...familiar saying that Socrates said at his trial for heresy, that is, encouraging his students to challenge the accepted beliefs and think of themselves instead and this led to his death sentence. Socrates could have avoided death by choosing life in prison or exile but he refused claiming that, these alternatives will prevent him from examining the world around him and see how to make the world a better place. He argued that with the absence of his examined life will, there was no value of living. Therefore, Socrates claimed that for a human being to live a worthy life, everyone should question, examine and re-examine the values of their lives daily (Kamtekar, 154). This paper explores the meaning and the significance of the Socrates claim that “the unexamined life is not worth living” focusing on the Apology and Euthyphro. The words, ‘the unexamined life is not worth living’ by Socrates comes from Plato’s Apology when Socrates is sentenced to death after being accused of corrupting the youth and impiety (Ahbel-Rappe & Rachana, 229). Patterson posits that apology is one historical account of Socrates’ defense during his trial (Patterson, 16), and these words appear at the end of the Apology when Socrates is going through possible punishments for charges against him. Socrates utters these words when the jury has already found him guilty and has to decide on what kind of punishment to impose on him (Ahbel-Rappe & Rachana, 229), which was agreed to be a death sentence. After...
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...Piety The dialogue for this essay stems from two men meeting in the Kings court, as they were both awaiting trial. While waiting Socrates is astonished to learn that Euthyphro is there to bring charges against his own father for murdering one of the families’ field hands. In this essay I will give my interpretation of piety, and explain how there is no right, or wrong meaning for the term piousness. The conference between Socrates, and Euthyphro was held on the porch of King Archon, Euthyphro was surprised to see Socrates, and inquired why he was there. “Surely you cannot be concerned in a suit before the King, like myself” (Plato). Socrates explains to Euthyphro that a young bearded beaked man is prosecuting him for corrupting young Athenians. One of the accusations that Meletus is holding against Socrates is that he was a great poet, maker of Gods, which the he invented new ones, and denied the existence of the present ones. For his wrongdoing, his actions were grounds for indictment. Socrates asks again of Euthyphro why is he dwelling in the courtyard of the King. Euthyphro explains that he is there to prosecute his father for murdering one of the families’ field hands. He goes on to say that, there was a disagreement between his families’ workers. On this particular evening, the field hand was intoxicated, entered into a quarrel with the houses domestic, and attacked him. My father was fearful for the workers life and he bound his hands, and feet to a wooden plank and...
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...youth will be making the decisions later on down the road after all of the elders die off. This is the reason why the citizens are very concerned about Socrates. The elders believe that Socrates is going to be the reason why the youth will be corrupted. But Socrates does not see how he could be the reason for the corruption of the youth because he always claims to not have any knowledge of anything. In Plato’s The Euthyphro, Socrates has a conversation with Euthyphro about what piety and impiety is. Socrates wanted Euthyphro to be his teacher and teach him everything he knows because he claims that he knows all there is to be known about what piety and impiety is. Therefore, Euthyphro teaches him everything that he knows about what it means to be pious and impious. After he starts to explain everything to him Socrates is not satisfied with any of his definitions that he has proposed to him, so Socrates starts to question him even more, and ask for a better definition. This back and forth conversation goes on for a while, and from Socrates questioning Euthyphro so much, Euthyphro himself starts to question everything that he knows about what it means to be pious and impious. Euthyphro was going to prosecute his very own father for unintentionally killed Euthyphro’s slave that killed one of his father’s slaves. After Socrates questioned him so many different times about what it means to be pious impious it seems that Euthyphro has come to the understanding of how prosecuting...
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...Socrates Search for the Meaning of Piety Despite that there are a significant amount of atheists, religions and cultures throughout the world, piety is still relevant to today’s society. But what does it really mean? Euthyphro is a strong believer that he contains the divine knowledge of what the God’s deliberate to be pious. Euthyphro provided numerous definitions to Socrates throughout the dialogue, none of which seemed to satisfy Socrates. I will analyze the transitions and the circular pattern of conversation between Socrates and Euthyphro, where they are attempting to make a reasonable definition of the term “piety” and try to articulate what it really means. In order to define piety, it is necessary to understand what role the gods played in Athens’ society during Socrates and Euthyphro’s existence. All of society’s wrong doers were seen as insulting the gods. It was considered to be ungodly to do things like hurting your own families or city because these things were considered to be sacred by the gods. This led the wrong doers to be indicted for the sake of the gods. Many of these aspects of piety were unknown to Socrates, which is why he seeks the divine knowledge of Euthyphro. Socrates believes that if he is able to explain to the courts that he has learned the true meaning of piety that his charges may get dismissed. Euthyphro’s first definition of piety that he presented to Socrates referred to Euthyphro prosecuting his father for manslaughter. Euthyphro...
