...Conditional Acquittal: On a Supposed Contradiction in Plato’s Apology and Crito Ben Blanks, Lynchburg College (Editor’s note: This essay by Ben Blanks is the winner of the North Award for the best paper in the 2012 Agora. Ben presented an earlier version of this paper at the ACTC Student Conference at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, in March, 2011.) When reading the Apology and the Crito of Plato, one inevitably comes upon a seeming fundamental contradiction between the two dialogues. The Apology presents readers with a defiant Socrates who declares in his trial that, if acquitted on the condition that he never philosophize again, he would continue to practice philosophy in spite of the jury’s order to the contrary: . . . if you said to me in this regard: “Socrates, we do not believe Anytus now; we acquit you, but only on condition that you spend no more time on this investigation and do not practice philosophy, and if you are caught doing so you will die”; if, as I say, you were to acquit me on those terms, I would say to you: “Men of Athens, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy . . . (29c-d).1 The passage from the Apology seems to present a defiant argument for civil disobedience in the face of injustice. In the Crito, however, when given a chance to escape prison and his upcoming execution, Socrates reasons that such an action would be unjust because...
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...In Plato’s Apology Socrates is being tried by Anytus and Meletus for two new charges: “corrupting the young, and not acknowledging the gods of the city acknowledges, but new daimonic activities instead” (Morgan 2005, 51). Throughout Plato’s Apology and Euthyphro Socrates uses complex rhetoric to challenge the charges brought against him based on his thoughts and understanding of what is right and wrong. He never once states he is not guilty nor does he provide reasons to support his innocence. He suggests rather that he is on a divine mission stating “this is what the god orders me to do, and I think there is no greater blessing for the city than my service to the god” (Morgan 2005, 55). Socrates uses his trial as an opportunity to show inconsistencies in the charges themselves, through questioning his accusers. Socrates remains true to him-self, a philosopher, and finds fulfillment out of the process rather than the outcome “…for the unexamined life is not worth living for men…” (Morgan 2005, 60) Socrates should be found guilty as his intentions to continue to practice the life of a philosopher may not have been morally wrong, his methods however unlawful during Athenian times. Socrates was not a member of a modern day society where innovative thought was encouraged, and freedom of speech tolerated. He chose to be a member of Athenian society therefore needed to conform to the requirements set out by the city. Suggesting other God’s and questioning the Gods of the city do not...
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...In Plato’s “Euthyphro,” Socrates questions a man outside of the courthouse who is turning his father in for illegal activity. Socrates asks him a series of questions that tests Euthyphro’s understanding actions, but moreover Socrates attempts to discover the true meaning of piety, or justice, from what Euthyphro tells him. The line of questioning never really concludes satisfactorily, as Euthyphro excuses himself before Socrates finishes. To many people in this time, this questioning would not only be redundant and ridiculous, but it would also seem ungodly, as if Socrates was questioning the gods themselves when he was dissecting Euthyphro’s understanding of piety. In reality, the reason for Socrates’ questioning was to bring Euthyphro down a peg. Many of the rich, white landowning voters had very self-inflate views of themselves and their understandings of the world. Socrates questioned these inflated men to disrupt their...
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...212 25, February 2013 Open to Interpretation: Plato’s Apology & Sophocles’ Oedipus the King Interpretation of human reality in many eyes can be viewed in numerous, if not countless number of ways. In Plato’s Apology and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King both text are intensely concerned with how human reality seems open to interpretation, and their concerns caused a threat to be overcome in both readings. In both readings their suggested responses is similar to the concerns of the threat of open to interpretation. The Apology, written by Plato, illustrates the argument Socrates gives at his trial in Athens. Socrates is giving his defense of not in favor of believing in the gods and corrupting the youth. In making his defense, Socrates will respond to two kinds of accusations. The first one is referred to as the older or more ancient accusation and the second one is the current charge being made by Meletus, and other civilians who are currently at the trial. They accused him of being a sophist, someone that provides wisdom for a fee. Socrates advises the jurors that the statement is false; he enlightens others for the sole purpose to make everyone aware of their lack of knowledge. Socrates informs the jurors how he achieved this reputation. He claims that his childhood friend, Chaerophon, went to an Oracle of Delphi and inquired if there was someone wiser than Socrates and the oracle said “there is no man wiser” (561). Socrates couldn't accept Wu 2 the Oracle's words since...
