Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Apology of Socrates Essay examples - 810 Words

Socrates is at the age of seventy and appearing in a law court for the first time. For the people of Socrates time is accusing Socrates, for miss leading the youth corrupting them and boasting about being wise, causing him to become very unpopular. Socrates says to the jury I am going to speak the whole truth, for it is me by myself that I have to defend. He says my accusers are many and I don’t know them, they say, â€Å"you should be careful not be deceived by an accomplished speaker like me† (Cohen, Curd, Reeve, 2000). The accuser goes on to say that Socrates is accomplished speaker; Socrates starts to praise them, because their lies are so good well put together, that Socrates himself is almost convinced but then he says that they do not†¦show more content†¦This made Socrates very unpopular. â€Å"As a result of this investigation, gentleman of the jury, I acquired much unpopularity, of a kind that is hard to deal with and is a heavy burden; many slander s came from these people and a reputation for wisdom, for in each case the bystanders thought that I myself possessed the wisdom that I proved that my interlocutor did not have† (Cohen, et al., 2000). Socrates says that the young men follow me, but not on my account they try to imitate what I say, which causes their fathers to be angry with me. Socrates says I have been accused of corrupting the youth, but I say Meletus is guilty of such things. For it is Meletus who does not believe in the gods of the city and corrupting the youth, Socrates and Meletus start to argue about the rights and wrongs of the law. Socrates proves his point by saying that Meletus contradicts himself, for he say that Socrates doesn’t believe in gods but Socrates I do believe in the gods. Socrates then tells the story of Troy and how Hector son of a king heir to the throne kills Achilles friend Patroclus, during the battle. This made Achilles very vengeful; his mother the goddess warned Achilles if you kill Hector out of vengeance you too will die. Achilles said to go home would be a coward move and it will be a great disgrace. What Socrates is trying to say evenShow MoreRelatedApology On Apology Of Socrates852 Words   |  4 PagesMarch 2, 2017 Apology of Socrates Socrates was a Greek philosopher and the founder of western philosophy. Plato was the student of Socrates who was very motivated by the life and teaching of Socrates. Plato was also one of the greatest Philosopher of ancient Greece. Apology is the actual recorded speech of Socrates by Plato, which was delivered at the trail to defend himself. Many people did not agree with Socrates, so they made several charges against him, which is recorded in the Apology. Some ofRead MoreSocrates And The Apology Of Socrates1322 Words   |  6 Pages Socrates is quite the unique individual compared to most, if not all, other Greeks at that time. In the Apology, Socrates gives an analogy of himself being a gadfly and that his gadfly like actions are favorable for Athens and that the actions are goods he is providing. From his service he claims to live a more private life than a public life when discussing virtue. This paper is going to discuss Socrates and his analogy of a gadfly, approach to other s about virtue, his conduct effect on democracyRead MoreThe Apology by Socrates1099 Words   |  4 PagesApology, in Socrates day, stood for defense rather than seeking forgiveness, as it is now commonly used. To Socrates, it did not matter to him whether or not he was persecuted, as long as he did what was correct. Socrates whole philosophy is that to know knowledge is to have wisdom, and to have wisdom is to know oneself. The people of Athens did not like Socrates due to both the early accusers and late accusers; however, Socrates provides an argument to put these fallacies to rest. Plato’s ApologyRead MoreSocrates and the Apology1136 Words   |  5 Pagesbest sources of information about Socrates philosophical views are the early dialogues of his student Plato, who tried to provide a faithful picture of the methods and teachings of the great master. The Apology is one of the many-recorded dialogues about Socrates. It is about how Socrates was arrested and charged with co rrupting the youth, believing in no god(s) (Atheism) and for being a Sophist. He attended his trial and put up a good argument. I believe that Socrates was wrongfully accused and shouldRead MoreApology of Socrates Summart924 Words   |  4 PagesSummary Platos The Apology is an account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens. Socrates speech, however, is by no means an apology in our modern understanding of the word. The name of the dialogue derives from the Greek apologia, which translates as a defense, or a speech made in defense. Thus, in The Apology, Socrates attempts to defend himself andRead MoreSocrates in Apology and Crito1045 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The irreverent, disobedient Socrates of the Apology is inconsistent with the Socrates of the Crito.† Construct an argument supporting or refuting this claim. Be sure to incorporate textual evidence. In Plato’s Apology, Socrates comes off as a defiant and disobedient man with little respect for his accusers and even for the jurors on whom his fate depends. This may seem in stark contrast with the stoic Socrates in Crito who would rather accept the death sentence than let his friend Crito helpRead MoreApology and Phaedo, by Socrates833 Words   |  3 Pagesancient Greek philosopher, Socrates. In the texts that are going to be analyzed in this essay, Apology and Phaedo, are the retellings of words and thoughts of Socrates by Plato, a pupil and admirer of Socrates. Both texts lecture about the topic of death and though both are the thoughts of Socrates at different times of his life, they have similar and contrasting views on the outlook of death. The Apology is the most authentic account that has been preserved of Socrates defense of himself as itRead MoreSocrates’ Speech in Apology975 Words   |  4 Pagesa warning to Socrates. Aristophanes is a â€Å"friendly critic† of Socrates and warns Socrates to change his ways for Athens and for the good of himself (Whidden). Plato’s Symposium and especially his Apology of Socrates justify the claims made in Clouds about the dangers of philosophy and Socrates to the public, even if Plato’s Socrates is less exaggeratedly hubristic than the Socrates in Clouds. Socrates takes the warning from the Clouds seriously. In Socrates’ speech in Apology, he disregardsRead MoreSocrates Apology Of Plato s Apology981 Words   |  4 PagesPart I: Essay Outline Question #2 At 23b of Plato s Apology Socrates claims to be wiser than his interlocutors because, unlike them, he does not think he knows what he does not know. Question: Is this self-assessment genuinely meaningful or is it merely clever word play? Thesis Statement: I think Socrates’ message behind his speech to his interlocutors was to both state his superior wisdom and gain the attention while doing so. Outline I. Introduction A. Opening Statement 1. What is wisdomRead MoreSocrates Apology Analysis1149 Words   |  5 Pages In her analysis of Socrates’s frame of work, Roslyn Weiss defends Socrates to seeker of knowledge. Weiss argues that Socrates should be viewed as a skeptical inquirer because of his pursuit to what is x? As Weiss puts it, Socrates is aware of his own ignorance and knows that one cannot know what things are by simply using definitions. She emphasized for one to a teacher, one must be an expert. From this point of view, it can be inferred that to teach someone you must have all the background and

