The Apology Of Socrates

Words: 683

Pages: 3

Open Document

When hypothesizing on the definition of a hero, one often conjures up images of ferocious warriors or courageous fighters. Rarely does one picture an aged, barefooted man wandering around a dust-covered street, asking questions – such as Socrates. However, at closer examination it can be understood that Socrates' actions and that of a traditional hero are very much the same. By looking more closely at the Apology of Socrates, one should be able to see how Socrates is a hero of Athens because of true statesmanship, holding to integrity, and all the while maintaining the tradition of Athens. The culmination of these ideals are at the core of what it means to be Athenian, and when upheld in times of trial, as Socrates portrays, makes someone no less than a hero. …show more content…
As seen from the history of Athens, a statesman's role was to take care of the polis and to develop its people into an acceptable community. However, instead of re-developing Athens based on innovation and reasoning, the public officials were simply trying to recreate the past Athens – a imitative solution. Unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve something different using the same techniques. A true statesman would have acknowledged that failure point, and acted accordingly. Socrates recognized that truth, and concluded philosophy must be the foundation for the reconstitution of Athens. He offered an actual solution to the broken state of Athens. For that reason, he can be seen as a hero of Athens. Only he was acting as a true

Socrates The Apology Analysis

In “The Apology” written by Plato, Socrates is a man on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. In the Athenian justice system, over 500 jurors are faced with deciding Socrates’ fate. Throughout the trial Socrates uses “harm” differently than others and states that even death would not harm him. In this paper, I will argue against the claim that death can’t harm him because his argument rests on two premises that are not true. Socrates does not give an exact definition of “harm.” I…

Words 1192 - Pages 5

Virtue In Plato's Apology Of Socrates

In Plato’s Apology of Socrates, a man whom seeks to show the citizens of Athens that virtue isn’t differed by rich or poor and tries to identify himself as the wisest. Socrates attempts to defend himself to the jury for his false accusations by examining his lifework to the citizens of Athens. He exclaims that he has heard the Oracle’s claim and sets out to seek the truth, though he does it in a very selfish manner. I believe that he is rightfully justified in claiming that he is wiser but incorrectly…

Words 1634 - Pages 7

The Justification Of Virtue In The Apology By Socrates

In “The Apology” by Aristotle, Socrates has two sets of accusers that he has to refute at his trial. The first set of accusers are those like Aristophanes, who wrote about Socrates in his play “The Clouds”. Socrates states that the first accusers say that Socrates was a man that studied the natural world and was a Sophist. To refute these claims, Socrates recalls a time that he talked to a man who paid a Sophist to educate his sons. The type of education they were receiving was on human wisdom…

Words 524 - Pages 3

Plato's Apology: The Trial Of Socrates

Socrates Socrates was a very influential philosopher in his day, and created a lot of trouble for himself in the city of Athens. Although many people have tried to interpret his famous speech, now known as the “Apology”, we studied Plato’s version of it. In that version, the townspeople of Athens are upset with Socrates because they see him as a public nuisance. They convince the chief prosecutor, Meletus, to bring charges against him. Socrates is accused of two obscene charges; corrupting the youth…

Words 881 - Pages 4

Was Socrates Justified In The Apology

to emerge from Ancient Greece, Socrates was widely despised throughout his lifetime for his incessant search to find a man with more wisdom than he. Socrates was subjected to trial on the charges of impiety and corruption of the youth and was ultimately deemed guilty by the jury. Plato recounts Socrates’ lengthy speech of defense and his subsequent sentence to execution in his dialogue, The Apology. Regardless of his innocence or guilt, however, the verdict of Socrates’ execution is the most appropriate…

Words 817 - Pages 4

Meletus's Argument In The Apology Of Socrates

one Athenian citizen created a new outlook on philosophy. Socrates was a Greek philosopher in Classical Greece living from 470 BC to 399 BC. He was proclaimed to the wisest man in Greece by the Oracle at Delphi and with that proclamation decided to become a philosopher. Before Socrates’ time, philosophy explained the natural world and the physical elements in it. Socrates was different, and inquired about ethics and morality. “With Socrates comes a sustained inquiry into ethical matters—an orientation…

Words 1269 - Pages 6

Socrates Apology: A Comparative Analysis

as well. Throughout this English course there are many texts that display different themes and lessons that display things that can be applied to things of the past and present, but two texts that stood out to me were, the “Bhagavad-Gita” and “Socrates Apology.” These two texts are very interesting and insightful and they share the same central topic, which is what is the meaning of life and death and the “Allegory of the Cave” has the central topic of how an individual is affected by society. Although…

Words 1077 - Pages 5

Crito's Escape In The Apology, By Socrates

In The Apology, Plato has documented the speech Socrates made at the trial, in which Socrates was defending himself against the accusation of inventing new deities, not recognizing gods, and corrupting the youth, by Meletus. During the trial, Socrates mostly talks in an honest and direct manner, and presents examples, and explanations, in order to persuade jury members to acquit him of the charge. After, Socrates rests his defense, by a narrow margin, jury finds Socrates guilty. Afterwards, Socrates…

Words 174 - Pages 1

Socrates Arguments Against The Apology

The Apology gives a clear image of a man of a certain type: a self-confident, generous and indifferent to his success man. His name was Socrates and he was not even afraid of the death penalty because, as he stated, his death would be worse for the people that kill him than for himself. Socrates was charged with several things and was able to find strong arguments in his defense, against all of these charges. One of the charges against Socrates was that he corrupted the young. He gives a couple…

Words 565 - Pages 3

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Socrates 'Apology'

Apology The “Apology”, by Plato is an account of Socrates’ speech given at the trial in 399 BC. Socrates was an Athenian Philosopher which he charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. In Socrates speech, he explains the jury of Athenians why he is not guilty of the crimes he accused of. He uses many logical arguments to prove his charges, but still at the end he found guilty and sentence to death. In most part of Socrates…

Words 904 - Pages 4