Socrates Defence Essays - Socratic Dialogues, Dialogues Of Plato

Defending Justice My fellow gentlemen of the jury, I am not speaking here today only for the defense of Socrates from being wrongly accused of crimes, but am here to defend the city of Athens from making a grave injustice and staining the reputation of our legal system in this great city. I should begin by making sure every jury member here today fully understands what Socrates is being charged with. Without a knowledgeable jury, then there will not be a knowledgeable sentencing, and when a sentencing is not knowledgeable, then it is unjust. First off, Socrates has been charged with teaching false things and not believing in the Gods. This is such an extremely asinine statement that it nearly makes me sick. Socrates does not ever question the Gods existences, but rather simply asks questions on how the world works around him, the world that the Gods have created. So he does never teach any falsehoods, just asks questions. Socrates believes and follows the Gods just as much as any other person that sits or stands here today. An example of his beliefs would be when the question of who was the wisest man arose. The all-knowing Oracle that is directly inspired by the Gods was asked ?is there anyone wiser than Socrates The Oracle responded that no one was wiser than Socrates, and what the Oracle says is truth, as everyone here surely knows. Socrates very well knows and believes in the Oracle, and accepted the fact that that the Oracle is correct, even though Socrates highly believes that he does not know much if anything. Thr oughout Socrates quest to find if anyone was wiser than he, Socrates grew to understand what he believes the Oracle means by saying Socrates is the wisest; not necessarily meaning he knows more than any other person, but he understands how the world works better than any other individual and that is what true wisdom is. Like I stated before, since the Oracle is directly inspired by the Gods, and Socrates believes that the Oracle tells the truth, how Socrates can must in the Gods, therefore this completely refutes the charge that has been laid upon him in regards to Socrates not following the Gods. As for the second charge, Socrates has been charged for corrupting the youth of Athens. So I assume that this charge was brought up because of those that follow or overhear Socrates are beginning to act like him when in the marketplace or the gym and are engaged in an argument with either their peers or elders. This is a ridiculous statement to make, especially after listening to Socrates and Meletus argue about what this charge is about. To say that thieves and those who do not follow suit to our city?s Gods does not corrupt Athens? youth, but a man that asks questions about how the world works, and tries to stimulate people?s minds is corrupting the youth of Athens, and yet the only one who does? There is no way. Whoever truly believes that stimulating people?s minds is bad for our youth, or anyone for that matter, are corrupt, and if they are exposing their ideals to the youth then wouldn?t they be the corruptors of youth? So do not be so quick to judge who corrupts whom because maybe some of you should be pointing at yourselves. This leads me into my next point. It may not be completely official, but unofficially Socrates is thirdly being charged for making the worse argument seem the better when he discussed with others trained in the sophist style of arguing. Now most all of you in here are sophists, and many here have discussed with Socrates. How is it that Socrates can so consistently make wrong arguments seem true? Are you too blind to see you were wrong, so ignorant as to not accept new methods to winning an argument? History tells us all that the way people think changes over time. New realizations are made every year and how the world works changes for good. For example, people use to be nomads; going from place to place searching for new shelter and food every week. Now we collectively have structure; we