The Loss Of Virtue In The Apology By Socrates

A man charged with corrupting the youth and not worshiping the gods of the city was once sentenced to death, not because he actually did those things which he was accused of, but because 501 citizens of Athens acting as jury for his trial had been convinced he deserved death. This philosopher, Socrates, considered to be the wisest man of his time, was humble and knew that his purpose as a philosopher was to express, share, and not compromise the truth. Recorded in the ancient works of Plato, he expressed through Socrates’s example that the wisdom that man can achieve is incomparable to that of god and “the unexamined life is not worth living for man.” In the series of books that examine the story of Socrates’s final days, namely The Apology,
When he had been informed that he was the wisest man in all of Athens, Socrates had previously never cared to know if this was true, so he began to question the other prominent men of Athens to see if he was truly the wisest. After a discussion with one of the politicians of the city, Socrates deduced, “It seems that I’m wiser than he in just this one small way: that what I don’t know, I don’t think I know.” In this example, Socrates discovers that which holds men back from being truly wise is that they don’t set aside their humility for the exploration of truth. By claiming to know what is true when one actually does not know, one injures the mind. This then is expressed in such a way that hinders one’s ability to interact with others for he will attempt to prove what he does not know, making him unauthentic. When examining, St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiæ he states that “Humility restrains desires from unreasonable heights.” Quite obviously Aquinas is referring to the dangers that exist when humility is compromised. One should keep in mind his abilities and if his mind is elevating above those abilities, he is not living a life that will lead him to happiness. This is why Socrates, as mentioned earlier, says he is the wisest man for he knows his abilities and knows that because he is so insignificant, the room
This rationality is intrinsic to the nature of man and is dependent on the world and human senses to gather information in order to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Therefore, because it is in man’s nature to use that rationality in a way that requires regular contemplation, it requires him to think rationally instead of relying on instinctual feelings the drive his actions. In this, man can achieve happiness through contemplation and examination. This is why St. John Paul II writes in his encyclical, “All men and women, as I have noted, are in some sense philosophers and have their own philosophical conceptions with which they direct their lives.” Being that living a life according to our nature is essential to happiness, then it would seem that Socrates is correct in stating the unexamined life is not worth living, for it would not be a life of happiness. Therefore, the mind requires regular exercise in order to strengthen it to be able to contemplate more difficult truths. By examining one’s life, man practices daily to reflect upon the result of his actions and is able to implement the changes the next day. This then, allows man to, figuratively, see into the future by contemplating the results that his actions will bring about. Socrates shows this the night before his death in Plato’s Crito. Crito, a friend of Socrates who made