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Comparing Justice In Ancient Greece, And Plato's Apology

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The ideal of Justice permeates all parts of the human experience. Our morals define us as people, as well as our greater society. The way we implement our beliefs into a structured system may not always be the same and often causes disagreements on what is just. Civilization continues to redefine and debate the concept of Justice since ancient Greece, and Plato’s The Apology represents one of the founding works in this debate. Within the greater work, The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato identifies fault in the current definition and implementation of Justice when his teacher faces punishment for helping Athens. Silencing Socrates will only make Athens suffer, and Justice must derive from reason. The outcome represents the juror’s lack of understanding, or simple overlooking, of absolute Justice as a direct product of the democratic structure. If not a democracy, the Athenian people would fall more in order with their role in the Whole and would ultimately be more successful. Plato argues Socrates prodes at Athenians to help them, and their conviction against him was due to a personal choice, and thus they fail to work together as a perfect society. Socrates unconventional questioning helps the progress of society, and the Athenian people should welcome him, not punish him. To Plato, Socrates is a hero and he considers his service to Athens irreplaceable. Socrates articulates that he is “upon a great and noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and

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