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Running Head: SOCRATES ANALYSIS 1

Socrates Analysis

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SOCRATES ANALYSIS 2

Socrates Analysis

Socrates, a well-known teacher and Greek philosopher was tried by the Athenian

government because of his methods of teaching. He taught his students to not only think

autonomously but also question everything that they were taught. This did not go well with

the government officials. He was also accused of failing to recognize the gods that had the

state’s recognition and inventing his own deities (Reeve et al, 2002).

1. Is Socrates’ primary aim to defend himself or to continue to examine the citizens

of Athens?

Socrates aims at examining the citizens of Athens and standing with the truth as his

virtue. Socrates questions Meletus, his accuser about the charges of impiety. Socrates does

not respond to his charges by denying the atheism charge but attacks Meletus for being

inconsistent. The jury sees him to offer a smokescreen rather than refuting the impiety

charge. He does not shy away from telling the jury that he is a hero and he has fought for

decades saving the Athenians’ souls and showing them an examined ethical life. He,

according to Reeve et al, says he would rather be put to death rather than giving up on saving

souls. He asserts that he would rather obey God rather than the Athenians and that he shall

never stop his philosophical teaching and practice while he is still alive (Reeve et al, 2002).

1. Why doesn’t Socrates answer Meletus’ charge by stating his religious beliefs

directly?

In response to Meletus’ accusation, he questions his accuser on the charges of impiety.

Meletus accuses his of his failure to believe in the moon and sun to be Gods. He considers

them to be stone masses. In his response, he fails to directly answer to the charges of impiety

but accuses Meletus of being inconsistent. The charges that were against him accused him of

believing in other gods and not believing in no gods (Reeve et al, 2002).

SOCRATES ANALYSIS 3

5. Why is it a point of honour with Socrates that he was never compensated for his

teaching?

Socrates accuses the sophists who teach their students on how weaker arguments can be

used to defeat stronger ones; services which the sophists charge a fee. He denies ever

charging a fee for anyone to converse with him and ridicules the behaviour. He therefore feel

honoured that he adds greater value to the society without charging a single dime (Reeve et

al, 2002).

7. Who does Socrates believe is capable of educating the young?

The Delphi oracle deemed Socrates the wisest of all men. He was indeed wiser than the

sophists or Presocratics. He confesses that he has no expertise in any field and therefore does

not suggest to be the best person to teach the young. The Sophists and Presocratics on the

other hand claimed to have had knowledge that could be taught. However, Socrates does not

point out that they were capable of teaching the young either (Reeve et al, 2002).

8. Does Socrates think that injustice can be fought only by the private citizen

who stays out of politics?

Socrates preferred avoiding public affairs and politics and liked personal interactions

with people. He says that the inner voice that has always told him to avoid getting involved is

what kept him living that long since one can never win a battle against the government. He

believes that injustice can be fought at the personal level by the citizen who avoids politics

9. Why is Socrates impatient with Meletus?

Meletus is inconsistent in his accusation. He accuses Socrates of believing in other

gods and not in believing in no Gods. Socrates tells the jury that he has been accused on

matters he has no expertise about. He goes ahead to ask the jury whether any of them had

ever heard him speaking on such subjects. He accuses Meletus of being ignorant and mean-

SOCRATES ANALYSIS 4

spirited. He bullies and pushes him to answer faster so that Meletus can be dismissed as his

worthy opponent

10. According to Socrates, does wisdom consist solely in recognizing how little we

know?

The Delphic oracle stated that the fact that Socrates recognizes that he knows nothing

made him the wisest of all men. By Socrates assuming his high stance of irony of confessing

his ignorance, and showing the Athenians that they were more ignorant than him, he turns out

to have great wisdom, a dramatic turn of events.

11. Do ridicule and humor serve Socrates’ search for truth?

According to Reeve et al (2002), Socrates provocatively inform the jury that he is a hero

and reminds them that he was a good service hoplite in three battles and in saving Athenian

souls towards achieving ethical life. He does not ask for mercy but instead, he says that the

pathetic and unmanly act of pleading for mercy is a disgrace to Athens’ justice system.

Furthermore, instead of making the much expected exile proposal as a lesser punishment, he

proposes that he should be rewarded with free meals in the Prytaneum, and not be punished.

He was aware that such a proposal would infuriate the jury. When given a second chance to

propose a punishment, which was inevitable, he suggests a fine of one mania of silver. This

was a sign that Socrates was ready to die. In deed his actions were fundamental in his search

for the truth and sacrificing his life for the sake of it =

SOCRATES ANALYSIS 5

References

Reeve, C. D. C, Plato, Aristophanes, Xenophon, Doyle, J. A., & Meineck, P. (2002, March

15). The Trial of Socrates. Hackett Publishing Company, Incorporated.

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