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Back to Subjects - Philosophy

Socrates The Apology

Socrates The Apology Plato’s Apology is the story of the trial of Socrates, the charges brought against him and his maintaining of his own innocence throughout the process. At the onset of the trial, Socrates appears to challenging the charges, which included corrupting the youth, challenging belief in the gods that were accepted and reveled by the State, and introducing a new religious focus, but also belittles his own significance and suggesting that he will not attempt to disprove that he participated in the actions maintained by the court. In essence, Socrates appears almost self-effacing, and his defense surprises even his accuser, Meletus. But by the end of the Apology, Socrates becomes almost a different person, demonstrating his own value while refusing to beg for forgiveness even to save his own life. This view of Socrates presented by Plato demonstrates the difference between a man accused and a man condemned, and in the end, Socrates has nothing to lose by providing instruction to the people through his remarks. At the onset of the trial, Socrates recognizes that the primary reason for the accusations are not that he himself did not have value or that he was instructing students in a way that had not happened in the past, but that circumstances surrounding the trial had led to the perception that men like Socrates were challenging the standards of government. Though Socrates suggests that his value for the State was unending through out the process, the fact that his teachings asked the youth to explore their values, their systems of thought, and to question authority was a significant problem for a sometimes wavering State. I think that it was right of Socrates to encourage the youth to think for themselves and explore their values and the values of society and the state. In order to learn and grow one must challenge the ideas of others and the ideas they hold of themselves. Early in the Apology, Socrates argues that the charges of Meletus are not only false, but have led to the rise of prejudice against him, and he demonstrates this through what he considers his own reflection on the charges against him. Socrates suggests the indictment against him should read: “Socrates is guilty of engaging in inquiries into things beneath the earth and in the heaven, of making the weaker argument appear the stronger, and of teaching others the same things”. Socrates suggests that the breadth of the indictment against him could encompass the premises supported by many men, and that it is only through the prejudice against him, the belief in his wisdom purported by some, and the sense that Socrates has influenced men that has resulted in the charges, not through the true belief that Socrates has taken actions against the State. Perhaps it is the divided sentiments of the vote that impact Socrates, or perhaps just his realization that from the onset, he would have been condemned not matter what his arguments, but Socrates appears to transform himself after the votes are cast. Socrates is given the opportunity to propose an alternative sentence to the death penalty proposed by Meletus, and many men would have begged for mercy, asked for forgiveness, claimed to repent for their actions, and request leniency. Socrates, though, demonstrates not only his strength in his convictions, but also recognizes that his final act of teaching must come not in the form of his subjugation to the process, but in his capacity to evaluate his life, his actions, and his notion of self, and even die for his beliefs. If Socrates had begged for mercy, had repudiated all of this philosophical and educational premises, he might have saved his physical life but he would have negated all he had done throughout his earlier life, and contradicted the essence of his teachings. Socrates then takes the opportunity to provide his most powerful statements about his philosophy, his perspectives on life, and the impacts that his death will have on the State that has tried to control opposition. Socrates argues that much of the world travels through life without ever examining the nature of their choices. “The unexamined life is not worth living…” with this statement Socrates brings to mind the many examinations that we, as humans, undertake throughout our lifetime. Whenever a decision is made to marry or have a child, return to school or get a new job, etc. someone must examine their life to determine if the decision they are about to make is worthwhile for them. In the Apology, Socrates decision to stay true to his teachings means that he will die. He has examined his inner self and decided that he is unwilling to go against everything that he has stood for and death is an acceptable alternative to giving up his values and morals. Not many of us today face that kind of self-examination but each examination is, in itself, a learning experience and requires a value or moral judgement. It is Socrates contention that his death will bring more men towards evaluating their lives, evaluating the nature of the State, and challenging those elements that attempt to limit man’s capacity for understanding more. By sentencing Socrates to death, many have chosen not to examine their lives, but Socrates himself has, and it is his examination that will set an example for others who hope to view new options and challenge the evil that is sometimes inherent in the State. Death is not the end, for Socrates, but instead, a new starting point from which others can begin to understand his wisdom. Socrates suggests that if death is a journey where all must go, then he will simply take that journey, and at the end, spend his time assisting others in examining their lives. Socrates suggests not only that he accepts the outcome, but also that he himself will welcome the chance to do in death what he was condemned for in life. The completion of this sort of “examination” on the part of the few or the many is not possible. If a person or nation is to grow and move forward the process of self-examination will never be complete. The journey of “examination” in itself could provide the insight needed to make significant changes in today’s moral and political thinking. I think that Socrates “examination” leads to a scale of Christian ethical values that the United States and much of the world today is lacking. Bibliography:

Word Count: 1074