For a full-text of the Apology, click here. After reading, please be sure to answer the following questions in the "Comments" section of THIS posting. Do not email them to me, do not post them to another date.
For an in depth analysis of the real life trial of Socrates, click here.
For an in depth analysis of the real life trial of Socrates, click here.
Read the first 5 pages of the text from the above link.
Questions
Questions
1.Describe Socrates' over-all tone in the first 4 pages of the reading.
2. What does Socrates believe he is being accused of?
3. What role does Socrates' reputation play? What does he think is his reputation?
4. Give me your thoughts thus far on the text- what stands out the most? What does not make sense? What are some emerging themes?
Some Additional Help: Socrates in Modern Day English- Click here
Some Additional Help: Socrates in Modern Day English- Click here
Socrates' over-all tone is very sarcastic, but at times he can be straight-forward and formidable. He is sarcastic by when he states " I mean when they told... for then I do indeed admit that I am eloquent." Another example is " And here, O men of Athens, I must beg you not to interrupt me, even if I seem to say something extravagant." He is straight-forward when he states "And although some of you think I am joking, I declare that I will tell you the entire truth." Socrates is formidable throughout the entire five pages especially when he discusses about him talking to politicians and poets and artists and what that meant. Socrates believes he is being accused of speculating about the heaven above, and how he searched into the earth beneath, and made the worse appear the better cause. He is also being accused of being a doer of evil and a corrupter of the youth by Meletus. The role that Socrates' reputation plays is very important. He is told by the Oracle of Delphi that he is the wisest man in all of Athens which means he is a very prominent figure in Athens. He thinks his reputation is the opposite. He believes he is not the wisest which is why he goes to poets, politicians, and artists to question them and attempt to find someone wiser, but fails in doing so. He states that "I am better off than He who knows nothing, and thinks he knows. I neither know nor think I know." Socrates is very humble about his wisdom. My thoughts on the text is that it is quite interesting. I find this to be very true with today's society about the poets and politicians and how they think they know everything, but they really do not. I also found on page five in the middle of the paragraph where it starts off with "why, what evil does her practice or teach?" to be interesting, mainly because it is true. When someone asks why you think what you think and say what you say, most people do not know and can not reason for themselves which in turn makes them contradict themselves and make themselves seem stupid. I did not understand that last paragraph on page two and its importance and the overall meaning behind the story. I just found it to be confusing and to not make much sense. Some emerging themes are that it is better to not know and realize that than to think you know and boast of it. Also, another theme is that Socrates thinks what he says his right, because he knows he is, but never says he is the wisest of them all. He is a humble man who proves he is the wisest by bringing out other superior's people stupidity.
ReplyDeleteThe over-all tone in the first four pages are sarcastic and cocky. He also seems annoyed in the beginning because he says he is a seventy year old man who in seventy years has never been to court but is there now. The first accusation is " Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curtious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear better cause; and he aforesaid doctrines to others." Does this mean he is being accused for looking for how things work? The second accusation is " That Socrates' is a doer of evil, and a corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the state, and has other new divinities of his own. His reputation plays a big role because people think of him as an evil doer and someone causing trouble. but once he reveals that the oracle says that he was the wisest man in Athens the people begin to think different. What stands out to me is that they seem to think he is doing something wrong. My questions are who are the all the names he talks about? And why does he bring up past accusations? Some emerging themes are that they think he is an "evil doer" and that he goes into detail about his accusations before giving his defense.
ReplyDeleteSocrates's overall tone throughout "Apology" is that of a flippant teenager. This is evident in the first page when he explains that what he says is the truth. Socrates believes he is on trial for enraging the upper class of Athenians (i.e lawyers, politicians). The role most associated with Socrates is that of a gadfly. A gadfly flies around things and is a general nuisance. This exemplifies Socrates because he would pester the higher ups of Athens in attempts to show their inadequacy. Socrates believes that his reputation is to help benefit Athens and to bring it back to its former glory. The thing that I don't really understand about Socrates is why he has his work in a dialogue format. I find a little more difficult to understand and follow.
