Preview

When Socrates Argues That It Is Better To Be Wronged Than To Do Wrong

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
295 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
When Socrates Argues That It Is Better To Be Wronged Than To Do Wrong
1) When Socrates argues that it is better to be wronged than to do wrong, better even to die than to do wrong, he is saying that he rather be killed than be harmed. In the Apology, this quote raises the most basic question; what is he saying? Meletus, who is the prosecutor at the trial, is accusing Socrates of “corrupting the youth” and “refusing to recognize the gods” in the state. Meletus is harming himself, (meaning he is harming his own character), not Socrates by executing unjustly. Socrates’s friend, Crito, even tells him to escape and go into exile. But Socrates refuses because he has an agreement to society. He believes that if he receives benefits from a law governed society then he has to owe something back.
2) Martin Luther King
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    How Did Crito Decide To Ask Socrates
    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Did Crito Decide To Ask Socrates

    And so as Socrates questions people he makes them aware of their own ignorance and so by providing them with wisdom he is making them more “virtuous”. The reason why Socrates refused the options raised in court is because by exile he wouldn’t be able to teach people and hence wouldn’t be able to make them wiser and so failing his “duty from gods”. In the same sense; Crito suggests, that if Socrates accepts the fact that he will be executed he will be depriving his sons from his wisdom leaving them to their own ignorance, uneducated. Another concept that Socrates aims to teach is that “no one ever does wrong doing consciously”; however, Crito suggests that as Socrates awaits his death he would only be helping his enemies do wrong doing and so “consciously” doing a wrong doing. Based on the previous analysis of Crito’s arguments we come to realize that Socrates might be doing harm by not escaping prison.…

    • 1091 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Plato The Apology Analysis
    • 87 Words
    • 1 Page

    Plato The Apology Analysis

    The Apology is one of the numerous recorded writings about Socrates. It talks about the trail of Socrates who is arrested on the charges corrupting the youth, not believing in the gods of the lord, and for being a Sophist. Socrates is not believed to have written any books; the apology was written by his student Plato who was at his trial. In this paper, I will discuss I will be talking about the charges laid against Socrates and how he defends himself.…

    • 87 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Interlocutor Vs Meno
    • 1706 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Interlocutor Vs Meno

    In this dialogue, Socrates is attempting to defense himself at the trial and prove his innocence, while others are trying to put him to death for introducing strange gods and corrupting the youth. Socrates's first sentence sets the tone and direction for the whole dialogue. Socrates, in addressing the men of Athens, states that he almost forgets who he is because of…

    • 1706 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Role Of Socrates In The Apology
    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Role Of Socrates In The Apology

    There are numerous charges against Socrates in the reading of The Apology. The basic charges against him include impiety, corrupting the youth, and theorizing about unknown topics. He does not believe in the gods that the state does, and therefore seeks for natural explanations to processes that occur in the world around him. He did not recognize the gods and introduced other new divinities. Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth. Due to the constant asking of questions and inquiry, it lead him to try to discover new things about life. Since he looked for natural reason, he began to teach others about his understandings. His followers soon began to imitate his methods and expose other people as unwise which was a threat to the order…

    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Socrates Disobeyed The Unjust Analysis
    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Socrates Disobeyed The Unjust Analysis

    • 1. In the Apology, Socrates recounts how he disobeyed the unjust order of the Thirty Tyrants to arrest a fellow citizen; he also claims that he will never stop philosophizing, regardless of what the legally constituted political authority commands. Yet, in the Crito, Socrates provides numerous arguments for obeying the decision of the legally constituted political authority, even though the decision (to put Socrates to death) was unjust. Critically assess whether Socrates’s view about political obligation in the two texts is consistent.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparison Between Crito and Apology
    • 1653 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Comparison Between Crito and Apology

    Plato's The Apology is an account of the speech. Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new gods, and corrupting the youth of Athens. For the most part, Socrates speaks in a very plain, conversational manner. He explains that he has no experience with the law courts and that he will instead speak in the manner to which he is accustomed with honesty and directness. Socrates then proceeds to interrogate Meletus, the man primarily responsible for bringing Socrates before the jury. He strongly attacks Meletus for wasting the court¡¦s time on such absurd charges. He then argues that if he corrupted the young he did so unknowingly since Socrates believes that one never deliberately acts wrongly. If Socrates neither did not corrupt the young nor did so unknowingly, then in both cases he should not be brought to trial. The other charge is the charge of impiety. This is when…

    • 1653 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Socrates: Breaking the Law
    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Socrates: Breaking the Law

    In the case of Socrates I believe him breaking the law was justifiable, although I don’t…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Platos Apology
    • 540 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Platos Apology

    Even though Socrates is proven guilty he has no regrets. He believes he did nothing wrong and is happy to share his knowledge with people. Socrates says, “is not to avoid death but to avoid unrighteousness.”(168-169) In this he is saying he is not upset about dying and he did the right in life. Again he shows this is true when he says, “I would rather die having spoken after my manner, than speak in your manner of life.”(163) He’s saying again he did the right thing and rather die than not have shared his knowledge and be a wise man. Socrates makes it clear he did the right thing in life, at least what he thinks the right thing is. He wants to help people in his life and succeeded in doing so, so he is not afraid of death. He is smart and wise and wants to keep teaching his knowledge. He states this when he says “ You will not easily find another like me, and therefore I advise you to spare me.”(110-111) Socrates makes it clear teaching his believes was obviously not a crime and has no regrets of doing so.…

