By: Plato

What are your observations? What can you infer based off of your observations? What do you predict “The Apology” will be about?

“The only thing I know is that I know nothing” - Socrates  Foremost thinkers of his time  Wandered the streets unbathed and dressed in rags questioning people about their ideas and values  Compared himself to a gladfly because he knew he was annoying.  Teacher who refused to receive money  Method was to teach by questioning  Socrates argued with people  Took apart what they knew and revealed their ignorance (Socratic Method)

 The Delphic Oracle: "There is no person living wiser than Socrates."  Socrates interpreted this response as indicating he was wise because he knows he was not wise.  If knowledge can be learned, so can virtue. Thus, virtue can be taught.  The unexamined life is not worth living. One must seek knowledge and wisdom before private interests.  We seek the good, but fail to achieve it by ignorance or lack of knowledge as to how to obtain it.

 Trial occurred in 399 B.C.  People in Athens were threatened by him because he was a skillful speaker  Socrates is on trial for two accusations:  Socrates was found guilty of impiety (not worshipping the gods the state worships), corruption of the youth (infusing into the young persons the spirit of criticism of Athenian society)  During the trial, he was sentenced to death

 His writing has survived practically undamaged and more completely than any other ancient Greek writer  Studied under Socrates for eight years  Since Socrates never write down his teachings, Plato did it for him  Wrote down Socrates’ discussions so he wouldn’t be forgotten (“The Apology”) “Is there a perfect world?”- Plato

 Considered the most influential thinker in the history of the Western culture  Wrote The Apology (the defense of Socrates), the Crito (on Socrates' willingness to die), and Phaedo (on immortality)  Focused his energy and study on The Academy  First University in the Western world

 All actions are brought by private individuals  No formal prosecutors or district attorneys  Power is in the hands of the jury (501 jurors)  Free adult male citizens who show up  Trial procedure  Individuals make their speeches  The defendant makes his/her speech (where “The Apology” begins)  After the defense, the jury votes innocent or guilty  Only majority is needed (Socrates is convicted with only 30 more votes)  The individuals propose a punishment that is fitting  Socrates gets the death penalty  The defendant can propose an alternative punishment  Socrates was condemned to death