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Death Of Socrates Research Paper

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Socrates, seen to be the father of Greek Philosophy, and his unjust death have influenced Western Philosophy greatly, allowing him to appear as something resembling a hero today. Socrates was put on trial in 399BC in Athens, Greece for impiety (asebeia) and for corrupting the youth. Some suppose Socrates’ death, at age 70, was politically motivated as Athens was trying to disassociate itself with those involved with the Thirty Tyrants, led by Critias who was a student of Socrates. Also, before being put on trial Socrates had aggravated many powerful politicians by exposing their ignorance, so his death may be seen as revenge.
Socrates’ friend, Chaerephon, asked the omniscient Oracle of Delphi if there was any man wiser than Socrates and when the priestess replied that there wasn’t, Socrates made it his mission to prove the Oracle wrong. Socrates was puzzled as to why the Oracle had said he was the wisest man as he knew that she could not lie, but according to …show more content…
These rumours include Socrates being painted as ‘one who makes the worse argument the stronger’ and a ‘student of all things in the heaven and below the earth’. Socrates defends himself against what he calls his ‘first accusers’ by pointing out that from very young, these accusations were presented to the men of Athen, including the jury, and as there was no defence they were probably taken at face value, especially due to their youth and naivety. Socrates then goes on to mention Aristophanes’ painting depicting Socrates as a somewhat crazy man mumbling to himself suspended from a crane, highlighting the negativity associated with himself. He then replies to this pointing out that no one has actually heard him speak of such subjects at

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