Peak of Eloquence free essay sample

Allama Sayyid Sharif Radi (970-1015) who at his time outshone all the other scholars due to his extraordinary brilliance had successfully compiled 241 sermons, 79 letters, and 489 sayings of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (656-661) the first successor of Muhammed (pbuh) the prophet of Islam. To even attempt to describe the greatness of Imam Ali (as) is an enigma in itself and would require not days and pages, but volumes and decades of writing. Who was Ali (as) to have uttered such beautifully eloquent words that have to this day baffled, bewildered and mystified scholars and intellects alike? This collection is the living proof that would testify till eternity the position of Ali (as) as a normal human being and as a divinely chosen Imam. A look at the subjects discussed in Nahjul Balagha will be helpful in ascertaining the wide scope of this invaluable treasure of wisdom. Ali (as) through Nahjul Balagha has touched many aspects of the Islamic doctrine and comprised many broad issues such as philosophy, theology, politics, science, morals and ethics down to more specific issues such as jurisprudence and still remains to be the most eloquent book within the Shia school of thought literature. By blood, Ali (as) was the cousin of the prophet and his son in law. By faith, he was the first man to accept the religion of Islam and the last to have been with the prophet of Islam. There are many traditions and saying of the prophet (pbuh) that describe Ali’s (as) virtues such as the famous â€Å"I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate† (Sahih al-Tirmidhi d. 279 AH, p. 141) also â€Å"Your position to me is like the position of Aaron to Moses, except that there shall be no Prophet after me (Sahih al-Bukhari, Traditions 5. 6) and the list goes on. The above narrations show that there is no question that Ali (as) was the closest to the prophet and the most knowledgeable after him. Nahjul Balagha provides many insights on historical and political events that Ali’s (as) came to face. The biggest and most important was after the death of the Prophet (pbuh). It is narrated that before the demise of Muhammed (pbuh), in an incident referred to as â€Å"Ghadeer Khom†, Muhammed (pbuh) was ordered by God to assign Ali (as) as the successor after him. Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you dont do it, you have not delivered His message (at all)† (Holy Quran, 5:67). It is narrated that more than 100,000 Muslims have attended this speech wherein Ali (as) was appointed the successor and given allegiance to. Unfortunately, after the prophet passed away, many promises were broken and as Ali (as) was involved in the prophet’s funeral, some mislead companions conspired and voted from amongst them a new Khalifa replacing the rightly appointed Ali (as). In one of the most famous sermons in Nahjul Balagha referred to as Khutbat Al-Shaqshaqqiya (Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 3, p50). Ali (as) criticizes those who conspired against him and reaffirms the fact that this position which â€Å"Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself† with to him is like an â€Å"axis in relation to the hand-mill†. Ali (as) further explains that he did not rise against this injustice and chose patience and endurance instead. Many of today’s Muslims question the authenticity of this book by denying that this particular sermon is Ali’s (as) words but rather attribute it to the compiler, Allama Radi. To others, this claim is considered totally absurd since Ali (as) never kept his criticism of the first three wrongly-appointed Khalifs even after he was finally chosen as one. Apart from the history and politics that are abundant in this book, there are many wonderful and extraordinary set of rules and advice that Imam Ali (as) narrates to the readers of this book. Many of the sermons are based on moral teachings much like the ones found in the holy Quran, with regards to love, gratitude, patience, respect, forgiveness, humbleness, and other moral and ethical aspect. Many of these teachings would help prepare humanity in the self-purification process required for every Muslim to achieve happiness in the afterlife. In one sermon Ali (as) warns the people against the evils of this world and advices them to abide by Allah’s laws to achieve happiness in the hereafter: â€Å"O creatures of Allah! Fear Allah and anticipate your death by good actions. Get ready for the journey, for you are being driven, and prepare yourselves for death, since it is hovering over you. (Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 205, P534). By reminding the readers of death and afterlife, Ali (as) has placed the reader in front of their actions, much like how God reminds humanity of it’s fate in the Quran: â€Å"Surely We have warned you of a chastisement near at hand: the day when man shall see what his two hands have sent before, and the unbeliever shall say: O! Would that I were dust! † (Holy Quran 78:40) Nahjul Balagha also goes into details with regards to the crea tion of the universe, angels and humans. Some of the previous Muslims scientists have looked into these sermons for scientific research while some of today’s scholars use this book to crystallize their understandings of the aspect of God, Prophethood and Imamah. As a collection of sermons, letters and sayings, this book achieved the highest status after the Quran within the Shia-Muslim school of thought. Nahjul Balagha not only reflects the spirit of early Islam and the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh) in the proper perspective, but also serves as a guide to traverse the future in the light of these teachings at the same time gives the reader a strong grasp on history.