ReplyDelete1. The over-all tone of Socrates in the first four pages is one of total straight forwardness. Socrates has not come to court to play mind games with the judges but instead has come to give his opinions and reasons on why he should not be punished for what he has been doing. The audience of the court most likely took this way of speaking by Socrates and thought that Socrates was trying to prove he was wiser than the rest of the men in the court. The men of the court believed that Socrates was trying to be a smart alec.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believes that he is being charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the children of Athens. Socrates goes into detail about why he started his questioning. He talks of Delphi and how Delphi told Socrates that he was the wisest man in the world. Socrates did not totally believe the oracle so he chose to question the people who were seen as the wisest in Athens to actually see if he was wiser. Socrates soon learned that the upper class of Athens believed they were wise yet they knew nothing. Socrates says he would rather be knowing that he knows nothing, than to be given by a false sense of his own wisdom. The accusation of staining the minds of the young Athenians comes to fruition when they begin to follow Socrates and his thoughts.
3. The people of Athens believe that Socrates thinks that he is the wisest man in the world. With this thought in mind the men of the court take everything that Socrates says as an attempt to prove he is wiser than the rest of them. In actuality, Socrates believes that his reputation as a self proclaimed wise man is totally misguided. Socrates knows that he does not know but the people of Athens think that Socrates knows that he does know.
4. Thus far I see Socrates as trying to open up the eyes of his fellow man. Socrates is trying his best to disprove accusations while also trying to prove his points and help others understand his thoughts. It is a continuing theme that the people of the court like Meletus are too simple minded to understand what Socrates is trying to say. The men of the court are not open to learning but would rather so go along with the status quo. Socrates wants to help his people to get out of the status quo and accept a new way of thinking. I do not understand why the men of court are so closed minded. These men are supposedly wise yet they lack any understanding about anything. It must have been truly agonizing to be in Socrates position and have to try and argue your point to a bunch of simple minded fools.
Socrates' over-all tone is one that is sarcastic pushing stuck up. He first appears to be upset or annoyed that he had to appear in a court for trial. Socrates was accused of many thing such as, "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curtious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear better cause; and he aforesaid doctrines to others." One of the more funny accusations is that of the following, "That Socrates' is a doer of evil, and a corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the state, and has other new divinities of his own." Do they not see that Socrates is trying to help them understand what they believe better? The oracle says that he was the wisest man in Athens however Socrates does not believe that. Thus he goes to the wise me. Of Athens to find answers and this is where the opinions of the people come in. This is why they think he is an evil doer and corruptor of the youth.The people of Athens are convinced that Socrates is doing something wrong even though he is not. This simple fact stand out above all the rest.
ReplyDelete1. Socrates tone was very humble yet righteous. He explained how he was all about truth and he was innocent.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believed he was accused of being curious and that he was teaching things for money.
3.Socrates accusation is caused almost primarily by his reputation for being condescending, self righteous, cocky and ignorant.
4. What stands out the most to me is how Socrates talks about how the politicians thought they knew it but really knew the least. I found that to be very interesting. It all didn't make the most sense to me also because these men were so called scholars and aristocrats in the society. It was an interesting paradox that Socrates introduced to us that sends us a message that being humble and having an open mind is the key to gaining knowledge. It also shows us that we shouldn't always trust what those above us in society say , and that we should truly learn to think for ourselves to avoid conformity and ignorance.
1. The people of the court may see Socrates carping. However, he is being somewhat frank throughout his defense. He does not believe that he should be punished because, what he was doing was not wrong. His students could back up his ways, of teaching his wisdom. At the same time we can see that Socrates is somewhat arrogant in the ways he say things like "For I am more than seventy years of age, and this is the first time that I have ever appeared in a court of law" this is just an example of his attitude. The way he goes about responding to the accusation does not really matter in the end because the judges are biased anyway.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believes he is being accused of speaking of the different beliefs about the sense of heaven and the after life. Another thing he is being accused of is being an outright evil person, who spreads falsities throughout the city, and takes the money of innocent people.
3. As we know, Socrates was deemed by the Oracle at Delphi that he was the wisest man in the city. However, he did not want to believe this, which led him to the questioning of those who were supposed to be "wise." He would ask these lawyers, judges, politicians, etc, various questions about there profession and most of the time end up making them look stupid. This leads to one of his reputations as the man who could admit that he didn't know everything.
4. In the text, we can see that Socrates believes in this idea of questioning those in authority. Just like in the streets he would ask question to the judges and eventually make them question themselves. Other things that stand out are the fact that Socrates is innocent, and maybe we can conclude that these people were intimidated by him and his ideas. Some further questions I have are if Socrates truly believed he was the wisest, why does he not run for some type of authority job? If he loved his city so much, why would he not become a politician so he could spread his ideas? I guess that he was not about that life.
