Anytus shows his ignorance and unwillingness to accept Socrates’s teachings when Anytus tells Socrates that he has never even spoken to a Sophist or ever meeting one. Anytus states “Easily, for I know who they are, whether I have experience of them or not.” (Meno, 92C) This stubbornness is the same that helped convict Socrates and sentence him to death. Anytus shows his lack of wisdom by denying himself the ability to grow by admitting his wrongs. Meletus is just as stubborn as Anytus. The
Socrates was genuinely worried about why the young men were so disappointing. Socrates' young students had been a particular disappointment to him. If Socrates could figure out exactly how the fathers had failed to properly educate their sons, he could save the city and restore Athens to its former glory. Socrates’ interesting idea was that human excellence was really a kind of knowledge. Sophists were skilled in elaborate argumentation; were they would try and make the argument they were focusing on the stronger side, even if it was wrong or weaker.
These charges are for “corrupting the minds of the young, and of believing in supernatural things of his own invention instead of gods recognised by the state.”1, However Socrates himself acknowledges a further set of charges against him, these are the “earliest charges”2 he refers to in the Apology, namely gossip in the Agora that has “tried to fill your minds with untrue accusations”3 against Socrates. These charges he holds as more dangerous because they stem from idle gossip and prejudice and are therefore unanswerable. Despite this, Socrates does his utmost to address all charges brought against him. In order to defend himself against these charges, Socrates calls on Meletus, his principal accuser, and interrogates him in the familiar form of the elenchus, or cross-examination. The first time the Socratic Method appears in the Apology is when Socrates tells the jury of his ‘divine mission’ when he systematically questions various levels of society such as Politicians, Poets and Craftsmen.
Socrates then realized why the Oracle said he was most wise because he knew that he did not have this wisdom. Those that thought they did do not at all because it is only the God who is truly wise and Human wisdom is basically worthless. “The wisest amongst you, human beings, is anyone like Socrates who has recognized that with respect to wisdom he is truly worthless.” (23b) Socrates is separated from most because he does not claim to have a knowledge of value, he is not ignorant of his ignorance. Socrates first defends himself against Meletus’ charge of corrupting the youth by bringing him into question in front of the court. He proves Meletus wrong by showing how he cannot be the only person that is corrupting the youth while others improve the youth.
First Accusers a. persuading the audience since childhood (18b-c) b. claiming that Socrates is a wise man; teaches about the sky and the earth below and advocates atheism c. They can’t be named except for the comedic writers (Aristophanes) d. Socrates is fighting with shadows as these early accusers won’t testify e. All these accusations are false f. He doesn’t charge money like the others sophists (Gorgias et al) g. His occupation: searching for wisdom (20d) i. Chaerephon and the oracle of Delphi (21a ff) ii. No one is wiser than Socrates (21b) iii. Socrates tests the ‘wise’ or those who think themselves to be so (21b-e) iv. In his systematic investigation he has discovered those with the greatest reputation are most deficient (22a) 1. poets compose through inspiration (22b-c) 2. craftsmen: know things he doesn’t but think themselves To be wise in others spheres (22e) h. Socrates has become unpopular through questioning (23a) i. the god’s meaning: that man among you is wisest who like Socrates understands his wisdom to be worthless (23b) ii. Because of his occupation he’s not able to engage in public affairs (23b-c) iii.
If the boy is proud, outrageously proud, then he believes the reason behind the rejection is a failing of his, or a weakness in his character. No matter how much the girl explains, the proud boy will persist, the proud boy will continue to find ways to fix the problem. This kind of excessive pride blinds the boy to the reality of what the girl is telling him. In Ancient Greece, this pride was called hubris. Hubris destroys people, it can blind people to the reality of their situation and leads them to their downfalls as shown by the characters in Sophocles’ plays Antigone and Oedipus Rex.
Essentially, Socrates stated that he did not possess wisdom, like sophists believe they possess, but only human wisdom, which implies the fact that he knew that he knew nothing at all. First of all in this excerpt, Socrates addressed a counter-argument to his self-proclaimed innocence, in which his fellow civilians questioned his occupation. It was common knowledge that Socrates spent most of his time around the marketplace discussing a plethora of concepts and questioning people on whichever topic he desired. Thus, the public believed that he was nothing more than a traveling sophist, trying to obtain money in exchange for his knowledge; such activities were not deemed completely reputable or acceptable in common Athenian society and were characteristic of sophists. He continued to refute this assertion by making a slightly sarcastic, presumptuous joke at the public’s expense, “Listen then...some of you will think I am jesting, but be sure that all I say is true.” This quote can be perceived as a stab at the ‘inferior argument’ strategy, for which sophists are famous.
He was put to death because of his thoughts and words. Socrates was one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of philosophy, and he never wrote a single line. “In the year 399 B.C.E. he was accused of ‘introducing new gods and corrupting the youth,’ as well as not believing in the accepted gods. With a slender majority, a jury of five hundred found him guilty” (Gaarder 65).
ARE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE THE MOST CORRUPT? WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF CORRUPTION ON DEVELOPMENT? By Lickson Mchepa 1. INTRODUCTION Corruption Watch (2013 defines corruption as the abuse of public resources to enrich or give unfair advantage to individuals, their family or their friends. It is the practice of obtaining power, influence, or other personal gains through illegitimate means, often at other people’s expense.
It has been argued by Goethe that the reason Hamlet failed to avenge his father’s death was because he did not have the inner or physical strength. He argues Hamlet does not have the attributes of a hero. But this can be argued because all throughout the play Hamlet demonstrates that he has the strength, emotionally and physically. Therefore it is obvious that the only reason hamlet did so was because he was a man of great philosophy, so typically he thought too much, and in doing this it became the tragic flaw in his character. Which everyone knows will lead to his downfall.