Platos Apology Of The Socrates

Running Head: PLATO’S APOLOGY OF THE SOCRATES 1

Plato’s Apology of the Socrates

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PLATO’S APOLOGY OF THE SOCRATES 2

Plato’s Apology of the Socrates

The Socrates Apology refers to the account of self-defense that was rendered against the

allegations of corruption and immorality (Plato, 2017). The Socrates had been accused of

corruption of the youth and lack of belief in the gods that the rest of the city inhabitants believed

in (Plato, 2017). The incident dates back to approximately 469-399 BC (Plato, 2017). The

Socrates appeared before the jury in Athens over the accusations against them by three orators,

Lycon, Meletus and Anytus (Plato, 2017). The philosopher opens a room for dialogue with the

jury in the effort to make them understand the truth in his words irrespective of his sophistic

language (Plato, 2017). The Socrates starts by admitting his ignorance and lays a foundation on

which he appeases the jury on the charges placed against him.

In defense, Socrates faced two accusations; impiety against the gods of the city of Athens

through the introduction of other gods and the corruption of the youth by building doubt of the

customs (Plato, 2017). However, the Socrates uses ignorance as a tool of defense by insisting

that he is not a sophist (wise man) and thus does not know anything noble. However, he speaks

mastery and even embarrasses his accusers by reformulating their accusations that he referred to

as ‘old’ into stronger and logical arguments (Plato, 2017). He even dares them to use his

approach to issues which makes weak arguments stronger and legal.

In the Apology, he first clears the claims that he is a wise man (Plato, 2017). He achieves

that by visiting the oracle of Delphi to inquire of the presence of another individual wiser than

him (Siegel, 2009). However, the oracle pronounced that Socrates was the wisest man. In the

course of proving the oracle wrong, he went in search of wisdom among poets, politicians, and

scholars but found that even those people perceived by the society as wise were not actually wise

PLATO’S APOLOGY OF THE SOCRATES 3

(Plato, 2017). His discovery formed a new line of defense as he knew he was not wise, even if

the society perceived him as wise.

In response to the youth corruption claim, Socrates argues that the youth follow him

around the city because they have little to do with their time (Plato, 2017). Therefore, he did not

train the youth to violate the status quo but they observed it from him themselves in the course of

his interaction with people who pretend to be wise. Socrates, as a wiser man, had acquired a bad

reputation among powerful personalities in the city of Athens because he constantly examined

their wisdom and in the event, embarrassed them in front of the following youths (Plato, 2017).

In defense, Socrates argues that the pattern of the argument of the jury is influenced by

major personalities of the city among which he had built a bad reputation (Plato, 2017). He

defends his attitude from the perspective that his enemies are envious and malicious to him.

Having known that he was the wisest individual, he felt proud of his personality and would not

hesitate to interrogate prophets, seers, politician, poets and other personalities to determine

whether they were impostors (Plato, 2017).

In response to the second accusation of impiety, Socrates engages Meletus in a dialogue

that leads him into contradicting himself (Plato, 2017). Instead of reinstating the Socrates was

guilty of corruption and impiety, Meletus contradicts himself that the claims are as a result of

prejudiced gossip by Socrates’ enemies. After defending himself, he freely tells the jury that he

is not afraid of death, the impending punishment of his offenses (Plato, 2017). He attributes his

conduct to his desire for truth and understanding unlike the members of the jury that are only

interested in honor, reputation and financial gains (Plato, 2017). As such, he considers his

oracular responsibility and obedience more important than his obedience to the human authority

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of the city of Athens (Siegel, 2009). Speaking in an emotional and provocative manner, Socrates

withdraws responsibility for his claims because he was not a paid teacher thus had no obligation

to influence the society (Plato, 2017). In conclusion of his legal defense, he argues that his

religious duty is more important than even his life and reinstates that he would solely rely on

sound arguments and the truth (Plato, 2017).