    • 540 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Apology Paper
    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Apology Paper

    In the Apology by Plato, the scene is set up on the jury; Socrates is standing in front of his accusers, Meletus, Lycon and Anytus. He is defending for himself against the four charges brought by the accusers. Socrates is charged with inquiring the heaven and searching things beneath the earth, a Sophist, not believing the god of Athens, and corrupting the youth. Therefore, surrounding him was a group of wealthy young audiences. In the Apology, Socrates is defending for himself as well as prophesies to those who condemned him. Although Socrates died, but he never convicted of his charges; even at the last moment, he warns the condemners and accusers will soon be punished by his son. In my opinion, if I were on the jury, I would also find Socrates as not guilty. Socrates violates none of the four charges, and by his eloquence, he embarrassed his accuser in front of the public, especially the wealthy young group of people and leading the defense on the jury and trap the accuser.…

    • 1478 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Apology by Plato
    • 2058 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Apology by Plato

    The Apology is an account by Plato of Socrates’ speech given at his trial in 399 BC. Socrates was an Athenian philosopher accused of two crimes: corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods. In Socrates’ speech, he explains to a jury of 501 Athenians why he is not guilty of the crimes he is accused of. He uses a variety of logical arguments to refute his charges yet in the end he is still found guilty and sentenced to death (Grube 21). Socrates’ use of logos and his absence of the use of pathos makes for an extremely logical speech, however his guilty verdict raises questions about the legal systems and society of Athens at the time, the importance of ethos when defending yourself in the court of law, and even the society of modern day.…

    • 2058 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Socrates Unjust Analysis
    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Socrates Unjust Analysis

    Socrates an ancient Greek philosopher who arguably set a philosophical president for all modern western theories, though he lived in ___________. Today in the 21st century his trial is still studied and debated. Some belief the trial justified and the Athenians were correct in his prosecution. However, large populations argue that the trial was unjust and Athenians used Socrates as a scapegoat for the troubles that the Athena democracy was facing during that time. Three men brought the charges laid against Socrates. Metetus, a wildly religious man, Anytus, a wealthy business owner and Lycon who was largely unknown and likely only there to fill the Athenian political requirements, there brought fourth two charges, impiety and the corruption of the youth. A…

    • 872 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Loss Of Virtue In The Apology By Socrates
    • 1231 Words
    • 5 Pages

    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,…

    • 1231 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Socrates Unjust
    • 551 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Socrates Unjust

    This establishes that whether or not Socrates originally believes his punishment is right, by staying in Athens his entire life, he made a commitment to follow the law-being just-therefore, if he is accused of breaking the law and is convicted by the courts of Athens, which represent the law, then he must complete his sentence, or else he is only becoming more unjust. Socrates later decides that although he could escape, it is better to try and do the right thing, despite having done unjust things in the past, and ultimately decides to carry out his punishment. This passage also further examines the gray area within the idea of just and unjust by saying that following the laws is just; however, the people of the court who determine which acts are within the bounds the laws and which acts are not, are also biased according to their own personal perceptions, meaning no human truly knows the intransigent definitions of what is just and what is unjust.…

    • 551 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Socrates Apologizes
    • 1720 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Socrates Apologizes

    An Apology From Socrates' The Apology is Socrates' defense at his trial. As the dialogue begins, Socrates notes that his accusers have cautioned the jury against Socrates'eloquence, according to Socrates, the difference between him and his accusers is that Socrates speaks the truth. Socrates distinguished two groups of accusers: the earlier and the later accusers. The earlier group is the hardest to defend against, since they do not appear in court. He is all so accused of being a Sophist: that he is a teacher and takes money for his teaching. He attempts to explain why he has attracted such a reputation. The oracle was asked if anyone was wiser than Socrates was. The answer was no, there was no man wiser. Socrates cannot believe this oracle, so he sets out to disprove it by finding someone who is wiser. He goes to a politician, who is thought wise by him self and others. Socrates does not think this man to be wise and tells him so. As a consequence, the politician hated Socrates, as did others who heard the questioning. "I am better off, because while he knows nothing but thinks that he knows, I neither know nor think that I know" (Socrates). He questioned politicians, poets, and artisans. He finds that the poets do not write from wisdom, but by genius and inspiration. Meletus charges Socrates with being "a doer of evil, and corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the State, and has other new divinities of his own." In his examination of Meletus, Socrates makes three main points: 1) Meletus has accused Socrates of being the only corrupter, while everyone else improves the youth. Socrates then uses an analogy: a horse trainer is to horses as an improver is to the youth. The point is that there is only one improver, not many. 2) If Socrates corrupts the youth, either it is intentional or unintentional. No one would corrupt his neighbor intentionally, because he would harm himself in the process. If the corruption was unintentional, then the…

    • 1720 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Why Is Socrates Life Is Not Worth Living
    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Why Is Socrates Life Is Not Worth Living

    This famous quote of Socrates rooted deeply in the 399 BCE when Socrates was in trial with accusations of the corrupting youth of Athens and proclamation of false Gods. To understand what exactly philosopher meant it is important to know the circumstances and context. The place for the first democracy practices was the Athens and at the time of mentioned events, democracy passed its peak of popularity and new rulers fought for autonomy and dictatorship in the state. Therefore, Socrates, with his undoubtfully strong beliefs in the society with distinct moral values, was in no favor with a new government.…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More

Related Topics