What are the older and more recent charges brought against Socrates?

These older accusers levy two principal accusations against Socrates: first, that he does not believe in the gods, but rather teaches purely physical explanations for heavenly and earthly phenomena; and second, that he teaches how to make a weaker argument overcome a stronger argument by means of clever rhetoric.

What were three charges against Socrates?

From them, we know that Socrates was accused of impiety against the traditional Greek religion, of acting (as a member of the Popular Assembly) against the will of the people, of speaking against the democratic idea of elections, and of corrupting the young to his own beliefs.

What was the second charge brought against Socrates?

The second defense consists of Socrates responding directly to the two charges brought against him: “corrupting the young” and impiety, or more specifically, “not believing in the gods in whom the city believes” (p. 28).

Who has formally brought charges against Socrates?

Meletus
Meletus, a poet, initiated the prosecution against Socrates, although most scholars consider him to a “puppet” of the best-known and most influential of the three accusers, Anytus.

What is Socrates defense against the charge of corrupting the youth?

Specifically, the Apology of Socrates is a defence against the charges of “corrupting the youth” and “not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel” to Athens (24b).

How does Socrates defend himself against each charge?

Socrates defends himself by saying he was prophesied to be a wise man by the Oracle of Delphi. Due to the prophecy, he believes his spiritual mission is to question people. Through questioning, he hopes to illuminate the difference between true and false wisdom. He cannot be an atheist as Meletus says.

What is Socrates charged with in the apology?

Plato’s 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.

What does Socrates Defense reveal about the values he lives by what matters most to Socrates in life?

At the trial for his life in 399 BC, Socrates defense is recounted in Plato’s Apology. Throughout the Apology, Socrates puts forward his views of wisdom, virtue, and nobility he believes to be moral truths, not to clear his name, but to reveal the ignorance of his prosecutors, judges, and fellow citizens.

Why did Socrates not defend himself against the charges?

In making his defense, Socrates did not attempt to prove that he was innocent of the charge of disbelief in the Athenian gods. Instead, he addressed himself to the larger implications involved in the so-called crimes of which he had been accused.

What was the most important task of the philosopher According to Socrates?

Virtue. Socrates strongly believed (unlike modern society) that the cultivation of virtue is the most important pursuit in life. He believed that virtue leads to a good and fulfilling life. The virtuous person is one who does well for society, and is in control of themselves and their desires.

What are the main ideas presented by Socrates?

What were the four accusations against Socrates?

The four charges brought against Socrates were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he was corrupting the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11).

What charges were leveled against Socrates?

The five charges leveled against Socrates are: 1. Corrupting the youth 2. Not believing in the gods of the city (impiety) 3. Making the weaker speech the stronger 4. Studying natural science 5. Bringing in strange new gods. True. Socrates believed good people are often harmed by immoral folk who take advantage of them.

Is Socrates guilty as charged?

Socrates was guilty as charged. Ever since it occurred in 399BC, the trial of the Athenian philosopher Socrates has been portrayed as a travesty in which the founding father of Western thought was made to face trumped-up charges invented by his ignorant and prejudiced fellow-citizens.

Why did Socrates get arrested?

One of the reasons why Socrates was arrested was because he was being accused of corrupting the minds of the students he taught. I personally feel that it is almost impossible for one person to corrupt the thoughts and feelings of a whole group of people.