Assignment I: Is Socrates a good citizen? Discuss with reference to the Apology and the Crito. The Socratic Citizen Plato’s Socrates is a character plagued and prized with contradictions. He professed to care for nothing so much as virtue and human excellence but was incriminated by the greatest and most open democracy in ancient history. He was wrongfully convicted‚ yet unwilling to avoid his unjust execution. He is at once the most Athenian‚ citizenly‚ patriotic‚ and other-regarding of philosophers—and
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"If I do not know what something is‚ how could I know what qualities it possesses?" (Socrates) this idea presented to Meno creates the foundation for what is called Meno’s Paradox. This paradox evaluates the question of how are we to find things in the universe if we cannot know where to begin to look? And if we know where to look for the answer then why are we looking? Socrates‚ however‚ challenges Meno’s idea by saying that we may not know all things but we know some and by using deductive reasoning
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Divine and Human Law The Trial and Death of Socrates Many have puzzled over Socrates’ contradictory statements between Plato’s Apology and its sequel‚ the Crito. The stance on justice that Socrates articulates in the Apology seems to be immediately contradicted by the moral opinions he expresses in the Crito. While in a broad sense Socrates appears to offer opposing opinions in each work‚ when one looks more closely at the meaning behind Socrates’ words‚ he will find that his apparent inconsistencies
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life not worth living? Socrates was a great man‚ and is said to be one of the greatest philosophers in history‚ some may find this notion questionable‚ based on some of his own teachings. One famous quote is: “The unexamined life is not worth living” Is the unexamined life not worth living? On the contrary‚ it is! It seems respectful and good to paint a portrait of Socrates‚ in the manner I will. There is no question that Socrates was and still is the most interesting
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In “The Apology” Socrates reveals a profound defense that no one knowingly does evil. Socrates defense does not rely on the right to freely expressing ones ideas‚ but rests entirely on revealing the ignorance of his accusers. This defense begins after Meletus declares that Socrates solely corrupts the youth by himself; everyone else in Athens helps the youth. Socrates creates an analogy and compares Meletus statement to horses and horse-trainers. Socrates exposes that horse-trainers must have many
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During his lifetime Socrates’ various interactions with his fellow Athenians left his intentions debatable. Popular belief in Athens seemed to be that‚ “he [Socrates] was an evildoer‚ and a curious person‚ who searches into things under the earth and in heaven¸ and makes the worse appear the better cause” (Plato‚ pg. 5) as stated by the unofficial charges against him in The Apology. After discussions‚ his interlocutor’s were left confused in a state of aporia‚ with no conclusion. And so while negative
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Meno asks Socrates if inquiry is possible. On one hand‚ if an individual already knows what he or she is looking for‚ then there is no need for inquiry. However‚ if an individual does not know what he or she is looking for‚ then inquiry cannot begin. Therefore‚ this paradox seems to show that inquiry is either impossible or unnecessary. To answer this problem‚ Socrates introduces his Theory of Recollection. Socrates’ Theory of Recollection‚ saves learning from Meno’s paradox. Socrates’ method also
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philosophy of ancient Greece reached its highest level of achievement in the works of Socrates‚ Plato‚ and Aristotle. The influence of these men on the culture of the Western world can scarcely be overestimated. Each of them made significant contributions to philosophy‚ and it would be difficult to determine to which one of them we are most indebted. All three were original thinkers and great teachers. In point of time‚ Socrates was the one who appeared first. Plato became the most distinguished of his pupils
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written by Plato is the interpreted dialogues between Socrates‚ a major philosopher‚ as well as some others including Cebes‚ Simmias‚ and Echerates. The overall idea of the book is Socrates trying to convince his colleagues of his theories‚ which explains the fundamental argument that the soul is immortal. Since Socrates is introducing such unheard of ideas‚ and seeming to be challenging beliefs‚ he is sentenced to death. While awaiting his fate‚ Socrates asks only one thing of his colleagues‚ which is
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thinking which resulted in a changed life for the better. Socrates encouraged individuals to live an examined life‚ which may be difficult when living in a world and being surrounded by a culture that does not normally examine themselves or their lives. For example‚ in the Apology‚ Socrates drew an analogy between himself and a gadfly. He‚ the gadfly‚ would bite the idle horse which was Athens‚ and arouse it into action and out of sleep. Socrates could be compared to a gadfly both because he startled
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