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The Philosophies Of Greece And Socrates

1151 Words5 Pages

There were many great philosophers that came from Greece, and Socrates was one of the greatest. His personality was quite unique in his thinking than anyone one else who was alive in his era. He brought up ideas that strayed away from all social norms and what society thought was the right way to live. His ideas didn’t make him popular among all of Greek people, in fact the Greeks wanted to banish or execute him. To do so, the people of Athens took him to trial. He was being accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and not believing in the gods in which Athens believes in, which are both punishable by death. In the Apology his defense was described by one of his students named Plato, rather than himself. It was written after the fact but Plato …show more content…

The jury was indecisive on Socrates position. He starts his defense by pointing out that it is Meletus’s own opinion “That is what I say, that you do not believe in the gods at all” (31). He continues to say that Meletus’s answer was “highly insolent and uncontrolled” (31). Meletus is basically contradicting himself by saying Socrates is guilty for not believing in the gods but at the same time believing in the gods. Before, he was trying to prove that he is the wisest man because god made it so. “He is a god, and cannot lie; that would be against his nature.”. (26) So how can they claim he is an atheist? He continues with saying that if he ever encountered a man that was actually wiser than him, he would go to the gods and refute his position. He said, “Here is a man who is wiser than I am; but you said that I was the wisest”. Socrates continues by stating that a man that admits to know nothing than the next is the wisest amongst his peers. This was insulting to the jury because the statement was applicable to everyone and the jury felt Socrates was undermining their intelligence. Socrates stood by his opinion and didn’t budge throughout the trail. Socrates continues and proposes his own punishment for his charges. That was to be that Athens would provide free meals for him till the day he died. He also mentions how he is not financially capable of paying the fines due to not accepting fees for his lessons. Socrates didn’t have the best chance to win over the jury after his apology. Therefore Socrates was sentenced the death penalty that would result in him drinking poison in an Athenian

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Socrates is guilty of refusing to recognize the gods recognized by the state, and of introducing new divinities. The jury found him guilty. By his own argument, however, Socrates could not blame the jury, for it was mistaken about what was truly in the interest of the city (cf. Theaetetus 177d-e) and thus required instruction. Socrates is found guilty by a narrow margin and is asked to propose a penalty.

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