Socrates (469-399 BCE) lived during the time of transition from the height of the Athenian hegemony to its decline with the defeat by Sparta and its allies in the Peloponnesian War. This was a time when Athens sought to stabilize and recover from its defeat. The Athenian public had started to contemplate the effectiveness of democracy as a governmental system. At the latter end of his life he was charged with teaching the youth to “disrespect” the gods of the city. Socrates was convicted of these
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Socrates‚ the father of philosophy‚ and teacher: Is he corrupt? Did this man‚ who still teaches students thousands of years after his life ended‚ earn capital punishment? Was it fair to receive such severe punishment for teaching the youth to ask questions? Was an innocent person murdered? Despite it being the unpopular answer to the question‚ Socrates did deserve his penalty‚ but only through the perspective of the Athenians. The reasons are simple: Socrates really seemed to have committed the crime
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Socrates undermines the claim that he is intentionally corrupting the youth by asking Meletus a series of questions that make him explain his reasoning for accusing Socrates of this crime. Socrates would start by placing Meletus into a hole with his many questions asking who exactly was good for the youth and it turned out to be everyone but Socrates. He continues this argument by bringing up why would he corrupt the youth when they could potentially be his neighbors one day. It is common sense that
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Socrates’ argument for Meletus‚ Anytus and Lycon. Meletus Youth Meletus‚ let me ask a question of you. Do you think a great deal of improvement of the youth? Tell me then‚ who is their improver; as you have taken the pains to discover their corrupter. Speak now. Who improves the youth? If he is silent: Observe‚ Meletus‚ that you are silent‚ Who improves the youth? Are you not interested in the matter? You must be If he says the law‚ society or religion: But that sir was not my question;
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In Plato’s Republic‚ Socrates goes to great lengths to explain and differentiate between the ideas of opinion and knowledge. Throughout society‚ most common men are lovers of sights and sounds. "Lovers of sights and sounds like beautiful sounds‚ colors‚ shapes‚ and everything fashioned out of them‚ but their thought is unable to see and embrace the nature of the beautiful itself (Republic 476b)." The few who do recognize the beautiful itself are followers of the sight of truth‚ the philosophers
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To Plato‚ there existed fundamental patterns in the universe‚ Forms so pure and unblemished that most people will never know them‚ even as they act as existence in its purest form. All around us‚ everyday objects toe the line between these pure existences‚ never committing to one yet never abandoning one. To those few who could gaze upon these paradigms and look beyond the pale imitations in every object‚ Plato gave the name Philosophers. In the Book V of the Republic‚ Plato’s definition of philosophers
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This essay will contend that the source of Socrates’ suspicion of democracy derives from the process by which the dissemination of knowledge or the lack of knowledge to the public is conducted. Secondly‚ it will evaluate one strength and weakness in Socrates’ method at arriving at truth and therefore the best way to govern. The source of Socrates’ suspicion of democracy stems from the argument that by virtue of the law being established through majority rule the best orators can persuade the majority
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Even though there are two main characters of the Cave Socrates and Glaucon. Socrates stood out more and the author Plato. Socrates wises man in Athens and he’s kind of a jerk. The representation of the Socrates‚ human nature and the enlighten figure of language. Plato trying to tell the audience that there is darkness and light. Plato dialog forms how you get out of the cave into enlightened. Socrates and Glaucon are trapped into a situation. The decisions‚ options Socrates make are fade towards
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People hurt other people because they either don’t like them or they’re scared. Sometimes people hurt others because they don’t believe in the same gods as the rest of the country/state. Why? Because they feel that if they can get rid of one man who doesn’t respect the states/countries gods then they can stop anyone else from doing so. Take Socrates for example. Socrates was tried for “corrupting the youth” and “refusing to worship the gods of the state and introducing new deities”. They found him
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I argue that what Socrates tells the jurymen‚ “keep this one truth in mind‚ that a good man cannot be harmed either in life or in death…” is meant to imply that regardless of what kind of people will tarnish a good man’s reputation‚ it will have no effect on their legacy. I truly believe that Socrates was advocating that the legacy of a good man will continue to impact the lives of all individuals that are willing to accept and listen to what they had to offer as good individuals. Regardless of how
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