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How Did Socrates Attempt To Appease The Apology

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In this paper I will examine why Socrates did not attempt to appease the jury in his Apology. Socrates is put on trial for corrupting the youth and believing in gods other than the gods of the city. I believe he chose not to appease the jury for three reasons: he is a man of pride, he does not fear death and additionally finds it shameful to fear death. Socrates is a man of pride. He has passion for his beliefs and values, and would rather die than give them up. When presented with the idea of the jury releasing him he states “as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy” (Plato 32). This shows that Socrates does not believe what he has done and what he believes in is wrong; he will continue to do what he had been put on trial for if released. This is the exact opposite of what one would say to appease the jury. Socrates is on trial because some believe what he was doing was wrong, by refusing to acknowledge that he was wrong, this speech contradicts our modern day idea of an apology. …show more content…

He states that he nor anyone else should not fear that which they do not know. This is why he does not fear death and finds it foolish to do so. Socrates says “No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man” (Plato 32) and believes that to fear death is “to think oneself wise when one is not” (Plato 32). In this regard he states he is wiser than all men who fear death, for he does not know what death may hold and therefore does not fear it. With the belief of being the wisest of men, Socrates still does not know what will happen upon death; this ignorance may give way to curiosity about death. He may want to know what happens after death and knows there is only one way to find out. Socrates does however know death is inevitable and thus finds the avoidance of it to be

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