Richard AmponsahProfessor C. SibilinCult. Diversity 2106 June 2009Essay 2
Defense on Socrates
There are times in every mans life where our actions and beliefs collide. These collisions are known as contradictions. There are endless instances in which we are so determined to make a point that we resort to using absurd overstatements and false accusations in our arguments. This tendency to contradict ourselves often questions our character and morals. Similarly in the Trial of Socrates, in Plato’s Apology, Meletus’ fallacies in reason and his eventual mistakes of contracting himself will clear the accusation placed on Socrates. Socrates was charged of impiety, for not believing in the gods of the state and by looking to new divinities. In Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates sorts answer to impiety on the basis of questioning of the state gods. In this paper, I will argue that Socrates is not guilty of not believing in the state gods since he believes in divine agents related to the gods of the state, and he was merely expressing his thoughts and using Athens’ democracy and freedom of speech to the finest point.
The first main argument in support of the thesis is that Socrates’ references to God run throughout his recorded statements. Throughout his apology, Socrates often refers to gods that others believe in and even swears his innocence to them. One of the first references he makes is when he explains that the reason he preaches his beliefs is because “he is the gift from God; and that he is the gadfly which God has attached to the state” ( apology, pg 31). In addition to the God, he even swears his innocence and believes in the oracle(Apollo) at Delphi. Thus since he believes in the oracle , which is divine agent related to the gods of the state, he is absolutely innocent and being unjustly accused. Critics may see Socrates as the advocate of false worship gods with the unspecified mentioning of “God” which may...