."
In Plato’s Apology it seems that overall Socrates did an effective job using the 3 acts of the mind. The three acts of the mind are: Understanding, Judgment, and Reasoning. These acts are stragically used to rebut the charges made against him during trial. The two charges that are formed against Socrates are corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods. The first act of the mind that we will be looking at is, understanding. The question that needs to be asked is what does corruption mean? The accuser believe that Socrates in corrupting the minds of the children by introducing new concepts. Socrates is trying to teach and involve the minds of the youth by getting them to ask question. It is very important that people are always asking questions about why things are. The next question that needs to be address is what does not believe in the gods mean? Socrates believes in God but that is one god that rules the world, not multiple gods who together rule. They are mad that he has “created” his own god.
Plato. "Apology." The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and David L. Pike. Compact ed. New York: Pearson, 2008. 559-75. Print.
Socrates and the Apology Some of the best sources of information about Socrates' philosophical views are the early dialogues of his student Plato, who tried to provide a faithful picture of the methods and teachings of the great master. The Apology is one of the many recorded dialogues about Socrates. It is about how Socrates was arrested and charged with corrupting the youth, believing in no god(s) (Atheism) and for being a Sophist. He attended his trial and put up a good argument. I believe that Socrates was wrongfully accused and should not have been sentenced to death.
In the retelling of his trial by his associate, Plato, entitled “The Apology”; Socrates claims in his defense that he only wishes to do good for the polis. I believe that Socrates was innocent of the accusations that were made against him, but he possessed contempt for the court and displayed that in his conceitedness and these actions led to his death.
Plato’s Apology features Socrates’ apology statement in his trial which features the philosophical ideas of Socrates. One of these is the claim that nobody does wrong knowingly. He claims that all wrong deeds are the result of ignorance rather than deliberate acts because immoral acts cause people harm. However, there is fault with this claim as people do wrong, whether it be to themselves, others, or something else, intentionally. The problems with Socrates argument is that includes conflictions with his other views such as virtue and the virtuous life, his thoughts on ignorance, and his ideas on wrong doing and harm.
In the passage from The Apology Plato reflects on what happens to individuals after they die. His argument 's first premise entails that death is one of two things, either a dreamless sleep with no perceptions, or a relocation of the individual 's soul to a different place. His second premise asserts that both these options are acceptable and equally attractive offers. He therefore concludes that death is not a tragic event, but rather an appealing one. Plato 's argument is not cogent in that he does not completely evaluate the situation and all its implications. This essay will use false dichotomy, refutation, abduction, and thought experiment to show that Plato 's argument is flawed.
Plato then illustrates a dialogue “The Apology” which he corresponds with a series of three segments; Socrates speech expressing his defense for himself at his trial against the Athenian Council. The second segment is the decision by the court, and the third is his prosecution that results to sentencing him to his death.
Upon reading the title of this famous dialogue, one gets the impression that this is revolving around a mistake that Plato has made. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth. Plato is simply narrating the trial of Socrates, a more accurate translation of “ἀπολογία” or Apology would be Explanation or Defense. ¬This is can be compared to the same word which is used to describe the Christian Apologetics of the first century. They were not people known for apologizing for their faith but rather as people who DEFENDED what they believed in. In the trial of Socrates, this is evident as Socrates is standing up for himself against the charges of being a Physicalist, a sophist, a corrupter of the Greek youth, and impious. In the “Apology,” you can Socrates splitting into several distinct segments; His encounter with the Delphic Oracle, His description and contest of the charges against him (this can be further split), his position against the punishment, and his final speeches.
Socrates alludes to a potential danger he finds in Democracy. The danger he finds in democracy according to Plato’s speech given by Socrates, The Apology, is that each person is swayed by bias and emotions which can cloud our rational judgements. When we have been swayed by others and their emotions we then fall prey to the mob mentality and if we fall prey to the mob mentality we fall in the wrong hands. A way we guard ourselves from this mob mentality is thinking critically. By thinking critically, if they (Athens) had an educated populous they would be able to solve mob mentality because the populus would rationalize their actions and not be swayed by other's opinions and the environment around them. For example when Socrates was condemned
The Apology was what was being said by Socrates on trial, but was written by Plato. Plato was one of Socrates’ students and attended the trial. He wrote everything that happened before, during, and after the trial in the form of dialogues