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Corruption In Socrates's Apology

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In Apology Socrates finds himself in court defending himself for the crime of corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates has many points that he brings up during the hearing in order to prove himself innocent of the claims. In order to prove himself he decides to have a conversation with the lead accuser Meletus. Socrates first tried to understand what the charges mean in reference to himself by asking who betters the children. “How do you mean, Meletus? Are these able to educate the young and improve them? – Certainly” (24e-25a). after this question Meletus answers with everyone in Athens benefits the children except Socrates. Socrates then explains that it would be nice if only one person corrupted the youth, implying that if he did corrupt …show more content…

Socrates does not fear death few a few different reasons that he explains to the court. Socrates has given himself two options for what happens after death, and he uses the process of elimination in order to reconcile his impending doom. Socrates sees Death as either A- there is nothing after death and dying just ends the person’s perspective. “if it is a complete lack of perception, like a dreamless sleep,” (40d-e) or B-that there is an afterlife and going to the afterlife (Hades) one could meet all the people that came before them in history. “what would one of you give to keep company with Orpheus and Musaeus, Hesiod and Homer?” (41a-b). Socrates has envisioned a pretty good perception of death either option A Which Is not such a bed thing or option B where he gets to meet all the important historical figures that came before him. If this can be adapted to any circumstance were death is the worst case scenario, then what would hold someone back from achieving anything they wanted to. Socrates was able to stand up in front of a court that had the power to sentence him to death, but instead of apologizing and begging for his life, he stood up for what he thought was right. Even to the very end Socrates was only interested in learning

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There is an ample amount of evidence that suggests Socrates delivered his death speech in order to not outrun death, but to outrun wickedness, which was far more dangerous. The author also gives many reasons why death would be okay. In example, Socrates explains that he would have died without

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Comparing Socrates words in the Republic for the philosopher to rule to the words of the Apology where philosophy is viewed as something that is punishable by death, this is where the defense or importance of philosophy is realized. For if the philosophers were the ones to rule, nobody would question whether or not what they were doing was right or wrong because the philosopher-kings make the rules through wisdom and knowledge. Plato wants to paint a portrait of the philosopher as not only something the city should want to have, but also as someone who would be fit to rule above all others. This contrasts, again, to the points made by the jurors to Socrates in the Apology for they saw Socrates as someone who brings the city

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HUM2225 Dr. Hotchkiss September 30, 2016 Moral Insight Plato’s Euthyphro is based on a lesson between Socrates and Euthyphro outside of the Athenian court about the definition of pious or impious. Euthyphro was surprised to see Socrates there and even more curious to find out why he was there. Socrates explained that the court was persecuting him for impiety because Meletus was spreading rumors about him corrupting the Athenian youth. Euthyphro explains to Socrates that he was there to prosecute his father for murdering a farm worker named Dionysus.

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No matter which path death is, death is a gain. One will either be a peaceful sleep, or a journey to another world filled with intelligent people and knowledge. He had support to his theory, but only talked about conversing with people from the past. The apology is repetitive in the last two paragraphs because Socrates desired to talk to all these different people. He did not clarify as to why living on Earth was cruel and that death was the only answer.

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He reminds Crito “no human being should do injustice in return, whatever he suffers from others”(Crito, 49c). Socrates argues even if the jury's decision was unjust, it is never permissible for him to do injustice in return and therefore he will not try to escape. In essence, even though Socrates is offered the opportunity to

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Socrates was a greek philosopher who found himself in trouble with his fellow citizens and court for standing his grounds on his new found beliefs from his studies about philosophical virtue, justice, and truth. In “Apology” written by Plato, Socrates defended himself in trial, not with the goal of escaping the death sentence, but with the goal of doing the right thing and standing for his beliefs. With this mindset, Socrates had no intention of kissing up to the Athenians to save his life. Many will argue that Socrates’ speech was not very effective because he did not fight for his life, he just accepted the death sentence that he was punished with. In his speech he said, “But now it’s time to leave, time for me to die and for you to live.”

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New accusers say that Socrates corrupts the youth and does not believe in the gods of the State, and has new divinities of his own. To defend himself against these charges, Socrates asks Meletus some questions. As a result, Meletus is shown to be contradicting himself and making accusations that are absolutely absurd. To the question “Who are the improvers of the youth?” Meletus replies that they are all citizens, but not Socrates, arguing that he is only one who is corrupting them.

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Here is my first piece of evidence to support my point. “I happen to be a gift of the god to the city; and this is how you can tell: Unlike most people, I have neglected all my own interests, and I’ve put up with this private neglect for so many years, while always attending to your business.” (Lines 108-111) In the quote stated above, Socrates claims that even with the annoyance people found in him, he pursued in his mission to help the people. Even though he had to give up his interests and hobbies, he did not give up his mission and focused on his work with the people all those years.

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He attempts this by trying to appeal to their sense of duty to the state. Socrates explains that what he does, teaching without charge and questioning so-called wise men and pretenders of knowledge, is his duty to the state, keeping it from becoming stagnant. Socrates reminds the court, that even though he is a wise man, he is “of flesh and blood” (Plato). He mentions his sons, stating he has three of them and that two of them are still young. He tells the court “I will not bring any of them hither in order to petition you for an acquittal” (Plato) yet his simple mentioning of them is an effort to play on the emotions of the

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Socrates started his life as an average Athen citizen. His parents worked, making an honest living. But as Socrates grew up, he began to realize that his mind questioned things and wondered how come no one else questioned the same things or at least think about the answers to the questions that were not answered. So, as his mind kept wandering, he began to acknowledge the questions that were not answered and sought for those answers. He ended up believing and teaching things to other people, whether it went against the way the Athen government or not, he still continued his work.

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He is given the opportunity to choose an escape, and live his life never being able to return back to Athens. He completely opposes the idea and decides to live out the consequences of his trial, ultimately dying. Socrates made it his mission to live a virtuous life, which he did, right to his death. To life a virtuous life it would have gone against his own belief if he did escape his conviction, making this aspect very important in his philosophy. “To do so is right, and one must not give way or retreat or leave one’s post, but both in war and in courts and everywhere else, one must obey the commands of one’s city and country, or persuade as the nature of justice.

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Through becoming a teacher of the young men who followed him in Athens, Socrates effectively began to enter the public life. He was able to influence others through sharing his conclusions of justice, self-examination, and piety, and by asking relentless questions. Socrates effectively showed that an individual can live a private and a public life, even if Socrates was not directly involved in the policy-making in Athens. An individual can combine these two aspects of life in a productive way allowing her/him to live a full existence. These individuals can become teachers, politicians, and activists who use their focus on justice and piety in their private lives to advocate and create laws that promote true justice for the rest of the

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One of the charges brought against him was corrupting the youth of Athens. Accordingly to the words of those who complained at

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In this instance, the children generate their own beliefs and ideas from within themselves, not through Socrates. All Socrates wants is to “take care of the young first, so that they will be the best possible, just as a good farmer properly takes care of the young plants first, and after this of the others as well” (2d, p.

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