Socrates - Apology and Crito

The Charges

• Heresy (A religious charge)
  • Mono vs. polytheistic perspectives
  • His "Divine" inner voice
  • His wisdom is based on his ignorance
  • A Sophist's Syllogism forms the bases of their charge
    • Forensic Rhetoric (seeking victory)
    • Philosophical Rhetoric (seeking truth)
• Corrupting the minds of the youth (A political charge)
  • Some of his former students became controversial radicals
  • Views on "public opinion" strike at the heart of Athenian democracy
    • Implications in democratic Athens
    • A horse training metaphor
    • How the masses act

The Defense

• Choosing right and wrong
  • A philosophical defense in a forensic medium
    • A trumped-up trial
    • Crito's plan
  • A phalanx metaphor
• The verdict
  • The trial's covert goal is to silence Socrates
    • Barter punishment
    • Opportunities to "win"
  • The verdict as a Socratic proof
    • Guilt by public opinion (winning votes) vs. truth (revealing truth)
    • Socratic sarcasm - "free maintenance"
• His opponents seek to win - Socrates seeks to reveal truth

The Value of the State

• Sanctity of the State
  • The Laws
    • Breaking laws undermines the state
    • Nobody seeks to live in a lawless state
    • Accepting abuse - The laws are good, it is the application of the laws that is wrong
    • A paternal metaphor
  • State's rights vs. individual rights
• Loyalty vs. Liberty

Humanities Resource of Mark Hunter