Socrates overall tone within the first four pages was rather in a sarcastic tone of voice with a mixture of aggravation. The reading opens up to Socrates sarcastic tone of voice when he says "but I know that their persuasive words almost made me forget who I was". This is said almost as if in my eyes as he is mocking their accusations. You can tell also in his tone of voice that he is aggravated in being put in trial to go through with all of this for it is a waste of time being. I see this tone when he says he is a seventy year old man who may repeat himself in his native tongue for if they would not interrupt him while he speaks. He says that so he can say what he needs to say without stopping and moving straight forward with his points and be done with all of this.
ReplyDeleteSocrates is being accused of various accusations. One was that "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curtious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear better cause; and he aforesaid doctrines to others." To continue the one that ticks him off the most is " "That Socrates' is a doer of evil, and a corrupter of the youth, and he does not believe in the gods of the state, and has other new divinities of his own."
The reputation that of Socrates is that he is to be believed as the wisest man in the city. But yet Socrates does not want to be seen as that for that he believes and states that he is most certainly not wise for that a lot of others are wiser than him that is why he goes out to question the ones who he seeks is wiser than himself but instead makes them look stupid when he asks questions regarding their profession yet they cannot answer them, that is what infuriates them.
My thoughts on the text thus far is actually quite an interesting read. I found it very easy to follow along with his statements throughout the reading and interpret the doings. The themes that I found were a lot of simple minded politicians. I am still here confused that men like this are filling the jobs in todays world when we can have men as wise as Socrates in their positions. Another theme is what Socrates pounded on that is being humble in your wisest mindset. For that if you stay humble and open minded you will be the wisest of them all.
1. It seems to be Socrates comes off as insulting to the knowledge of the jury making points to allow himself and edge like saying he has never been in a court room therefore might mess up. Cocky and sly would be the best description for this man.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believes he is being accused of a form of blasphemy through questioning the norms of daily life and ways people react to it.
The overall tone in the reading is Socrates being smart about what he Is saying and a high and might feeling over all the people.
ReplyDeleteSocrates believed he was charged with whom the state believes in because he seeks natural explanations for natural processes, and he teaches people to disbelieve the gods.
He answers that he has developed a reputation for wisdom but a kind of limited, human wisdom. This reputation originated in a prophecy given by the oracle at Delphi. Socrates recounts how he took this news with great puzzlement, he knew the oracle wouldn't lie and yet he was aware that he had no particular wisdom and specific knowledge.
My thoughts on the text is that I do not understand what the main idea is. What doesn't make sense to me is why Socrates is arguing all of this so much. Some arising themes I noticed were, wisdom and virtue are closely connected.
1. The tone of Socrates throughout the first 4 pages was defensive yet respectful. He spoke with extreme eloquence to make sure his point got across to the proper authorities. He did not want to be seen before the trial as the person he was described to be by the townspeople, especially those who were outwitted by Socrates in the city squares.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believes he has been accused of being an "evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others". Basically, Socrates has been accused of corrupting life with his wisdom. Others see the ways of Socrates as belligerent acts against the community, but Socrates was just trying to find a man wiser than him since he was told that he was the wisest man on earth at the Oracle at Delphi.
3. The role of Socrates makes him a villain to Athens. He made enemies by telling others that they were not wise simply because they thought they had all the answers. Socrates arguments were based on the fact that he neither had knowledge or ignorance. Others thought they had both. Socrates took up his reputation as the wisest man because he could not find anybody wiser than himself. His reputation at the moment was the hated wise man who bothered everyone in the streets. Of course, this is why Socrates garnered the nickname "Gadfly".
4. Contradiction was a key part of how Socrates used the Socratic Method in his arguments against the "wise-men" of Athens. His dialectical speech was a form of spiritual exercise for him when engaging in debates. There was one part that I did not understand though: Why did Socrates take so much pride in not knowing and also not being ignorant? His main basis was that he was the wisest man on the earth, but why would a wise man pursue to have no knowledge? What stood out the most were the biased viewpoints that we are shown of Socrates through the words of Socrates alone. He is seen as the bothersome old man who is arrogant and is categorized as a vehicle of corruption towards Athens. In another viewpoint, Socrates is an old, wise, peaceful man who lived and communicated in life with outstanding eloquence and rhetoric just looking to find any man wiser than himself. One vs. Many is an emerging theme in the Apology by Socrates.
