Plato's Apology: The Trial Of The Philosopher Socrates

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).

Socrates started his life as an average Athen citizen. His parents worked, making an honest living. But as Socrates grew up, he began to realize that his mind questioned things and wondered how come no one else questioned the same things or at least think about the answers to the questions that were not answered. So, as his mind kept wandering, he began to acknowledge the questions that were not answered and sought for those answers. He ended up believing and teaching things to other people, whether it went against the way the Athen government or not, he still continued his work.

In Apology Socrates finds himself in court defending himself for the crime of corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates has many points that he brings up during the hearing in order to prove himself innocent of the claims. In order to prove himself he decides to have a conversation with the lead accuser Meletus. Socrates first tried to understand what the charges mean in reference to himself by asking who betters the children. “How do you mean, Meletus?

“I cannot put away the reasons which I have before given: the principles which I have hitherto honored and revered I still honor”. Socrates states this fact while discussing with Crito the issue of wether or not he should escape sentencing in Athens. Should he escape Athens and abandon all of his beliefs, which he has spent his life preaching? or Should he accept his sentencing, and go down for something that he believes in? I agree with Socrates that he should not escape from Athens to continue teaching because, if he did escape, he would be going against his core beliefs and adversely affecting his

Pericles’s “Funeral Oration” describes the people of Athens’s during a time of war, after lives had been lost. His ideals of Athenian conduct and culture was one of the highest esteem; holding every citizen to the highest standard. Athens was to be the example for every other Grecian city. After losing the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians lost some of what Pericles would have considered the standard of thought from the people. After 30 years of damning oligarchy, the people of Athens wish to be as they once were before the war.

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.

While Plato presents a broad argument that emphasizes the importance of pursuing truth over eloquent words and oration, W.E.B. DuBois presents an argument specifically to African Americans, urging them to value a higher education that is centered around seeking truth in the face of civil dispute. However, their arguments for valuing truth are similar because they both urge their readers to seek truth over wealth and to not simply follow the opinion of the majority, especially when considering matters that affect the soul. Plato’s argument for pursuing truth begins in the dialogue “Apology” in his famous work known as the Five Dialogues, a series of conversations portraying Plato’s mentor Socrates and his profound philosophical

We are told that we are born with basic rights and that we have the freedom to believe in whatever we desire, however, the chains that bind us are morality and justice. People’s opinion of us stops us from having complete freedom. A person with strong morality would feel guilty if they were given the choice to commit an injustice against another, and thus decide not to do so in the first place, even if they are given the opportunity to do what they want with no harm done to the other person. In Plato’s Crito, Socrates only cares about truth, therefore, for him to escape prison would be considered an injustice. He will be breaking the law, confirming his accuser’s statements about him being a criminal despite the fact that their claims are untrue.

Though many centuries apart Socrates and Assata Shakur both faces trail deaths based on their teaching. Socrates was charged because the government believed he was corrupting the youth. Assata Shakur's anti-government and pro-black stance made her a threat to the United States government. Both Socrates and Assata Shakur endured social injustice for crimes that they had not committed and had the option of seeking refuge to save themselves from inevitable death. Socrates believed that escaping his nearing death would be contradiction to his beliefs, ideas, and teachings.

“It’s clear to me that to die now and escape my troubles was a better thing for me” (Apology 41d). Socrates was a very wise man who gave deep and intellectual ideas regarding a human’s purpose in life and afterlife. He was arguing with the Men of Athens (the jury) because he was accused for disturbing the peace. Socrates was a mentor to Plato (who writes Phaedo, Symposium, Apology, and Republic about Socrates’ philosophical views) and was essential to the development of philosophy in classical Greece. Plato writes these books about Socrates’ life to dive deep into his thoughts, truth, and worldview.

Was Socrates right to say he would stay in Athens no matter the consequences, or should he have fled Athens to avoid death? Socrates was right to say he would stay in Athens no matter what because first, he believed he was sent to Athens or “placed in Athens” for a specific reason and he also believed that even though the Athenians found him as a threat and annoying, he believed that it helped them. Socrates was right to say he would stay in Athens no matter what the consequences were because he believed that he was placed or in Athens for a reason. This quote from “The Apology” is an example to prove that he was placed in Athens for a reason. “Because if I tell you that doing that would mean disobeying the god, and so I can’t keep quiet,