Category: Select One... American History Biographies Book Reports Business English History Other Miscellaneous Music And Movies Philosophy Psychology Religion Science Social Issues Technology
Below is one of our free research papers on Category: Select One... American History Biographies Book Reports Business English History Other Miscellaneous Music And Movies Philosophy Psychology Religion Science Social Issues Technology. If the term paper below is not exactly what you're looking for, you can search our essay database for other topics or order a custom essay.
Related Essays
-
John Stuart Mills
Life John Stuart Mill was born in Pentonville, then a suburb of London. He was the eldest son of James Mill, a Scotsman who had come to London and become a...
-
Bla
Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail--a rhetorical analysis In the following text, here is the color key: Purple: the opposition's arguments Red: use...
-
A Letter From Jail
While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I...
-
Letter Written By Mlk From Birmingham City Jail, Alabama
Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and...
-
Mlk
While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I...
Category: Select One... American History Biographies Book Reports Business English History Other Miscellaneous Music And Movies Philosophy Psychology Religion Science Social Issues Technology
PLATO'S SOCRATES: THE APOLOGY: THE CONSCIENCE OF A COMMUNITY
1. The Greek word apologia means "speech before." The Apology is Socrates' "speech before" the assembly, his "defense" speech. In Greek law courts, citizens served as their own defense attorneys (or prosecutors, if they were the ones bringing the indictment). There were many versions of Socrates' speech; many writers wrote "apologies" (Xenophon the general wrote one version; most other versions did not survive). Given Plato's reverence for Socrates, we can trust that in Plato's version, he is presenting the true "essence" of Socrates, even if all of the account is not "historically accurate." According to Plato, the essence of Socrates and his mission is more important than whether this or that word or action really happened. It should be noted that the Apology is not a "dialogue" in the strict sense, in the manner of Plato's other dialogues. Socrates is doing most of the speaking. In fact, this is a sign that, to some extent, communication with his fellow citizens had broken down. Nor can Socrates hope to "educate" the whole crowd of 501 judges (citizens chosen to hear this case). Socrates generally helps others by cross-examining them one at a time.
2. Legal speech (using clever words in order to secure some private advantage, even to save one's life) resembles but is not the same as Socratic speech (cross-examining in order to reach the truth). Socratic speech aims not at flattery and persuasion (getting another person to agree with you), but at the cooperative pursuit of some truth that one does not already possess. In a sense, Socrates is being put on trial for having put the city on trial -- citizen by citizen -- in the marketplace. Socrates has done to/for the citizens of Athens what they have failed to do to/for themselves -- accuse themselves of impiety and failure to improve the youth -- and cross-examine themselves regarding their attitude toward the most important things -- moral...
View Full Essay