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...and his mother remarried to Pyrilampes, in whose house Plato would grow up. Plato's birth name was Aristocles, and he gained the nickname Platon, meaning broad, because of his broad build. His family had a history in politics, and Plato was destined to a life in keeping with this history. He studied at a gymnasium owned by Dionysios, and at the palaistra of Ariston of Argos. When he was young he studied music and poetry. According to Aristotle, Plato developed the foundations of his metaphysics and epistemology by studying the doctrines of Cratylus, and the work of Pythagoras and Parmenides. When Plato met Socrates, however, he had met his definitive teacher. As Socrates' disciple, Plato adopted his philosophy and style of debate, and directed his studies toward the question of virtue and the formation of a noble character. Plato was in military service from 409 BC to 404 BC. When the Peloponnesian War ended in 404 BC he joined the Athenian oligarchy of the Thirty Tyrants, one of whose leaders was his uncle Charmides. The violence of this group quickly prompted Plato to leave it. In 403 BC, when democracy was restored in Athens, he had hopes of pursuing his original goal of a political career. Socrates' execution in 399 BC had a profound effect on Plato, and was perhaps the final event that would convince him to leave Athenian politics forever. Plato left Attica along with other friends of Socrates and traveled for the next twelve years. To all accounts it appears that he left...
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...Plato’s Apology, is by far one of the most logical yet critical thinking text that I have ever read. Plato describes Socrates, the accused atheist and corrupter of youth in ancient Athens, as a true beacon of ethics and morality. The method that Plato uses to depict Socrates on trial gives us a look back on how the trial of a man who encourages one of sound mind to ask questions even to those who are deemed wise in the eyes of others. Despite facing odds that are stacked highly against him, and this being his first time in court “For I am more than seventy years of age, and this is the first time that I have ever appeared in a court of law, and I am quite a stranger to the ways of the place; and therefore I would have you regard me as if I were really a stranger”(Plato). Socrates is able to achieve what he feels is the most imperative knowledge of morality for all present in the court to understand. When we, the readers, are first presented to Socrates we find him near the end of his trial where he is allowed to speak to the court. The sure genius of Socrates is revealed to us in his first words of dialogue. Using his brilliance of moral logic and ethical thinking he warns those present in the court of the mendacity of the accusations, “How you have felt, O men of Athens, at hearing the speeches of my accusers, I cannot tell; but I know that their persuasive words almost made me forget who I was - such was the effect of them; and yet they have hardly spoken a word of truth.”(Plato)...
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...convince Socrates to escape from prison. Crito wants Socrates to think about whom all will be impacted by his death. Crito fears that all whom are impacted by him (socrates’s) will make his friends look bad. People will believe that they did nothing to try to save him, which would mean that they failed to save him. Also, Socrates should not worry about the risk or the financial cost to his friends. They are willing to pay, and they had made arrangements to find Socrates a life a good in exile. On a more moral/ethical ground Cirto tries to press Socrates with is if he stayed, and conformed to the unjust punishment he he would be aiding his enemies in wronging him unjustly, and as well as he (Socrates)...
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...The Apology Plato What I found interesting about Plato’s Apology is how you can see Socrates values throughout this account or description of the trial. The Greek “apologia” translates as a defense, or a speech made in defense. I feel like the real defense was not so much a defense to save his life but a defense in which to safeguard or uphold his values about life and to defend his relationship with the Delphic Oracle. His honesty and directness may have got him into this situation but he contuined to use this method throughout his trial. I feel like being a smart as he was, he knew if he was going to fuse to these procedures or practices during this trail it could cost him his freedom or may even death. Even knowing this he was unwaveringly and defended his way of life. I had an inspiration on the fact that the Delphic Oracle told Socrates he was the wisest man in Athens. Because the Oracle knew he would strive to know more about this prediction. I think that by him wanted to know more about what the Oracle said caused him to turn many people against him. I do think that at first Socrates didn’t really take it too seriously. I do consider the fact when or if he did recognize, appreciate, and understand what the Delphic Oracle said he used it in a way that would allow him to always be precise in his values. Or at least be precise when questioning another person. How can someone be troubled about a person when he claims to have no knowledge of anything? And I think this...
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...After reading Plato’s Apology there are many questions that filled my head. Whether it was what Socrates meant when explaining his defense, or what the Athenian court members had based their moral and ethical views from. More importantly, Socrates was a philosopher, and he strived to find answers, even when they were not easy to discover. This led me to Socrates’ idea, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates was a strong advocate of this statement and supported it in front of the Oracle of Delphi and in the Athenian court. I was very interested with Socrates statement, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” When I first discovered this statement the first thought that popped in my head was how serious Socrates was. There was...
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...Human Beings, religious or not, posses the innate desire to ask questions and seek answers, specifically with regards to what they can perceive, as said to Socrates in Plato’s “Apology”, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. People constantly seek justifications for their experiences, and this can take many forms, however, in order to receive full rationalization one must turn to faith. Unless a society advocate religious freedom, one can not fulfill their visceral yearning for purpose and understanding of the world that encompasses them. When answering secular questions, one must use a priori ways of thought. However, when the questions examine the aspects of natural laws, one must turn to a posteriori thought, a method of logic deriving...
