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Plato's Apology Analysis

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This paper is written about Plato’s Apology. Plato was one of the most influential Greek philosophers in the 5th Century BC. The Apology is based on Plato’s version of Socrates speech of defence in 399 BC. The first aim of this paper is to give some insight as to what the apology is about. The second aim is to outline all the things Socrates says in his defence which to me were important in outlining the reasoning for his trial and which he uses in his defence. The third aim in this paper is to give my opinion on whether or not his approach and methods on how he handled his trial were appropriate. Socrates speech has definite structure. He first makes his speech of defence, then his speech in which …show more content…

Those who heard about Socrates investigation began to question themselves, realising that those who thought they were knowledgeable, actually knew little or nothing. Therefore instead of being angry with themselves, they took their anger out on Socrates. This caused them to call him a, ‘villainous misleader of …show more content…

He claims that is he voluntarily corrupted the youth, as Meletus said he does, then the youth would harm him back. But Socrates claims that he did not intentionally corrupt the youth and therefore he should have been informed and warned about this rather than punished, ‘you ought to have taken me privately, and warned and admonished me’. Socrates then moves on to the claims of Impiety made against him. He questions Meletus again asking him can one believe in human things but not humans and similar questions which again Meletus fails to answer, ‘Did ever a man believe in horsemanship, and not in horses? Or in flute- playing, and not in flute players?’ Socrates then begins to explain how he believes in spiritual agencies, he then questions Meletus again saying’ If I believe in divine beings, I must believe in spirits or demi-gods. To this Meletus agrees with to Socrates confusion as he asks him why he once said he doesn’t believe in Gods and is now saying that he does believe in Gods. This completes Socrates’ defence against corrupting the youth and

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