Accusations Against Socrates
Anna Prising
Accusations against Socrates
Even though the conception that Socrates corrupted the youth and posed a threat to society was a factor, the most direct reason why Socrates was executed was his method to question wise Athenians. The Socratic method iniciated the corruption of youth by young men who tried to imitate Socrates and as a result, posed a threat to society since the next generation may not follow traditional Athenian rules.
Early on, Socrates had clearly established to the Athenian 's that he was not a Sophist. He had no intention to teach for money but instead to spread his new ideas through conversation. Socrates empathized morality and the importance of justice leaving the Athenian society completely baffled. No one had ever experienced a philosopher who centralized his ideas on ethical beliefs.Socrates main ideas included finding the true knowledge of justice and choosing good over evil inevitably leading to a happy life. In one instance, Socrates refused to put a group of generals who had lost sailors in a storm to death all at once but rather insisted that they had to be tried individually, as the law stated. A fellow philosopher Xenophon recounts that the assembly and powerful men were angry with him but he would rather be punished then insult justice (8). Clearly, Socrates was completely focused on moral knowledge leading to a good life. Aristotle uses a different way to describe Socrates intentions claiming that Socrates used certain comparisons to strengthen his claim. Aristotle says, "Then they are the sort of comparisons Socrates used. For example, If someone says that people should 't be chosen by lot to hold office, that 's just like someone appointing athletes should ignore those who are the best competitors, and pick at random"(3). Socrate 's fellow citizens however could not disagree more. Their concepts expressed the importance of public success and wealth, intentionally focusing on individual virtue rather than the
Accusations against Socrates
Even though the conception that Socrates corrupted the youth and posed a threat to society was a factor, the most direct reason why Socrates was executed was his method to question wise Athenians. The Socratic method iniciated the corruption of youth by young men who tried to imitate Socrates and as a result, posed a threat to society since the next generation may not follow traditional Athenian rules.
Early on, Socrates had clearly established to the Athenian 's that he was not a Sophist. He had no intention to teach for money but instead to spread his new ideas through conversation. Socrates empathized morality and the importance of justice leaving the Athenian society completely baffled. No one had ever experienced a philosopher who centralized his ideas on ethical beliefs.Socrates main ideas included finding the true knowledge of justice and choosing good over evil inevitably leading to a happy life. In one instance, Socrates refused to put a group of generals who had lost sailors in a storm to death all at once but rather insisted that they had to be tried individually, as the law stated. A fellow philosopher Xenophon recounts that the assembly and powerful men were angry with him but he would rather be punished then insult justice (8). Clearly, Socrates was completely focused on moral knowledge leading to a good life. Aristotle uses a different way to describe Socrates intentions claiming that Socrates used certain comparisons to strengthen his claim. Aristotle says, "Then they are the sort of comparisons Socrates used. For example, If someone says that people should 't be chosen by lot to hold office, that 's just like someone appointing athletes should ignore those who are the best competitors, and pick at random"(3). Socrate 's fellow citizens however could not disagree more. Their concepts expressed the importance of public success and wealth, intentionally focusing on individual virtue rather than the