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...In Conjunction with History of Ethics Instructor: Robert Cavalier Teaching Professor Robert Cavalier received his BA from New York University and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Duquesne University. In 1987 he joined the staff at Carnegie Mellon's Center for Design of Educational Computing (CDEC), where he became Executive Director in 1991. While at CDEC, he was also co-principal in the 1989 EDUCOM award winner for Best Humanities Software (published in 1996 by Routledge as A Right to Die? The Dax Cowart Case). He also coauthored the CD-ROM The Issue of Abortion in America (Rountledge, 1998) Dr. Cavalier was Director of CMU's Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics and Political Philosophy from 2005-2007. He currently directs the Center's Digital Media Lab which houses Project PICOLA (Public Informed Citizen Online Assembly), and is also co-Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy. Co-Editor of Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy (St. Martin's/Macmillan, England, 1990), Editor of The Impact of the Internet on Our Moral Lives (SUNY, 2003) and other works in ethics as well as articles in educational computing, Dr. Cavalier is internationally recognized for his work in education and interactive multimedia. He was President of the "International Association for Computing and Philosophy" (2001 - 2004) and Chair of the APA Committee on Philosophy and Computers (2000-2003). Dr. Cavalier has given numerous addresses and...
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...Business Ethics (Supplementary Lecture Notes) Mr. Joel C. Porras “Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actios, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, they beconme your destiny.” ANONYMOUS Preliminary Notions: A. Etymological: The word ethics comes from the Greek word “ethos” ,meaning : custom, a habitual way of acting character, a meaning that the Latin terms “mos” , “moris” also connote. Among the Greeks , “ethics” meant what concerns human conduct/human action. B. Descriptive: Largely a concern of cultural anthropologists and sociologists. Its task is to describe how some person, members of a culture or society address all sorts of moral issues, what customs they have, and so, how they are accustomed to behave. C. Met-ethics: Concerns itself with the meanings of moral terms: like good and bad, right and wrong, duties and rights, etc. Hence the concern is with the understanding of the use of these terms, their logical forms and the objects to which they refer. Sometimes the concern of meta-ethicist is even more fundamental: What is the possibility of moral philosophy. D. Normative: Ethics is normative, not in the way that logic is, namely. With regard to the correctness of our thinking, but with regard to the goodness of our living, the right orientation of our existence. It is a practical science, not simply because it treats human action,...
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...IRWIN PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE S E R I E S R Can drugs take us down the rabbit-hole? R Is Alice a feminist icon? curiouser To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com and WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles, including Batman and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy. curiouser RICHARD BRIAN DAVIS is an associate professor of philosophy at Tyndale University College and the coeditor of 24 and Philosophy. R I C H A R D B R I A N D AV I S AND PHILOSOPHY Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has fascinated children and adults alike for generations. Why does Lewis Carroll introduce us to such oddities as a blue caterpillar who smokes a hookah, a cat whose grin remains after its head has faded away, and a White Queen who lives backward and remembers forward? Is it all just nonsense? Was Carroll under the influence? This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Alice books and reveals a world rich with philosophical life lessons. Tapping into some of the greatest philosophical minds that ever lived— Aristotle, Hume, Hobbes, and Nietzsche—Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy explores life’s ultimate questions through the eyes of perhaps the most endearing ...
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...4 March: City of God – Utopian Reader – include a little bit on it – 22 volumes in all. Christianity – Augustine – classicly trained greek scholar. City in north Africa. Story like apostle Paul – orginially a person who persecuted Christians – north African wealth family from – found enlightenment in Christianity. Once he joined became one of the early scholars trained in greek – regulized Christian theology. Influence on western world – top four or five who influenced. Confessions and City of God his writings…look up! What’s the purpose of improving human society – complex – why do it? Can human society be made better? Why bother, what is the point, justification? Takes effort, misery involved, change, unknowns, takes energy, takes risks. HAPPINESS – justification for improving society. What do you have to have to be happy? What is happiness – PHI 101 – happiness according to whom? Lack of misery; literally the elimination of misery. Secondly, food – gives pleasure – Happiness is lack of human misery and maximizing /pleasure and happiness. Bliss 24/7 – hedonism Epicureanism – eliminating misery and maximizing happiness. The justification of utopianism = why did plato want the republic? Justisifcation for improving human society among the Greeks? Poor always poor, always unhappy, death claims everyone - it is rational to maximize pleasure and eliminate misery. Do eternally accouding to plato. Opinions – 1. Relativism is a retreat in the 20th century. Can’t...
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...Putting Cruelty First Author(s): Judith N. Shklar Reviewed work(s): Source: Daedalus, Vol. 111, No. 3, Representations and Realities (Summer, 1982), pp. 17-27 Published by: The MIT Press on behalf of American Academy of Arts & Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20024800 . Accessed: 20/08/2012 16:09 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. . The MIT Press and American Academy of Arts & Sciences are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Daedalus. http://www.jstor.org JUDITH N. SHKLAR Putting Cruelty First friend said to me, with deeply religious Roman Catholic must you liberals bring everything down to cruelty?" irritation, "Why What could he have meant? He was, and is, the most gentle and kindly of men, and a principled defender of political freedom and social reform. As a Christian, as a dreadful vice. He was not he obviously defending cruelty regarded cruelty or abandoning liberal politics; rather, he was explicitly rejecting the mentality abhor brutality...
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