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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