Around 400 BC Plato, one of Socrates greatest admirers, wrote a dialog of the speech Socrates makes at the trial where he was accused of not recognizing the gods that the state recognized, and for corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates is brought before a jury to defend his case and uses the method of cross-examination to prove his argument. Throughout the duration of the trial, Socrates uses concrete evidence and his distinctive logical to prove to his accusers that he is innocent. Instead, Socrates establishes a strong argument for his claim that he is essentially one of the most positive influences on the youth while recognizing that the gods do exist. Before Socrates went to trial to prove his innocence, in addition to already believing he was the wisest in all of Athens, he confirmed his assumption by asking the oracle.
Meletus has spread the rumor that Socrates is sacreligious and creates his own deities as well as sharing these ideas with the youth of Athens, and therefore corrupting them. To defend himself against these charges, Socrates asks Meletus to come forward and answer some questions. Socrates is especially skillful in the questions he asks of his antagonist, with the result that Meletus is contradicting himself and making himself look ridiculous with his amount of absurd accusations. He implies that Socrates is the only one endangering the minds of the children. All the other residents of Athens are trying to build up the minds of the youth and promoting their well being.
I mean think about it how would you react if some bum on the street was filling you kids head with nonsensical ideas contrary to the ones your are trying to instill in them. Not only does it make the kid question life but it makes them question tradition and second guess their parents. Socrates state in the apology “But far more dangerous are the others, who began when you were children, and took possession of your minds with their falsehoods, telling of one Socrates, a wise man, who speculated about the heaven above, and searched into the earth beneath, and made the worse appear the better cause” I find it hard to take this seriously because Socrates complains about how the people in the court room have been told from childhood stories about how bad Socrates is, and that he doesn’t
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 says “…before he could have seen his way to bring such an action”. This refers to Euthyphro acting on his knowledge of piety and prosecuting the wrong doer, his father. Euthyphro will give five answers to define the question what is piety? None of these will be the form that satisfies Socrates. The first definition of piety given by Euthyphro is piety is prosecuting the wrong doer.
Socrates In Plato’s “Apology,” Socrates is found guilty of corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods of Athens. The punishment for his crimes was death. “Crito” takes place in jail in which Socrates resides before his death. During this period, Socrates’ friend Crito comes to visit him and tries to persuade him to escape. Socrates, being the philosopher that he was, argued on whether he should escape or not.
In my opinion it lets him relate to the individuals who are witnessing the trail and for those who are brought charges to him and giving him the ability to freely defend himself with the “truth”. He discusses further that his speech is not prepared and improvised unlike his accusers, which their speeches where full of non truth. After questioning Meletus who is the main individual bringing Socrates before the jury on the reasonings behind his claims and somewhat embarrassing him and emphasizing how much the Athenian government needs Socrates to stay relevant through the times. At the end of his disposition the jury finds Socrates guilty, he was given the choice of his punishment and pick death suggested by Meletus, he declared that an appropriate penalty couldn't be insisted since he feels he didn't intentionally wronged
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
Socrates was a seeker of self-knowledge and had strong beliefs. He spent most of his life questioning the citizens of Athens on their views and ideas. He was accused of corrupting the youth and by asking questions that ultimately undermined society. During his trial he attempted to deny all accusations against him to prove his innocence. However, he was unsuccessful in his attempt and was found guilty of his accusations and sentenced to death.
Some healthy, or not so healthy sibling rivalry. The second part of the book, “Theogony,” is a poem of the Greek Gods and in my opinion could have been the ones who invented revenge because they display it the best. Either being the most graceful or being horribly evil, revenge was no stranger to Greek mythology. Hesiod’s “Works and Days” is a poem about his low life brother Perses who thinks he didn’t get his fair share in their father’s inheritance. Perses thinks it is so unfair that he even takes the dispute to court for a hearing.