1. Socrates tone was blunt. However he was also very firm. When reading this, you could get a sense that he was not very pleased with the fact that he had to give his defense to a jury. He believed that he was inncocent and he did not want to be in the situation that he was in.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates is accused of blasphemy. The people are saying that he is juging the heavans and the earth and that he has no right to do that. He is also being accused being an evil person that is basically talking bad about the city and all of the citizens a if he is above all of them.
3. The role that Socrates reputations plays is significant. Although the Oracle at Delphi says that he is the wisest man, he is very humble. He does not get too cocky in what he says, but he is also very intelligente in his defense. He challeges the jury with questions that ultimately his points o why he believes that he is innocent.
4. the thing that stan out the most for me is the way that he defends himself. Much like the way that he asks questions to people in the Town Square, he questions the people of the jury. Also, I think that the people that are accusing Socrates are thretaned and scared by the ideas that he has. That is the reason why they are accusing him. But why are they theatened by him? By his ideas? Do they think it could lead to other people asking questons? Thus leading to some sort of revoution. This is unclear but as we read more, I hope to find moreout about why Socrates was accused in the first place.
The tone that Socrates has over the whole passage is a cocky attitude. He talks like he is above everyone else. Socrates believes that he is being accused of disturbing the peace and being an evil doer. Socrates' reputation plays a big part in the trial. Since the oracle called him the wisest man in all of Athens, Socrates walks in with the impression that he can easily win this trial.This also connects with his tone of the pages in question 1. Socrates thinks that his reputation is a bad one. All the "wisest" men in Athens have been shown up by Socrates and put to shame. The text so far is pretty interesting. Socrates provides interesting questions, answers, and arguments throughout the passage. An emerging theme seems to be the idea of the oracle. Socrates brought him up saying that he was the wisest man in all of Athens. Socrates went to find a wiser man and found no one. He used this against all in court to prove his point that not everyone is as wise as they say they are.
ReplyDeleteSocrates' overall tone was one of defense. He put on a tone of innocence and used reason and his knowledge of the men he was speaking to, to convince them of his innocence.
ReplyDeleteSocrates is said to be a man who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others.
ReplyDelete1) Socrates tone in the first 4 pages is cocky . Socrates is very straight forward
ReplyDelete2) Socrates believed he was being accused of being nosey . Socrates is accused of speaking for money .
3) "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others." Socrates believes his reputation is of wisdom
4) what stood out the most to me , is how the politicians thought they knew so much , when really they knew nothing . In the text , I like how Socrates is straight forward . He doesn't sugar anything .
1. Socrates overall tone in the first four pages was arrogant and condescending. He was anything by actually apologetic about his lifestyle. He implied all his disagreements through sarcasm and witty remarks. Socrates was not in agreement with the accusers.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates believed he was being accused of being curious, and pursuing knowledge in the unknown above and below the earth. He thought it was insane to ridicule him for something he had been doing his whole life, in which he did not pocket extraordinary amounts of money or convert people in bad ways.
3. Socrates reputation plays the role of being able to question and correct anyone in the city of Athens. When he saw the Oracle at Delphi, he was said to be the wisest man in Athens. Although he did not believe this he knew he was intelligent, and wanted to promulgate all the questions he had to the supposedly wise men. Socrates created an example of himself as one who believed to know more than anyone else and question the unquestionable things.
4. On the text so far, Socrates makes some valid points to why he is innocent. It is confusing on how he brings out most of his points and to all the names he brings up I can not understand. It makes sense why he uses such an arrogant attitude towards to accusers. It is really confusing why he says so many denominations against himself, but at the same time fights for his innocent image. The way Socrates talks about his evil name is strange. Why does he agree and claim he has an evil name? Does he really mean it or did he try to make a sarcastic remark?
How can he say he does not know and have such great history of pursuing more truths?
4.I felt as though story was about Socrates debating and defending him self. But then it turned into Socrates' being and the showing of how little politicians knew about him. Socrates doesn't know all the answers but he carries himself as so.
