1. The Apology Title – The Defense Author – Plato (428 B.C. to 348 B.C)
Genre – Historical Fiction
Setting – Athens, the court 399 B.C.
Protagonist – Socrates
The Accusers – Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon

2. Socrates
Born – 469 B. C.
Mother was a midwife, father was a stonecutter
Soldier in major Athenian wars. Fierce in battle
Practiced “philosophy” for 30 years.
No job, no Shoes, unkempt hair and beard, dirty tunic, quite an ugly guy.
Sentenced to death and killed in 399 B. C. at the age of 70

3. The Apology Part 1: The False image of Socrates
Formal Charges: Corrupting the youth and impiety.
Real Charges: Being a sophist and a student of nature
Socrates claims that he is a not a scientist and not a sophist. Why?
If he is neither of these, just what does he do?

4. The Oracle at Delphi

5. Socrates’ response to Delphi
1. Questions a man with a high reputation for wisdom [Ethics- what is a good person? What is a fair society? How should I live? What is courage? What is honesty?] Socrates, “I was wiser than this man, in one respect. He thought he knew, whereas I know that I don’t know.” Ignorance – Thinking you know, when you don’t. Wisdom – Knowing that you don’t know.

6. The Socratic Mission
The Unexamined Life is not worth living!

7. Socrates Confronts Meletus

8. Socratic Method 1. Pose a question about a claim. “What is X”?
- The answer to the question must be an essential definition
2. Find a counter example to the definition provided in (1).
3. The counter example shows that the definition (in #1) is false (at least in part) or incomplete
4. Change the definition to account for the counter example
5. Repeat 2-4 as long as you possibly can