Socrates – The Apology

The Trial of Socrates

Names, Terms and Concepts

Aristophanes ChaerephonSocrates’ first accusers Socrates’ second accusers

Meletus, Lycon and Anytus Deductive logic and evaluation concepts of validity and soundnessDilemma reasoning

Aristophanes( 448 – 380 B.C.)

Aristophanes was a Comic Poet He wrote a play called the CloudsThe Clouds portrays Socrates as a Sophist Socrates mentions this is not a true portrayalThere are significant differences between Socrates and the Sophists

Sophists compared to SocratesA Sophist is a teacher of rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of persuasive speakingA Sophist teaches for money Protagoras ( a Sophist ) is often associated with the theories of Relativism and SkepticismIn the Clouds, Socrates is portrayed as the head of think shopIn the Clouds, he teaches students to be immoral and to make the worst argument appear the better

Socrates denies these fictions of himself in his trial

Charges brought up against Socrates

Socrates is accused of corrupting the youth and not believing in the Gods of the stateSocrates explains that this is his first time in a court of law and that at he speaks only the truth Socrates explains the difficulty of his taskHe has to defend himself against two different sets

of accusers Socrates claims that Meletus and the others slander him Socrates maintains that he is innocent of the charges

Socrates is a victim of SlanderSocrates is accused of being an evil doer who searches into things under the earth and in the heavensSocrates denies any interest in nature philosophy and claims that he is only interested in Ethics which is a service to the GodsSocrates is also accused of being Sophist Socrates denies being a Sophist

He claims not to be a teacherHe neither accepts fees from others as a teacher nor claims to have any wisdom to sell

Socrates explains the origin of his so called wisdom

Socrates explains the story that takes place at the Oracle at Delphi Chaerephon, a friend of Socrates, poses a question to the priestess: is there anyone wiser than Socrates?The priestess says that there is no one wiser than SocratesSocrates was baffled by this news and proceeded to search for wise men to test the meaning of the OracleHistory of the Oracle at Delphi

Socrates begins his missionSocrates questions others in town that had a reputation for wisdom such as politicians, artists and craftsmenHe finds that they are not really wise at all but only think they are wiseSocrates explains that his inquiries has lead some of these illustrious citizens to be irritated with him for challenging their wisdom This questioning, however, is his duty to the GodsSocrates will not be silenced because his questioning is a service to the Gods which he calls philosophySocrates likens himself to a Gadfly that stings people into actionThis searching for a wise person is closely connected to the question on how one should live which is Socrates’ primary concern and what he holds to be the most important inquiry

Two kinds of WisdomAccording to Socrates, there are two kinds of Wisdom

Wisdom only the Gods possess Wisdom that humans can attain

Human wisdom is of lesser valueSocrates explains that his questioning method called Elenchus is imitated by young peopleSocrates suggests this may be one the reasons he is being brought up on chargesAnother reason is that these questioning encounters by Socrates and others has infuriated those who only pretend to have wisdom

Socrates questions Meletus

Socrates tries to demonstrate that he does not corrupt the youthSocrates uses analogies to challenge Meletus’ charge that he is a corrupter of the youth Socrates uses his direct questioning method combined with analogical examples to show the implausibility of Meletus’ charges against him

Socrates combines questioning with Analogy reasoning

Socrates questions Meletus about the Laws and the improvers of youthMeletus claims that almost all Athenians except Socrates are improvers of youthSocrates suggests that it takes an expert to train horses Socrates is suggesting that Meletus’ claim that he is a corrupter and almost everyone else is an improver is implausible by analogy

Dilemma Reasoning and LogicPart one

Socrates also uses dilemma reasoning to show that Meletus is a liarThe first dilemma reasoning involves refuting Meletus’ charge that Socrates corrupts the youth Intentionally

Socrates flatly denies that this charge has any plausibility In the Apology, Socrates uses dilemma reasoning

Dilemma reasoning is a valid form of argument used in deductive logicA valid argument is defined as

