y if virtue is knowledge can it be taught. Only knowledge can be gained from oneself. The act that is proper, but done by habit is not virtuous. Therefore, virtues can be turned into evils and virtue and knowledge are part of each other. Finally, a fourth of Plato's works is "The Apology." "The Apology" deals with Socrates' trial. It contains three parts : the charges, the defense, and the judgment. Socrates' defense consists of showing how the prejudices against him have arisen and how he has the highest possible justification for the life that he has led. Socrates is accused of corrupting the young, of disbelieving in the gods of the state, and of introducing new deities. However, the real charge of accusers is that Socrates and intellectuals like him were the cause of the loss of the Athenian war in 404 BC. Also, Socrates is held responsible for wrongs of people who followed him. The defense of Socrates was about how they always were against him and always questioned him. An oracle once told Socrates that he is wisest among men. However, Socrates knew how ignorant he was and set out to prove the oracle wrong. He found nobody smarter than he and offended many with this search. He had the idea that God gave him the mission to search into himself and others. Because God had given him this mission, he would not change his ways. A court of 500 who are judges of fact and law decided the judgment of Socrates. The judgment was 280 to 220 against Socrates. It was then time to make a penalty. Socrates refused imprisonment or exile because he had done no wrong. When others would be pleading for mercy, Socrates was saying where he should be put to death. This all would be avoided if Socrates would change his way of life and stop examining. For Socrates however, "The unexamined life is not worth living." As a conclusion for my report, I would like to talk about the impact that Plato's works have had on us today. They show his philosophy, which ...
