ipl-logo

Moral Integrity In Plato's Apology

886 Words4 Pages

A fundamental quality of human character, moral integrity, has a big impact on how people behave and make decisions. Plato was one of the many thinkers throughout history to examine the idea of moral integrity. In the “Apology”, he portrays Socrates as a morally upright individual who is dedicated to leading a good life despite opposition and persecution throughout the conversation. With a focus on three significant facets of Socrates' character—his dedication to the truth, his humility, and his readiness to endure pain in the service of his convictions—to what extent is the subject of moral integrity in Plato's Apology significant to conveying the ideas of Plato?

One of the main tenets of Socrates' moral integrity, which permeates every …show more content…

In his response to the accusations of impiety and corrupting the young, Socrates demonstrates his dedication to the truth. Socrates only wants to engage the jurors in philosophical discussion and discover the truth, not to manipulate or convince them. He presents a sincere and modest exploration of the relevant philosophical problems rather than a polished oratorical performance. Socrates' commitment to the truth and his conviction that philosophical inquiry is a worthwhile effort in and of itself are both highlighted by his candor and authenticity in his defense. Furthermore, Socrates' dedication to the truth permeates every aspect of his life and extends beyond just his defense against the accusations. He had …show more content…

Socrates constantly presents himself as ignorant and in need of direction, despite the fact that he is known for his wisdom and intelligence. He held that only through a dialectical process, in which one participates in a back-and-forth exchange of ideas with others, could one truly come to know anything. Socrates' modesty is demonstrated by his readiness to acknowledge his own ignorance and to pick up knowledge from those with whom he interacts. He once stated: “talking a lot of other nonsense about things of which I know nothing at all” (Plato, pg. 24). This quotation perfectly captures Socrates' humility and his conviction that real wisdom does not result from conceit but rather from a readiness to learn and develop. Furthermore, Socrates' willingness to converse with others stretches to his adversaries and critics as well as those who share his viewpoints. He thought that the only way to find the truth was to have a serious and open discussion with those who had different opinions. Socrates' commitment to dialogue and belief in the value of conversing with those who differ with us are demonstrated by his willingness to converse with his accusers during his trial. He pays close attention to their arguments and respectfully refutes their presumptions in an effort to gain a deeper grasp of the problems at

Show More
Related

  • E. B. Dubois's Argument For Valuing Truth

    1209 Words  | 5 Pages

    Later in his argument, he asks the jury to excuse his ordinary language and rather to “consecrate your attention on whether what I say is just or not, for the excellence of a judge lies in this, as that of a speaker lies in telling the truth” (Plato 18a). By demonstrating that he does not speak with eloquence or enticement, Socrates proves to speak with honesty and plainness, which shows that he considers truth a virtue. Here he also reveals why it is so important for both a speaker and a judge to focus on the truth; in a court, both are under an oath: the speaker to be honest, and the judge to be just based on the speaker’s actions. By asking the jury to ignore the eloquence of words he uses and focus on the truthfulness of what he is saying, Socrates shows that he is confident that the facts and correctness of his argument will lead the jury to see his innocence and the slander of his accuser’s claim. However, the jury do not seem to adhere to Socrates’ plea and gives its verdict of guilty, and Meletus asks for the death penalty.

    Read More

  • How Does Socrates Corrupt Youth

    1092 Words  | 5 Pages

    Socrates says, “But either I do not corrupt them, or I corrupt them unintentionally… if my offense is unintentional, the law does not mention unintentional offenses.” (Apology 39). Athens puts Socrates on trial for corrupting the youth, which, in reality is a debatable offence purely rooted on personal opinion. Socrates says that he was never intentionally trying to corrupt people’s minds. By saying this in his defense, he is allowing Athenians to now rethink about what he has truly taught them and realize that the only way he could have corrupted people’s minds, were if they took what he said the wrong way.

    Read More

  • Telemachus And Socrates

    1242 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Plato’s Republic, Plato analyzes Socrates’ accounts about society, justice, and moralism. In an effort to answer two important questions—what is justice and why should we be just—Socrates engages in a dialogue with various individuals. Polemarchus and Cephalus each offer similar statements as to what they believe justice to be. Polemarchus states that justice is living up to your legal obligations: “to owe something good to their friends, never something bad” (332a). In a clever manner, Socrates refutes his friends by exposing possible contradictions within their arguments.

    Read More

  • Who Is Socrates Corrupted In The Apology

    1353 Words  | 6 Pages

    He contends that he can’t be considered liable for the supposed defilement since he has not professed to have any wisdom. Socrates states, “I neither know it in fact, nor think that I do” (The Apology, 21d). Instead, his tenacious quest for truth through the Socratic method is established in his craving to uncover the ignorance of others, as well as his own. For example, Socrates states, “Because all I do is to go about, persuading you young and old alike, not to care for your bodies or for your wealth so intensely as for the greatest possible wellbeing of your souls” (The Apology, 30b). Here, Socrates underscores his concern for the spiritual and intellectual development of the Athenians, representing his devotion to their

    Read More

  • Analyzing Socrates The Apology

    753 Words  | 4 Pages

    Socrates is absolutely right in that he recognizes the need for an absolute standard of

