Pre Socratics Vs Socrates Research Paper

Socrates is the founding father of what is considered western philosophy. Socrates was the first person that one can identify as asking questions and pursuing answers to those questions. As a result, those questions and answers are now what we consider as one of the main aspects of philosophy. Those before Socrates, or the Pre-Socratics, asked questions and sought answers as well; however, their primary concern was based on mathematics and natural phenomenas. In contrast, Socrates primary focus was on that of the citizens of Athens. He focused on them by asking questions then debating their answers. Some of the questions that Socrates wanted answers to ideas and thoughts of what was goodness, what was morality, could virtue be taught and what was knowledge. These thoughts were totally different from those of the Pre-Socratics.

In the later years of Socrates life, he faced charges of teaching the younger generation to disrespect the Gods of the city of Athens.

Likewise, the ancient Greeks believe that the same Gods protected their cities from natural disasters such as storms, flood and plagues as well as the invasion from other cities. For this reason, if Socrates were teaching the youth to disrespect the Gods, then there was a great chance that the city of Athens would be at harm by those natural disasters. As a result, Socrates was convicted of these charges of disrespecting the Gods and ultimately sentenced to death. In contrast, he was offered a reprieve however he would have give up doing philosophy, but Socrates refused because he believed that life without philosophy would be meaningless to him and he would rather died than survive yet not have any purpose on

life.
Socrates receives his sentencing of death by the Athenian jury; however, he responds with a speech. Socrates explains that he has never lived a quiet, ordinary life as opposed to others. He states that he did not have the same interest as others cared about. He continues to go on in speech and say that he was too strict on himself with the principles to survive. For that reason, he tried to persuade each of the people of Athens to think outside of the box of more practical advantages than of his mental and moral well-being. Moreover, Socrates wanted everyone to think more of well-being in that case of the city of Athens or of anything for that matter. Socrates felt that because he was thinking of the betterment of everyone in the city of Athens that he did not deserve to be sentenced to death. Socrates stated “that it could be more appropriate for such a person than that of free maintenance at the state’s expense — he deserves it much more than any victor in the races at Olympia, whether he wins with a single horse or a pair or a team of four. These people give you the semblance of success, but I give you the reality; they do not need maintenance, but I do.” For this reason, Socrates was explaining that all he was trying to do was to get the people of Athens to see that by teaching the youth of the city of their well-being, it would be better off for the city; however, the Athenians did not see it in the same aspect as Socrates. Socrates believed that whenever wronged anyone intentionally; however, due to the short period of time, the Athenians were not convinced of the argument that Socrates presented.
Socrates belief that a good life is a just and honorable one lead to his circumstances under which he would escape. Socrates denies that escaping execution is the right thing for him to do. While sitting in the prison cell waiting on his execution, Socrates is visited by his Crito who begs for him to escape and go to another city because he, Crito, is wealthy alongside of other friends of Socrates who will take care of him if he choses to escape. Socrates broke the covenants and the agreements which you made. Socrates has his choice and might have gone either to Lacedaemon or Crete because he always often praised them for their good government or to some other Hellenic or foreign State. Crito explained to Socrates that, “ [h]e seemed to be so fond of the State and now you run away and forsake your agreements — if you will take our advice, do not make yourself ridiculous by escaping out of the city.” Crito, along with others, explained to Socrates that if he escaped there would be no good to him or to his friends. Likewise, they also told him that they would be deprived of their citizenship, driven into exile and even lose their property. In addition, they told him that if he chose to escape to one of the neighboring well governed cities, he would be presented as an enemy to them. For this reason, their government would be against him. Socrates states “I hear the summering in my ears, like the sounds of a flute in the ears of the mystic; that voice, I say, is humming in my ears, and prevents me from hearing the voices of any other.”
Socrates refusal to escape shows his belief that what is important is not life but a good life. On the day of Socrates execution, Crito and others were there as the execution occurred. Crito explained to Socrates that, “[a]ll he had to do was drink the poison and walk around until his legs became heavy, then lie down and from there the poison would work on its own.” Socrates took the cup of poison hemlock and drunk it instead of waiting the long execution period. As it drunk it and laid down once his legs began to get heavy to enter into what would be his final days of life. The hemlock would attack his central nervous system to gradually bring on paralysis and ultimately death. As he was lying there on his death bed, the uttered, “ Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius - make the offering and don’t forget.” Ascleipios was the God of medicine. Socrates felt that he owed a debt to this God because of the poison that he just had that took that took his life.
As one can see, Socrates stood in what he had a belief in. Socrates was accused of teaching the youth of Athens to disrespect the Gods of the city. However, Socrates believed that what he was charged for was for the betterment of the city of Athens. For this reason, he refused to escape from his punishment, yet he took the hemlock and faced his execution in a shorter period of time than that which was expected. Likewise, I believe that choosing not to escape but face his execution was a good decision in his aspect. By choosing not to escape, Socrates showed that his beliefs were greater than that of what the Athenians thought therefore he would face the consequence.