Apology Question 3

 Primary text:

Apology

Question:

What does the oracle say about Socrates?  Who is the only wise person according to Socrates?

Answers:

The Phythian priestess said there was no one wiser than Socrates. 

"I shall call upon the god at Delphi as witness to the existence and nature of my wisdom, if it be such. You know Chaerephon. He was my friend from youth, and the friend of most of you, as he shared your exile and your return. You surely know the kind of man he was, how impulsive in any course of action. He went to Delphi at one time and ventured to ask the oracle—as I say, gentlemen, do not create a disturbance—he asked if any man was wiser than I, and the Pythian replied that no one was wiser." (See Apology 20e - 21b)

Socrates says that the god is the wisest. The oracle at Delphi said that no one was wiser than Socrates. Socrates concluded that the god alone is truly wise, and that he is “wisest” only in the sense that he recognizes that human wisdom is worth little or nothing.

"As a result of this investigation, men of Athens, I acquired much unpopu-larity, of a kind that is hard to deal with and is a heavy burden; many slanders 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. What is probable, gentlemen, is that in fact the god is wise and that his oracular response meant that human wisdom is worth little or nothing, and that when he says this man, Socrates, he is using my name as an example, as if he said: “This man among you, mortals, is wisest who, like Socrates, understands that his wisdom is worthless.” So even now I continue this investigation as the god bade me—and I go around seeking out anyone, citizen or stranger, whom I think wise. Then if I do not think he is, I come to the assistance of the god and show him that he is not wise. Because of this occupation, I do not have the leisure to engage in public affairs to any extent, nor indeed to look after my own, but I live in great poverty because of my service to the god." (See Apology 23b)

Reference:

Plato (1997). Plato: Complete Works. Hackett Publishing. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781603846707

Apology Question 2

Primary text:

Apology 

Question:

What does Socrates try to get the others to recognize about their knowledge?

Answer:

Socrates inquired many who had good reputation, one man after another, including the artisans, and selected individuals for examination, who think they know but know nothing about the meaning of their words and poetry. 

Socrates tries to get others to recognize that they believe they possess wisdom when they actually do not. Through questioning politicians, poets, and artisans, he shows that true wisdom consists in recognizing one’s own ignorance rather than falsely claiming knowledge.

"After the politicians, I went to the poets, the writers of tragedies and dithyrambs and the others, intending in their case to catch myself being more ignorant than they. So I took up those poems with which they seemed to have taken most trouble and asked them what they meant, in order that I might at the same time learn some-thing from them. I am ashamed to tell you the truth, gentlemen, but I must. Almost all the bystanders might have explained the poems better than their authors could. I soon realized that poets do not compose their poems with knowledge, but by some inborn talent and by inspiration, like seers and prophets who also say many fine things without any understand-ing of what they say. The poets seemed to me to have had a similar experience. At the same time I saw that, because of their poetry, they thought themselves very wise men in other respects, which they were not. So there again I withdrew, thinking that I had the same advantage over them as I had over the politicians." (See Apology 22b - 22c)

Reference:

Plato (1997). Plato: Complete Works. Hackett Publishing. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781603846707

Apology Question 1

Primary text: 

Apology

Question: 

With what crimes was Socrates charged at his trial?

Answer: 

According to the Apology, Socrates was charged with being an evil doer, a curious person, who seeks things under heaven and earth, and makes the bad appear good; and, he was said to teach others these things. 

According to the Apology, Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth and not believing in the gods of Athens, while introducing new divine beings. He was also popularly accused of studying things in the sky and below the earth, making the worse argument appear stronger, and teaching others to do the same.

"It goes something like this: Socrates is guilty of wrongdoing in that he busies himself studying things in the sky and below the earth; he makes the worse into the stronger argument, and he teaches these same things to others." (See Apology 19b - 19c)

Reference:

Plato (1997). Plato: Complete Works. Hackett Publishing. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781603846707