    Read More

  • Justice In Plato's Republic Essay

    1216 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Plato’s Republic, Socrates utilizes logical dialogue with his fellow Athenians to uncover the timeless and elusive ideal of justice. The dilemma begins to surface in book II through Glaucon’s challenging that justice is not inherently, but rather consequentially good. Socrates argues that justice is among the highest of virtues that are both consequentially and intrinsically good, individually defining it as the harmony of the tripartite soul: the balance between reason, appetite, and spirit (132). Upon further investigation, however, Socrates’ assertion not only fails to refute Glaucon’s argument for people’s reluctance toward justice, but he is also unsuccessful in outlining the innate worth behind the ideal. Nonetheless, Socrates’ endeavor

    Read More

  • Corruption Of Youth In The Apology By Socrates

    597 Words  | 3 Pages

    Socrates believed that by questioning everything one would be able to attain true wisdom and as he taught this to young people across Athens he would lead them to question even the belief in the gods. Due to this change in norms within Athens, government officials and more began to see Socrates’ philosophy as a threat to their sanctity as leaders and that his teachings would be a threat to the order that had been established prior to him. By teaching these young people to question everything as per his philosophy he is therefore prompting them to question those of even the highest rank within Athens. In this sense, the accusation of corruption holds a deeper meaning and is used as a means to silence Socrates and to assist those who wish not to take accountability for their actions and choose to shift

    Read More

  • Socrates Defense Of Plato's Apology

    621 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Plato’s Apology, the speech is not an apology, but Socrates attempting to use his wisdom to justify his teachings and beliefs. Socrates’ defense offers valuable lessons, and new ideas, and addresses real-world problems. Socrates faced serious charges in ancient Athens for corrupting the youth and disregarding the gods, both considered serious offenses at that time. The accusations of corrupting the youth were linked to Socrates' practice of leading philosophical conversations with younger people that some citizens thought was harmful to their established beliefs. Similarly, Socrates refused to normal religious practices and challenged the regular views of gods, leading to accusations of not believing in them.

    Read More

  • The Corruption Of Socrates In Plato's Apology

    560 Words  | 3 Pages

    “ Either I do not corrupt the young or, if I do, it is unwillingly, and you are lying in either case” (Apology 31) Socrates believes that if he presents a point to the

    Read More

  • Private Life In Socrates's Apology

    1021 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Apology, Socrates faces possible execution as he stands trial in front of his fellow Athenian men. This jury of men must decide whether Socrates has acted impiously against the gods and if he has corrupted the youth of Athens. Socrates claims in his defense that he wants to live a private life, away from public affairs and teachings in Athens. He instead wants to focus on self-examination and learning truths from those in Athens through inquiry. Socrates argues that "a [man] who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if [he] is to survive for even a short time" (32a).

    Read More

  • Tragic Hero In Plato's Apology

    1376 Words  | 6 Pages

    The term “apology comes from the Greek word apologia which means to defend. In this essay I would like to explain why I believe that The Apology by Plato should be classified as pity and fear, in regards to Greek tragedy. I believe that this is true because I can personally empathize with Socrates; this will be discussed later on in this essay. A tragic hero is considered to be an individual with an intellectual flaw or error, Socrates fits this description; Socrates failed to understand that he could not empathize with the jurors because they simply wanted him to acknowledge his prior offenses, while he only sought out telling the truth and not sullying his own moral code. Socrates should be considered a tragic hero because he had an intellectual error, not an ethical one.

    Read More

  • Plato's Defense Of Corruption In The Apology By Socrates

    961 Words  | 4 Pages

    Introduction The Apology was written by Plato, and relates Socrates’ defense at his trial on charges of corrupting the youth and impiety. Socrates argues that he is innocent of both charges. Plato reports the contents of three speeches delivered by Socrates in his own protection in court which has been arranged over him by the Athenian democrats and has terminated in the death sentence to the great philosopher. The word "apology" in a literal translation means "justification". Plato's purpose when writing "Apology" was to acquit posthumously Socrates from false accusation.

    Read More

  • Socrates Apology Analysis

    1070 Words  | 5 Pages

    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 “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 his words. Despite the fact that the philosopher attempted to defend himself and explain the reasons for saying and doing the things he did, it did not do any good for his justification. On the contrary, Socrates’ words seemed to make the jury harden their hearts and condemn him.

    Read More

  • Socrates Ethos Pathos And Logos

    888 Words  | 4 Pages

    Through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos Plato further develops his arguments in order to achieve his goal of forcing the readers to question whether a man like Socrates being sentenced to death reflects the problems inherent to rule by the majority, or are the laws of the Athenian government unjust themselves? To begin, in the Apology the use of ethos, pathos, and logos is evident throughout the dialogue. When establishing an argument, the use of ethos or appealing to expertise is important due to the fact that spoken information becomes more credible when a source is defined. Socrates establishes his credibility multiple times throughout the trial not only referring to himself as the wisest man on Earth but even goes to the extent in saying “I am that gadfly which God has given the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon

    Read More

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Socrates 'Apology'

    1314 Words  | 6 Pages

    Socrates was a greek philosopher who found himself in trouble with his fellow citizens and court for standing his grounds on his new found beliefs from his studies about philosophical virtue, justice, and truth. In “Apology” written by Plato, Socrates defended himself in trial, not with the goal of escaping the death sentence, but with the goal of doing the right thing and standing for his beliefs. With this mindset, Socrates had no intention of kissing up to the Athenians to save his life. Many will argue that Socrates’ speech was not very effective because he did not fight for his life, he just accepted the death sentence that he was punished with. In his speech he said, “But now it’s time to leave, time for me to die and for you to live.”

    Read More

More about Moral Integrity In Plato's Apology

Open Document