Thematic Analysis

The main theme of Socrates's apology is knowledge. When an individual is charged with

a societal responsibility, especially philosophy, he should never betray it even at death (Plato,

2017). The apology talks about wisdom in the society. The Oracle proves that Socrates, besides

regarding himself as not wise, is the wisest man in the city of Athens (Plato, 2017). The narrative

proves that in the society, knowledge, and wisdom is not necessarily held by great personalities

in the society such as politicians, poets, and craftsmen (Siegel, 2009). In the case of the city of

Athens in which Socrates found out that they were simply impostors, not as wise as they were

perceived by the society. In this realization, the apology is of greater philosophical importance

(Plato, 2017). It is important to note that Socrates knows more because he regarded himself as

ignorant as opposed to the enlightened personalities in Athens who become ignorant as they

think that they know more than they actually do (Plato, 2017). Therefore, the apology brings the

attribute of humility in knowledge (Siegel, 2009). Socrates, despite being the wisest man in

Athens, operates in utmost humility and presents his argument in a logical manner to prove his

innocence of the claims rather than display his knowledge (Plato, 2017).

The apology also explores the theme of dedication to the society (Plato, 2017). During

the trial, Socrates professes that he is dedicated to enlightening the people (Plato, 2017). He even

PLATO’S APOLOGY OF THE SOCRATES 5

reinstates that he is willing to remain loyal to his philosophical calling even at death, provides

truth prevails (Siegel, 2009). The fact that Socrates was hardly paid justifies that his obligation to

teach the people was as a result of his dedication to responsibility and not for financial gain

(Plato, 2017). After the votes of members of the jury that rendered him guilty, Socrates calls for

celebration in his honor instead of begging for the reconsideration of the decision by the jury

(Plato, 2017). The Socrates believed that knowledge never dies, and that he would continue with

his obligation in a quieter fashion through the legacy that he would leave in the society.

The apology also explores the theme of the wrongs and rights in the society (Siegel,

2009). After being charged with morally corrupting the society, the Socrates uses questions to

bring Meletus, his accuser into his line of thought that the charges are as a result prejudice gossip

of wicked friends (Plato, 2017). He proves his allegiance to the gods of Athens through

consultation of the Oracle to find if there is any individual that is wiser than him in Athens

(Plato, 2017). He also expresses the fear of the gods when he says that he owes the oracle more

responsibility than the human authorities (Plato, 2017).

Philosophers, in course of enlightening the society often encounter challengers that

question their aim and ideals of education (Siegel, 2009). It is also difficult for them to analyze

their educational efforts. Moreover, they find it difficult to relate between the authority of the

institutions that exist in the society and that they have over their students (Siegel, 2009). For

instance, Socrates found it difficult to integrate the interference of the authorities of the city of

Athens into his responsibility to enlighten the society, He would not also limit his followers

from learning everything from him, thus was accused of corrupting the youth to violate the

customs of the city.

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Education is the basic agenda of philosophers (Siegel, 2009). The Idea of philosophy in

education can be clearly seen from many contemporary philosophers of the past, who sought to

integrate education in their philosophy through publishing of journals, morals, mind and

language (Siegel, 2009). For instance, Socrates owed to the society a responsibility to ensure that

truth prevails, even at death. He would not relent and ask for forgiveness before the jury, but

rather calls for cerebration because he knows his wisdom would continue to trend in the society

even after he was killed (Plato 2017). Philosophy plays a major role in education as it is the

backbone of disciplines such as politics, epistemology, metaphysics and mind and language

philosophy (Siegel, 2009). The same dilemma in which the ancient philosophers found

themselves in resembles some moral issues in the society today. The question of responsibility

over education, right to education, the need and frequency to attend educational classes and the

desirability of education all relate to the philosophical responsibility of educating and

enlightening the society (Siegel, 2009).

In conclusion, death cannot be the deterrent to the moral responsibility of a philosopher

because there is no true knowledge of death. Knowledge is a pursued attribute which resides in

the mind and can continue to work even in the absence of the body, thus eradicating the fear of

death. The state of the soul is more important than the state of the body as it is the determinant of

the well-being and achievement of an individual. The Socrates shows dedication to his

philosophy despite the majority opposition. Most importantly, the apology indicates that

philosophy is an important and influential aspect of the society

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Reference

Plato, B. (2017). Apology. BookRix. Retrieved from: http://timvandevall.com/wp-

content/uploads/2014/05/The-Apology-of-Socrates.pdf

Siegel, H. (2009). The Oxford handbook of philosophy of education. Oxford: Oxford University

Press.

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