ReplyDelete1.it seems as the tone of the story is Socrates defending him self. Also he has this sort of attitude or way he carries him self like his nose is stuck up in the air. 2. Socrates feels he's being accused
ReplyDeleteHaving higher knowledge then others. His reputation is that he is the wises of the men and the politicians think they know all about him but they've barely scratched the surface
ReplyDelete1) Socrates overall tone in the first four pages is defensive. Socrates spends the beginning pages addressing the accusers and the court as a stranger. He then goes on to try clear and his name of the accusations made against him. " and first I have to reply to the older charges and to my first accusers, and then I will go to the later ones. " " For I am more than seventy years of age, and this is the first time that I have ever appeared in a court of law, and I am quite a stranger to the ways of the place; and therefore I would have you regard me as if I were really a stranger."
ReplyDelete2) Socrates believes he is being accused of being to curious , he makes negativity seems positive, and that he was teaching for money "Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to other." "As little foundation is there for the report that I am a teacher, and take money"
ReplyDelete3) Socrates' role to the people is the wisest man in the world but he goes on to say this is not the truth. He goes t\on to explain that he hasvgained wisdom and that he is wise but who ever is accusing him is taking away his character." If you ask me what kind of wisdom, I reply, such wisdom as is attainable by man, for to that extent I am inclined to believe that I am wise; whereas the persons of whom I was speaking have a superhuman wisdom, which I may fail to describe, because I have it not myself; and he who says that I have, speaks falsely, and is taking away my character"
4) A theme that struck me was Socrates is being falsely accused because of the threat he poses to authorities figures just like Jesus. His knowledge is dangerous and influences others around him to crave more just as Jesus' followers did and now he is brought to court
1) Socrates over all tone in the first 4 paragraphs was a little confident and cocky . He seemed to realize he was in fact smarter than the other higher figures, and had no problem proving it.
ReplyDelete2) He believes that he is being accused of lying, or false teachings. He thinks he is accused of blasphemy specifically.
3) People thought that he was doing the wrong thing, however, Socrates knew that he was the smartest man out of everyone.
4) What stands out the most is the fact that Socrates knows what others do not. He was told by this oracle that he was indeed the smartest man, and all of these political figures refused to believe that they were wrong for once in their lives.
Questions:
While Socrates was proving them wrong, and they knew they were wrong, why was he considered the blasphemer?
Does he only make them look foolish once?
What do they do to him for making them look like fools?
1.The overall tone of Socrates throughout the apology is a very sarcastic, and narcissistic.Socrates uses his tone in order to slyly tell everyone how much more clever he is than all of them.
ReplyDelete2.Socrates believes he is being charged of both blasphemy and corrupting the youths of Athens. Socrates twisted his "blasphemy"and "corruption" as him being curious and teaching his knowledge to the less knowing.
3.It contributes to his plea of being not the smartest person in the room and someone who they all believed to be not as smart as they. He believes his reputation is as much of a great philosopher as we now he is.
4.my thoughts on the texts are that of comedy i really thought his way was very clever and funny in a sarcastic way.Really the only things that don't make much sense is the older word play throughout the apology.Some emerging themes are shown through his argument with his main accuser.
1.Socrates tone throughout the apology is sarcastic. He use the tone to basically tell how much more clever he is than everyone.
ReplyDelete2. Socrates is charged with blasphemy and corruption of the youths in Athens. He changes his blasphemy and corruption as a teaching tool for the unknowing
3.Socrates tries to tell everyone that he is not the most intelligent in the room, and if not smarter than anyone else. His reputation is alot stronger than any other philosophers.
4.My thoughts on this text is that he is so smart that he can out smart the smarter. But the knowledge he had is God given and clever, but risky and his knowledge eventually back fired and got him killed.
Socrates' tone in the first four pages of the text is condescending. He's talking to the people as if he is an adult talking to a child. He knows he possesses more knowledge than all the other men in the room and all of Athens for that matter. Socrates uses his mental might to embarrass the Athenians without them even being able to understand that's what he is doing.
ReplyDeleteSocrates believes he is being charged due to the prejudice against him. Socrates is against the status quo and this upsets the higher powers in Athens. Socrates knows that his teachings are not dangerous, but he knows they upset those in charge. That is the crime Socrates commits.
Socrates has a reputation as the man who thinks he is smarter than everyone. We all know someone like this and much like the Athenians we test that person. We attempt to fool this "wise" man.
So far I've been very entertained by the text I've read. Socrates is playing the role of a man vs. the world as he defends himself. Socrates is being arrested by those who swear to uphold justice for speaking out against their failures to do so. This shows just how unjust of a society Athens was at the time. Socrates' brainpower adds another enthralling element to this literature.