ETHICS
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Plato's Apology
Trial and Death of Socrates
Philosophy vs. Sophistry
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Outline
• Group Exercise
• Characters / Background
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Group Exercise
Imagine you've been wrongfully accused of academic
dishonesty. Your Professor and College know you're
guilty, but are willing to "hear your side" at a hearing.
If you're found guilty, ALL of your academic credits
will be revoked and a formal reprimand letter detailing
your cheating will be sent to every college and
university in the world.
What do you do?
Formulate your defense strategy.
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Ancient Athens - Introduction Plato's Apology
The Characters
• Socrates
– Philosopher, pro se defendant
– Apologia (Greek) = self-defense speech
– Ask yourself: who and/or what is on trial?
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Ancient Athens - Introduction Plato's Apology
The Characters
• Meletus
– Prosecutor role
– Puppet of Anytus (politician)
– Charged Socrates
• Atheism
• Corrupting the youth of Athens
– Sophist
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Sophist – Defined / Key features
• Person hired to argue or defend a position
• Does NOT care about truth of the matter…
• Only want to win the argument!
– Polished and skilled rhetoric
– Play on imagery and emotions
– Gets paid for his services
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Ancient Athens - Introduction Plato's Apology
The Book
Plato's Apology has three (3) parts:
Part I – Socrates's Main Defense
Defense rests; jury decides guilty/not guilty
Part II – Sentencing Pleas
Jury hears punishment proposals & decides
Part III – Socrates's Final Remarks
Confront his accusers and jury-at-large
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Outline (continued)
• Athenian Courts
• Part I – Socrates's Main Defense
– Rhetoric vs. Philosophy
– Divine Paradox
– "Socrates the Horse Trainer"
– "Socrates the Soldier"
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Athenian Courts
• Very large jury = 501 jurors
• Served as both jury (weigh evidence) and judge
(ruling/sentencing)
• Allowed pro se defense (even death penalty cases!)
• No formal rules of evidence/procedure
– E.g., Character attacks okay
– E.g., Hearsay is okay
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
Rhetoric vs. Philosophy
Read pg. 9
Discussion:
• What is Socrates's opening argument here?
• How is he "framing" himself and Meletus? Why?
• Do you agree with Socrates?
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
Meletus (sophist) Socrates (philosopher)
• Uses rhetoric
• Aim is to persuade you
• Practiced language
• Polished words & phrases
• Uses philosophy
• Aim is to find the truth
• Unpracticed, "off the cuff"
• Plain-spoken
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Divine Paradox"
Background – Oracle at Delphi & Pythia
Read pgs. 11-13
Discussion:
• What was Chaerephon's question for the Oracle?
• What was the Oracle's response?
• Whose words are these? The Oracle's?
• How did Socrates react to the Oracle's answer?
• Why is it called the "Divine Paradox"?
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
How does Socrates solve the "Divine Paradox"?
• "I am the wisest man simply because I admit of only
one thing: that I know nothing."
• Ultimate Socratic Irony!
• Humility, then, is an important
component of being truly wise.
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
What does Socrates think is his mission?
Read pg. 13
Discussion:
• How does Socrates proceed?
• What does he see as his divine duty?
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Divine Paradox" – more Socratic Irony!
• Wait, isn't Socrates supposed to be an atheist?
• If Socrates claims his wisdom comes from
knowing nothing, then why is he so confident that
he knows what the gods/Oracle want from him?
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Socrates the Horse Trainer"
Background – Argument by analogy
Read pg. 14
Discussion:
• What is Socrates claiming?
• Who's best positioned to train the Athenian youth?
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Socrates the Soldier"
Another argument by analogy
Read pg. 17
Discussion:
• What is Socrates claiming?
• Can Socrates "abandon his post" and ignore the
Oracle's decree? Why not?
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Outline (continued)
• Part I – Socrates's Main Defense (cont'd)
– "Socrates the Gadfly"
– Defense Rests
• Part II – Sentencing Pleas
• Part III – Socrates's Final Remarks
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Socrates the Gadfly"
"Socrates, we'll let you go but on one condition –
you must stop philosophizing." Socrates's answer?
Read bottom pg.17 – 18
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Part I (Socrates's Main Defense)
"Socrates the Gadfly"
Read pg. 18
Key questions:
Who/what is the horse? The fly?
Who/what is Socrates trying to save?
How exactly will he save them/it?
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"Socrates the Gadfly" (explained)
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Defense Rests / Jury's Verdict
Socrates's defense rests. How do you think he did?
Athenian custom = plead for mercy! Do you think
Socrates follows this custom?
Verdict? By what margin? (see bottom pg. 21)
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Part II (Sentencing Pleas)
Athenian procedure = if verdict is guilty, each side
offers up what they think punishment should be.
What punishment does Meletus ask for?
Does he really want that?
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Part II (Sentencing Pleas)
What punishment does Socrates ask for?
Read pgs. 21 – 22
Discussion:
• What punishment does Socrates ask for?
• How will jury react to his proposal?
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Part II (Sentencing Pleas)
Socrates's Basic Argument
If I was wrong to question people, then the gods
would've stopped me. But, the gods did not stop me.
Therefore, I am not doing wrong to question people.
What arg. form is this? Modus Tollens
Read bottom pg. 22
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Jury's Punishment
Jury deliberates punishment. What did they decide?
Answer: Penalty is death
Wider margin (281 for death; 220 pay fine)
Source: Diogenes Laertius (Greek historian)
Socrates (paraphrasing):
"If you just wait, you'll soon get what you want…"
"History will condemn you and your actions…"
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Part III (Socrates's Final Remarks)
"Avoiding death vs. Avoiding wickedness"
Read pg. 23
Discussion:
• Which is easier to avoid: death or wickedness?
• Which is more important to avoid?
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Part III (Socrates's Final Remarks)
"Socrates and Death" – Read bottom pg. 23
• What is Socrates saying here?
• Who will rise up and take his place?
• Read last sentence. Compare to first sentence.
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Copyright stuff
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