Trial of Socrates - 1059 Words

Socrates was a great philosopher of the Greek world. He was quite an atypical and distinctive person. Being different from all the other philosophers of the land, Socrates was teaching his students ideas totally out of the ordinary from what the society believed was right. As a result, he displeased many people so much that they decided to get rid of him. Socrates was put to trial, accused of spoiling the youth of Athens, tried and sentenced to death. His personal defense is described in works two of his students: Xenophon and Plato. Both of them wrote papers called Apology, which is the Greek word for â€Å"defense†. In this essay I used Apology by Plato as the main resource, since it contents a more full account of the trial of Socrates and†¦show more content†¦However, I do feel quite a bit of compassion for his accusers. Socrates was changing their sons’ minds by making them question the supremacy and intelligence of the people whose wisdom was recognized i n the state. He made young people question even the intelligence of their fathers. It should not have been easy for the fathers to stay put and listen to him philosophizing about his ideas of the world. No wonder Socrates had to beg them to listen to the end and not to interrupt at least three times throughout the Apology. Despite the fact that I do not quite approve Socrates’ attitude and the way he was defending himself, I would not be able to give him any advice on doing it differently. This man had a very insightful, logical and genuine mind. He was teaching his disciples his beliefs. It was his beliefs he spoke about in the court. In order to defend himself and make a positive impression on the jury, Socrates would have had to mask his convictions and pretend to be something he was not at all. Besides, I do not think the he would be able to apologize and promise not to challenge people on their wisdom ever again. He just would not be able to keep the promise! This was his life and Socrates was already seventy years of age – too late to change and start forming his ideas and opinions all over again. If I could speak to the famous Greek now, I would beg him not to provoke the jury and apologize to them, but there is no wayShow MoreRelatedThe Trial of Socrates1543 Words   |  7 Pages In the trial of Socrates, I juror number 307, Ryan Callahan vote the defendant is Not Guilty on the first charge of Corrupting the youth. My justifications for this vote are as follows. Socrates didn t corrupt the youth, he just shared his ideas with them and they in turn chose the path to take these ideas. Part of understanding this case is understand the time in which the case was held. This time being 399 B.C., a time in which Athens was a free democratic city, a town which prided itselfRead MoreThe Apology About The Trial Of Socrates1874 Words   |  8 PagesThe Apology was about the trial of Socrates, how he went before the jury to defend himself from the charges brought against him. Socrates was charged with impiety he does not believe in the gods whom the people believes in he is portrayed as an atheist and he speculates about the heaven and thing beneath the ground, he seeks natural explanation for astronomical and geological phenomena rather than the gods and also he corrupts the youth he infuses in them a spirit of criticism his questioning ofRead MorePlato s The Trial And Death Of Socrates Essay1671 Words   |  7 PagesPlato’s The Trial and Death of Socrates presents the reader with complex competing conceptions of what should be considered â€Å"the good life†. According to Socrates, â€Å"the most important thing is not life, but the good life† (Crito, 48b). The majority, who live a non-philosophical life, believes the goods of life include wealth, reputation, and honor: all things that can easily be taken away or destroyed. On the other hand, Socrates lives a philosophical life filled with self-sufficiency. He views wisdomRead More Essay on A Hoax in Court: The Trial of Socrates1547 Words   |  7 PagesAlbert Einstein quoted, â€Å"In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same† (Brainy Quote). Were justice and truth a part of Socrates’ trial? The primary question is: what is justice? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of justice is: â€Å"the administration of law, especially the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity.† Meletus broughtRead MoreTrial of Socrates914 Words   |  4 PagesTrial of Socrates What do Jesus, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King Jr., and Socrates all have in common? All of them died for their beliefs. The Trial of Socrates depicts a scene where Socrates is in prison condemned to death and he is speaking with an acquaintance Crito. Socrates is being put to death because he was charged with corrupting the youth and not acknowledging the gods. Although over the course of the trial Socrates has numerous opportunities to evade the death penalty, he doesRead MoreTrial of Socrates1073 Words   |  5 PagesSocrates was a great philosopher of the Greek world. He was quite an atypical and distinctive person. Being different from all the other philosophers of the land, Socrates was teaching his students ideas totally out of the ordinary from what the society believed was right. As a result, he displeased many people so much that they decided to get rid of him. Socrates was put to trial, accused of spoiling the youth of Athens, tried and sentenced to death. His person al defense is described in works twoRead MoreThe Trial And Death Of Socrates : The Trial And Death Of Socrates972 Words   |  4 Pages The Trial and Death of Socrates, depicts the different stages of Socrates’s life, from his prosecution until his execution. During the narratives, Socrates gives us, as readers, insight towards his beliefs and philosophy, which are viewed as reasons for his imprisonment. Phaedo’s recollection of Socrates’s last few hours alive, reveals Socrates’s most important belief, that the soul is an entity which is immortal and is valuable during and after life. All perceived lusts, greed, and fear are causedRead MoreSocrates Trial Essay662 Words   |  3 PagesSocrates Trial In 399 B.C., Socrates, a seventy year old man, was brought to trial. He faced several accusations of different sorts. Initially, the court had pronounced Socrates guilty. However, because the law had no penalty ordained for his offense, it was required of Socrates to propose his own penalty, or to take the one suggested by Meletos, the death penalty. When the time had come for Socrates to state his defense, he addressed each of the accusations made against him, one by oneRead MoreSocrates Trial Essay807 Words   |  4 PagesApology Socrates was charged and put on trial for impiety, as well as accused of committing many other crimes. I will first explain the most important issues of why Socrates was sent to death. Then I will argue the position that Socrates is innocent, and should not be have been found guilty. To introduce, Socrates was placed on trial and charged with the crime of impiety. Impiety is the lack of reverence for the gods and other sacred things. As well another major claim was that Socrates was corruptingRead MoreThe Trial And Death Of Socrates845 Words   |  4 Pagesright or not. For that, in this essay, we will use Plato’s The Trial and Death of Socrates, as our example of how this kind of attitudes play in Socrates’ life as it is well-known as intelligently and morally lived one. In Euthyphro section, Socrates meets a man named Euthyphro before his trial, where he is being accused by Meletus for corrupting the youth. While Euthyphro is here to prosecute his own father for the case of murder. Socrates starts to ask him about his meaning of piety. â€Å"It is not