Socrate's Apology
...from the Anthenian justice system. Through years of questioning and just investigation, Socrates now faces the death penalty for his behavior. He now faces a choice ; To abuse the justice system to his advantage, or expose fundamental flaws in anthenian democracy? Socrates's defence was not succesful in avoiding the death sentence, but it was sucessful in displaying political and philosophical flaws in the views of the Anthenian people and its democratic system. This essay will discuss Socrates's intention during his trial, his defences against the accusations and their contributions to his main argument, and the point developments of his argument against the politics of Anthens.
Before analyzing Socrates's defence, it is necessary to clarify his purpose. From the beginning, it is evident that Socrates has no direct intention of avoiding the truth to save himself. He understands perfectly what charges are laid against him and what he needs to bring forward. “What you hear will be extemporaneously in whatever words come to mind, and let none of you expect me to do otherwise – for I put my trust in the justice of what I say (Plato, Apology 17c).” By firmly assesing this fact before the start of his defence, Socrates lays down a base of slight elitism, stating he will not take the road that many before him have taken when faced with a trial. By communicating this, he is possibly leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of his prosecutors. This can then be viewed as foreshadowing to not only Socrates's presentation of the theoritical argument regarding politics and philosophy, but also to the ultimate outcome in this trial. Socrates has now pointed out that he will not sugarcoat his defence, nor act in a way that would go against his character. He has made the decision that he will face the death sentence without tricking his audience into thinking otherwise....
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