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The Apology Plato

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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 is where Socrates gets himself in trouble.

As he goes around questioning what are some of the most respected people around and he still claims to know nothing. I feel like this upset other men for him to question their wisdom. Even though I think he did a good job at proving to these men they may not know as much as they thought. I still imagine this is way the towns people began to dislike him.

Socrates seems to be a very simple man while talking with the simple people of the town. I think he enjoyed helping other men appreciate the knowledge they had and wanted them to understand more about their wisdom on a subject matter. He states “The unexamined life is not worth living”. I think the Oracle knew that he could help other people. That’s why he was told about being the wisest man in Athens. Although this ambitious lifestyle, renouncing wealth and holding himself distant from political ambitions may have made people uneasy about him. Also when he claims to know nothing but makes his peers look even more unintelligence then he it really gets under their skin.

Once Socrates really understood what the Oracles proposed he took a lot of value in his life style and I notice this show up in the trial. When it was brought up that he was accused of corrupting the young Socrates sticks with his way of thinking and values. Even though little was brought up to prove that Socrates is guilty of the charges against him he did not conform. When he was accused of intentionally defying the gods. He was not trying to intentionally defy the gods but questioned in hopes to arrive to some sort of truth and meaning. It was the Oracle at Delphi who said that he is the wisest of the wise. During his entire life he has been dedicated to doing the will of the Gods. But again I feel like since his did not be traditional and stuck with his way of thinking it hurt his chances of surviving this trial. In addition, I do think Socrates held unusual views on religion.

Although Socrates did not make it out alive I still think the response Socrates offered is a masterpiece of forensic rhetoric. He really didn’t try and prove anything still just continued to state facts, turn things around, and stuck with his values. Another thing he says is I either do not corrupt them or I corrupt them unintentionally. Again I don’t think he is trying to defend himself I just think he truly believes in his way of living and stands by it. I think a lot of what the people of the court were too concerned with objective reality. And they did not understand how someone like Socrates could live or think in the way he did.

Socrates knew that if he is to impress the jurors he ought to avoid rhetoric; he ought in fact to use the simple language of the market. Instead of the simple language of the market, he offers the finest example of polished rhetoric that I’ve read in western philosophy to this point. I thought it was good and I think he knew just what he was doing. At one point I felt like he was almost asking to die by doing this.

In the end I think Socrates dies from something he believes in and was willing to do so. I also think he could have at anytime saved himself by just conforming to the state. He threatened the Athenian way of life and they could not let that happen. But he leaves me with a baffled state because not many people in today’s world would have even ever thought of doing that. I still think he died with a sense pride and I think he left the court still fascinated that he was willing to do that. I feel like ever few people come around these days like Socrates. I think his relationship with the Oracles was very atypical or special. I imagine that allowed him to be utterly and completely devoted to his philosophy ways and he died for it.

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