The Apology Analysis Essay

In my investigation in the service of the god I found that those who had the highest Reputation were nearly the most deficient, while those who were thought to be inferior were more knowledgeable. (Socrates).The Apology Of Platos is Socrates defense against the acquisition in his trial. In the apology Socrates explains who he is and what kind of life he had. It is the reflection of all Socrates ideas and philosophy. In the apology

the idea of wisdom, resentment and death of Socrates are largely developed. The word apology comes from the Greek word apologia means Explanation (defense, a speech made for defense), not as usually confused with the word apologizing. Socrates attempts to defend himself and his conduct, certainly not to apologize for it. In order to

reveal the truth, Socrates has to defend him self against many accusations; one of these acquisitions is his heresy. What are the reasons for this accusation?

Socrates was accused of corrupting the mind of the youth and Not believing in the citys gods but rather in spiritual things. There were mainly two types of accusers: old accusers who hated Socrates even when he was young, and the new accusers for which he was summoned on this trial. This old accusation came from general prejudices that

surrounded Socrates over the years. The old accusers were much easier to defend, there accusations were far from reality. These accusers were mainly Sophists, they accused him for charging money for his conversation, investigating things beneath the earth and in the sky (that belongs to physicalists like Thales and Anaxagoras), and making the

weaker argument appears the stronger (that belongs to sophists like Gorigias, Hippias, and Evanus).These accusation came from the misunderstanding of the true of activity Socrates. However, in the story of Chaerephon Socrates was trying to show not only that he does not believe in the oracles words but that he also believed in citys God by a form

of spiritual beliefs. He was also trying to show that his wisdom come from his awareness of his ignorance But some has misunderstood Socrates story and accused him of heresy and superiority (by believing that he is the wisest of all men). They believed that studying physics is rejecting philosophy and citys God for physical and mortal beliefs. Also

through this story, many people had their beliefs and values questioned and were lost into a sea of doubt. The response of this experience therefore was confusion and anger (over the years, this anger developed into a general resentment against Socrates). In the end, the charges against him were typical of the charges against the sophists. Socrates was wrongly associated with the sophists. It is known that a sophist is, literally, a "wise person". Socrates will never claim to be wise, but only to be able to love wisdom.

The new accusation was more complicated and harder to defend. There were mainly three accusers in this main accusation: Meletus, Lycon and Anytus. Meletus was the chief spokesperson of the accusers, he demanded a death penalty to Socrates. Meletus was the representive of poets and has a beaked nose. Lycon was and accuser who represent orators, but little is known about him. Anytus was the leader of accusers, he was a democrat and represented politicians and artisans that had many problems with Socrates and his philosophy and behavior. The three accusers mentioned here can be identified with those whom Socrates questioned, and upset, in the early stages of is quest to find people who possessed knowledge. Also Meletus is angry with Socrates for using the elenchus example just to embarrass him, he also accused Socrates of being an atheist and being impious (although he accused him of believing in supernatural forces, therefore Meletus here contradict himself). Socrates really doesn't think that Meletus is a "good and patriotic man, he doesn't always just say things in an ironic way but he warns

him with a qualifying statement. Therefore a feeling of resentment was established between Socrates and Meletus In another way, in his story of Chaerephon, when searching for a wiser person Socrates made somehow everybody angry with him. He declared that politicians knew little, poets had a source of inspiration beyond themselves because others could explain their poems better than the author, and craftsmen possessing knowledge of their particular skill, feels that it gave them the right to claim knowledge in every other area as well. So, somehow Socrates managed to make everybody angry at him that made them accuses him of many accusations that may not be all true. In addition

to that, Socrates' teaching is about living things, or actual gods. Socrates is being accused of teaching new things about divine or spiritual things, and the ignorance of those things leads to fear (mainly fear of the unknown) that is the main reason of the accusation of heresy. Men has always feared what he ignored, therefore he tries to create a shell for

protection of the unknown although this unknown may benefit them, but it is human nature. In Socrates case, Greek people like Meletus fears Socrates philosophy, so he hides under the common shelter the law. In order to protect himself furthermore he tries the highest type of protection: escaping fear, here by trying to erase Socrates philosophy by ending his life or existence on the city. However, by escaping fear Meletus proves his ignorance and mainly shows human nature of fighting its solution (here

Socrates philosophy is the solution of Meletus ignorance and fear). Plus, "Meletus is guilty of professing to be seriously concerned with things about none of which he has ever cared." He doesn't have any ideas about education and so really hasn't thought about it. If so, he is in no position to know whether Socrates has a beneficial teaching or not. Another cause of accusation is Socrates' pet ideas, namely that No one knowingly does

wrong. This task of questioning, known as the "Socratic Method", made Socrates unpopular, especially as the young men of Athens began to mimic him. This was developed by the general view that Socrates was playing stupid by pretending not to know the answers when in fact he did. Socrates shows that true wisdom belongs to the gods, that human has no or little value. The actions of young men who followed Socrates, Plato being one of them, questioned the established people of Athens and led to one of the charges against Socrates: corrupting the youth.

Finally, the Apology is a great novel that reflects no only Socrates defense but his philosophy and his ideas about justice immortality, spiritual being, virtue, and political issues. The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways - I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows. (Socrates). This was the final speech of Socrates before he was sent to his death. These words leaves everyone in doubt and opened a new horizon for his philosophy that will be developed later by Plato. For me, the Apology is a great novel that shows the true meaning of wisdom, and mans fear of the unknown and what he is capable of for defending himself against it. Socrates is the wisest and the most complex man ever.