Validity in the Charges of Impiety against Socrates Impiety is commonly defined as a lack of proper concern for the obligations owed to public religious observation. Plato’s Apology consists of a speech made by Socrates, a well-known philosopher, in defense of his life and conduct at his trail. Socrates was accused of being impious through accusations such as corrupting the youth of Athens, not recognizing the gods that are recognized by the state, as well as inventing new deities. The question then becomes, with these accusations in mind, are the charges of impiety against Socrates valid? This question is not easy to answer, and is in fact, quite complex.
If these things are true , then Nietzsche can feel justified in arguing that Socrates was not a great man and that all of the philosophers that followed him through the leadership of Plato were also symptomatic of all that was wrong with Socrates and with his form of reasoning Read more: http://www.mightystudents.com/essay/Nietzsches.Socrates.essay.65984#ixzz2Q4lr9MXm argues against his ugliness , which appears in both writings on and sculptures of Socrates . If Socrates was ugly and conventional wisdom at the time during which Nietzsche lived was that criminals are ugly , is it not possible to argue that Socrates was not a great man , but , rather
A Summary of Christopher Biffle’s A GUIDED TOUR OF FIVE WORKS BY PLATO Euthyphro by Jordan Moyers Socrates and Euthyphro meet at the “court of the king archon.” Euthyphro is surprised to see Socrates and asks why he is there. Socrates states that he is being prosecuted by a man named Meletus for corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates states that Meletus is doing the right thing in trying to rid Athens of those who corrupt the youth, and that he has begun the right way in the “cultivation of virtue in the youth.” Socrates has also been accused, by Meletus, of making new gods and rebuking the existence of the old ones (para. 1-12) Euthyphro remarks that the indictment is probably the result of Socrates’s claim of having a spiritual sign come to him. Euthyphro repliesthat he, too, is not believed when he speaks about “divine things” or predicts the future.
It appears that Socrates has had a change of heart but his stance never changes. Apology is Socrates trial where he has to defend himself, in front of a jury, of accusations against him. Meletus argues that he, “busies himself studying things in the sky and below the earth; he makes the worse into the stronger argument, and teaches these same things onto others” (Apology 24b). Socrates argues that he is not a teacher because he does not accept pay. The young men that follow him around are not his students, but try to mimic the way that he acts.
Socrates tried for corrupting Athenian youth through his teachings. He is teaching what is known today as the Socratic Method. This method of philosophy consists of handing out of a verbal thrashing to one’s opponent (or in the case of Socrates, his accusers) with whip like words and conclusions torn from pieces of their statements. This is the methodology of lawyers in the courtroom, establishing premises to every single phrase in order to find a weak point and rip it to shreds. Socrates believed in asking questions, challenging the answers to said questions and then re-examining the logic in arguments that were formed from the Q and A that transpired.
Socrates- Greek philosopher whose indefatigable search for ethical knowledge challenged conventional mores and led to his trial and execution on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth. Although Socrates wrote nothing, his method of question and answer is captured in the dialogues of Plato, his greatest pupil. Peculiar-Strange or odd; unusual Countenance-Admit as acceptable or possible Hysterectomy-A surgical operation to remove all or part of the uterus Circumscribed-Restrict
He starts off by saying that concerning punishment for one who has committed murder, there would be no difference of opinion among the gods about that (Plato, 7). In response, Socrates tells that regarding men, there are sometimes when a person may argue for a murderer to be let off (8). He tells of when someone has done wrong, he will not admit his guilt, but when it comes to the idea of doing wrong, they would they that the doer should be punished (8). And since this applies to man, he also states the same go for the gods as well, for they to have quarrels among themselves concerning whether someone has wronged another, and yet they may seem to have the same opinion about the evil-doer should not go unpunished, the one who has committed the act may not admit to his crime (8). And still, some may also see the crime as just or unjust, and not everyone will have the same opinion about the matter (8).
You have chosen to avoid me and bring me to court without any warning, “where the law requires one to bring those who are in need of punishment, not instruction.” In this clarification from the Apology Socrates is stating that he is not persuading others to become evil. He is not converting others into wickedness. Why would he put himself into a situation that will harm him? If he is corrupting the youth he is doing it without the intention of harming others or himself. It was his accuser’s responsibility such as Meletus to approach him about the matter and warn
To this definition, there is no truth to his conviction. Amazed by his accusers, Socrates warns his fellow Athenians of the accusations “so persuasively did they (accusers) speak, and yet they hardly uttered a word of truth (Plato 1089).” Socrates was born a curious man, one that questions anything and everything taking nothing for granted. After completion of his quest to find someone wiser then him, Socrates comes to the realization that he is only the wisest man because he “knows that he knows nothing (Plato 1092).” Realizing this, he decides that it is this divine mission in life to go about the world “obedient to the god, to search and enquiry into the wisdom of any one, whether citizen or stranger, who appears to be wise; and if he is not wise, then in vindication for the oracle show him that he is not wise (Plato 1093),” for “the truth is, O men of Athens, that God is only wise (Plato 1093).” Socrates is trying to show everyone that the wisdom of man has little or no meaning at all, but those that he questions take insult because they do not like that “their pretence of knowledge has been detected (Plato
In Plato's the Apology of Socrates, Socrates defends himself in front of the Athenian assembly for the allegedly failing to believe in the gods as well as harming the minds of young men of Athens by questioning those in authority and spreading false truths. His defense and explanation of his actions in the "service to the god" show that Athenians do not actually have the wisdom they claim to possess, that the absence of wisdom in government and society can harm a population and that while craft knowledge is valuable and explains the "how" of things, it lacks the ability to explain the "why" of things. He begins to refute the accusations against him by asking several questions of his prosecutor, Meletus, and comparing Meletus' answers to demonstrate