An argument is valid if it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false

Dilemma Reasoning and LogicPart Two

A Sound argument is defined as one that is both valid and has all true premisesIn Summary an argument is sound if it meets two conditions

It is Valid It has all true premises

To show that an argument is not a good one is done by showing it to be invalid and/or unsound

Constructive Dilemma Form

The constructive dilemma argument has the following symbolic form

Premise one: Either P or Q Premise two: If P, then RPremise Three If Q, then S Conclusion: Either R or S

P, Q, R, and S are called statement variables

Socrates’ answer to Meletus’ charges of corruption

After Socrates dismisses the notion that he would corrupt the youth unintentionally, he then proceeds to argue that Meletus is a liar.Socrates uses a dilemma argument.By showing that Meletus is a liar, Socrates is hoping that the jury will realize that Meletus is bringing up false chargesMeletus’ pretense to knowledge has been demonstrated and he is seeking revenge against Socrates

First Dilemma Argument

Premise One: Either I do not corrupt the youth or I corrupt the youth unintentionallyPremise Two: If I do not corrupt the youth, then Meletus is a liar Premise Three: If I corrupt the youth unintentionally, then Meletus is a liar Conclusion: Either Meletus is a liar or Meletus is a liar

Meletus’ charge of not believing in the State’s Gods is addressed

Socrates questions MeletusSocrates: Can a person ever believe in the existence of human beings and there not be any human beings?Meletus: No Socrates : Did a man ever believe in horsemanship and not in horses?Meletus: NoSocrates: Can a man believe in spiritual things and divine activities and not in divine beings?Meletus : No

Socrates brings out the contradiction

Socrates gets Meletus to agree that he must believe in Gods.Socrates then asks Meletus why he maintains a contradictionMeletus in essence has accused Socrates of both believing in Gods and not believing in GodsSocrates suggests that Meletus charges are mere fabricationsSocrates concludes that Meletus is attempting to confuse the jury and slander him with rumors that are untrue from the past

Socrates explains his divine mission

Socrates says that his questioning activity or elenchus is just doing his service to the Gods Socrates ( like Achilles ) before him never feared death Both he and Achilles do what is right without a fear oSocrates says that a fear of death is an imitation of wisdom not true wisdomSocrates does make some claims to human wisdom

Injustice and disobedience is an evil A good person cannot be injured The unexamined live is not worth living

The jury finds Socrates guiltyThe jury finds Socrates guilty and Meletus proposes the death penaltyAccording to the Greek courts, Socrates can offer an alternative sentenceSocrates first suggests that he should be put up with meals ( maintenance in the Prytaneum ) like a champion in the Olympic games Socrates then offers one mina for his fine because he is poorPlato and other friends offer 30 minae

The jury votes again

After the plea bargaining phase of the trial, another vote is taken in regards to the alternative offerSocrates is given the death penaltySocrates responds to the penalty and makes some reflections on deathSocrates says that there is good reason to hope that death is a goodHe offers a second dilemma argument

Socrates’ second dilemma argument

Premise One : Either death is a nothingness and utter unconsciousness or there is a change and migration of the soul from this world to anotherPremise two: If death is a nothingness and utter unconsciousness, then we have reason to hope that death is a goodPremise Three: If death is a change and migration of the soul from this world to another, then we have reason to hope that death is a goodConclusion: Either we have reason to hope that death is a good or we have a reason to hope that death is a good

Classroom Discussion Dilemma Argument

Get together in small groups of five or so and create a real or imagined DilemmaPut your dilemma into standard form and Discuss whether you can refute the dilemma by either grasping the dilemma by the horns or by escaping between the hornsSee presentation on working with Dilemmas for additional help

Websites of Interest

Aristophanes works – The Clouds is a satire about Socrates mentioned in ApologyOverview of Aristophanes The Oracle at Delphi and the role of the Priestess History of Oracle at DelphiCommentary on the ApologySocrates compared to Sophists