I will provide a brief opening statement. Socrates was accused for corrupting the youth, teaching out of the charge and not believing in gods. These accusation were brought by Melatus, Anytus, Lycon and citizens of Athens. Below I will try to prove that Socrates was not guilty for corrupting young people neither willingly nor unwillingly, he was not a sophist, and also
At the beginning of Socrates first speech, he states to the jury that there have been numerous individuals who have accused him of crimes over many years and that none of these accusations are true (18b). In order to prove himself innocent to the jury, Socrates dissects the accusations against him of corrupting the youth and impiety point by point (24c). Socrates first addresses one of Meletus’ accusations against him, corrupting the youth. After using the Socratic Method and analyzing Meletus’ argument for the jury, Socrates states that he does not believe Meletus’ accusations to be true and he does not believe the jury will either (25e). Through examining Meletus’s accusation Socrates comes to two conclusions, one is that he is not corrupting the youth; the second is that he is corrupting the youth but he is doing so unwillingly and therefore should not be charged, brought to trial, or punished but instructed on how to prevent it from continuing to happen (26a).
For many centuries, many people continuously have two different stances in the Crito, which is one of the several Platonic dialogues. After pleading guilty in a trial and being sent to prison for the injustice of corrupting the youth’s mind, which he did not commit, Socrates is given the chance to decide whether to escape prison or not. Some believe that it was more righteous for Socrates to follow the Athenian laws and face his punishment. Others believe that he should not have suffered and have his last remaining moments unfairly taken from him. Despite the fact that Socrates accepted his penalty, he should have left with Crito because the trial was, overall, unfair.
And likewise, “one should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you.”(49d) It is from this argument that Socrates outlines why he must not escape, for it would be to wrong the city that made him. No matter what the city may have done to him, he must never act against it in retaliation. Socrates bases this view of justice on the worth of living a good life. “And is life worth living for us with that part of us corrupted by unjust actions” (47e) If we corrupt our soul with injustice, our life would not be worth living, therefore one must never commit an injustice. “When one has come to an agreement that is just with someone, one should fulfill it.”(49e) It is this agreement with the Laws that Socrates would be violating, if he were to
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. Making enemies and becoming the topic of conversation, the Athenians began to view Socrates as a threat to their beliefs and way of life and sought to end it. In order to end this, Socrates was accused of blasphemy (Mod1SlideC7). Socrates’s accusers took him to court and after Socrates did not play their game by asking to be sent into exile, and in the end, he was sentenced to death. After reading the textbook and Plato’s writing influenced by Socrates, I realized that in the period of his life Socrates was indeed truly a threat to the Athens society, because he looked for answers that no one else bothered to find which challenged their culture.
Socrates last speech Socrates was one of the greatest ancient Athenian philosopher and one of the founders of Western philosophy; he was very famous for creating an argument about ethical concepts and questioning about supernatural powers. Most of Socrates works was collected and wrote by his students like Plato. Socrates was put on a trial as he was charged by his accusers because he was responsible for corrupting the youth. Plus, his impious acts because he does not believe in the gods that the city acknowledges as he introduced new deities and new ideas about gods. During the trial Socrates divided the audience into two groups his accusers and his supporters, and he said different words for each of them.
Socrates defends his actions by asking for the victims of the crime. However, there is not anyone bringing these charges to the court. His followers have not grown up and accused him of giving them unsound advice or wisdom. Socrates then asks, why they would think he would deliberately harm those who choose to follow them, for harming the citizens around would hurt him. I think this evidence would have led Pericles to welcome Socrates’ teachings to the youth.
The Apology written by Plato is about the speech of Socrates at the trial in which he is accused and chargef for “corrupting the young” and “not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonian that are novel.” The meaning of the Apology gets from the Greek "apologia," which interprets as to defend, or a speech made to defend oneself. Generally, Socrates talks in a conversational way. He clarifies that he has no involvement with the law courts. He clarifies that his conduct originates from an insight by the prophet at Delphi who guaranteed that he was the wisest of all men. Perceiving his obliviousness in most common undertakings, Socrates reasoned that he should be more clever than other men just in that he realizes that he knows nothing.
Socrates spent the entirety of his life practicing philosophy. He questions everyone who claims to have wisdom and eventually comes to either aggravate those he made to look foolish or inspired those who kept an open mind. At one point Socrates claims that his life has been no less heroic than the heroes who fought at Troy. Considering how vital heroism is to Athenian culture, this claim can be unfavorable. Most Athenians when prompted about what is a hero, will picture Achilles, or one of Homer’s other heroes, not a man who “Corrupts the youth”, or “Is an Atheist”.
This democratic leadership style ignites Oedipus’ yearning to save his people. By all means, Oedipus attempts to get ample information concerning Laius’ murderer. He wants the plague to be expiated to the extent of even cursing himself. He proclaims that if by his knowledge the land’s pollution lives by his heart, let his curse fall on him (Oedipus the King lines 270-271). This provides a rigorous proof of Oedipus’ cleverness which can also be likened to the worth he gives to his countrymen’s wellbeing.