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...Euthyphro’s well-known impasse pertaining to the characteristic of piety is one of the many dialogues written by the Greek philosopher Plato detailing the pursuit for wisdom by his mentor, Socrates. This well-known impasse regarding the nature of piety presents the question of whether or not piety is an act or thing loved by the gods? Regardless if an act is considered right or wrong, the truth or a lie, just or unjust, and holy or unholy, all are the basis of contentious debates difficult within society. Finding common ground within these oppositions can be challenging because of the diversity of cultural, religious, and moral values, and beliefs in society. Such is the situation with Socrates and Euthyphro. Plato’s Euthyphro is a discussion that takes place in the Athens courtyard prior to Socrates trial. Socrates faces charges in Athens with impeity for corrupting the youth, and falsifying new Gods. Euthyphro is appearing in court involving prosecution of a case against his own father for impiety. His father permitted a worker, responsible for allowing the death of a slave, restrained in a ditch, by command of Euthyprho’s father who had sent a messenger to ask a priest what to do with him. Before the messenger could return, the prisoner died from hunger and exposure. Socrates is not convinced that Euthyphro is doing the pious thing by prosecuting his father for murder. He urges Euthyphro to teach him about holiness, so he can make his own decision if Euthyphro’s actions...
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...badness of the motives and ends of such actions. Socrates discusses this many times in his teachings, specifically in the readings, Euthyphro, the Apology, the Crito and the Phaedo. Socrates’ main question was “What is the good life?” and his pursuit was to find out how to live this “good life”. Socrates’ pursuit of the “good life” helped him to identify knowledge with virtue. He equated knowledge with good or virtue and ignorance with bad or evil. Since no one would knowingly harm themselves, if harm came to a person, then that person must have acted in ignorance. This led him to the thought that if knowledge could be learned, so could virtue. This meant that virtue could be taught, so Socrates had conversations with anyone who boasted about being an expert of a certain subject. This would lead him to gain more knowledge (virtue), which in turn would help him in his goal to lead and teach “the good life”. In the Euthyphro, Socrates starts chatting with a man who is in court to prosecute his father for murder. This man, Euthyphro, claims to be an expert on piety (an expert of religious knowledge), and since Socrates is being prosecuted for impiety, he thinks he will learn how to escape prosecution from this expert. Socrates asks Euthyphro for a universal definition of piety, both for his own personal gain (for his defense against the charge of impiety) and also for the benefit of everyone, for knowing the definition of piety would help everyone in the pursuit of living a...
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...An Analysis of Euthyphro – Plato It is believed that the theological discussion between Socrates and Euthyphro is one of the most famous Socratic discussions. The discussion is focused on what is piety or holiness asked by Socrates. Socrates engages Euthyphro to help him understand what piety is as he admits he does not know, in order to help with his case against him. Socrates attempts to grasp an understanding of this elusive concept and uses logic to understand what holiness is as provided by Euthyphro who, in his mind, is acting pious. The concept of holiness in the dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro emerges while both men are waiting on the porch of the King Archon where Socrates has been called to court on charges of impiety by Meletus Euthyphro has come to prosecute his own father for having unintentionally killed a murderous hired hand. Socrates flatters Euthyphro, suggesting that Euthyphro must be a great expert in religious matters if he is willing to prosecute his own father on so questionable a charge. Euthyphro concurs that he does indeed know all there is to be known about what is holy. Socrates urges Euthyphro to instruct him and to teach him what holiness is, since Euthyphro's teaching might help Socrates in his trial against Meletus. First, Euthyphro suggests that holiness is persecuting religious offenders. Socrates finds this definition unsatisfying, since there are many holy deeds aside from that of persecuting offenders...
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...In Plato’s Apology Socrates is being tried by Anytus and Meletus for two new charges: “corrupting the young, and not acknowledging the gods of the city acknowledges, but new daimonic activities instead” (Morgan 2005, 51). Throughout Plato’s Apology and Euthyphro Socrates uses complex rhetoric to challenge the charges brought against him based on his thoughts and understanding of what is right and wrong. He never once states he is not guilty nor does he provide reasons to support his innocence. He suggests rather that he is on a divine mission stating “this is what the god orders me to do, and I think there is no greater blessing for the city than my service to the god” (Morgan 2005, 55). Socrates uses his trial as an opportunity to show inconsistencies in the charges themselves, through questioning his accusers. Socrates remains true to him-self, a philosopher, and finds fulfillment out of the process rather than the outcome “…for the unexamined life is not worth living for men…” (Morgan 2005, 60) Socrates should be found guilty as his intentions to continue to practice the life of a philosopher may not have been morally wrong, his methods however unlawful during Athenian times. Socrates was not a member of a modern day society where innovative thought was encouraged, and freedom of speech tolerated. He chose to be a member of Athenian society therefore needed to conform to the requirements set out by the city. Suggesting other God’s and questioning the Gods of the city do not...
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...Writing Prompt : Socrates and “True Knowledge” With the notion of philosophy and the studying of philosophy it is well known that it is powerful and dangerous. Philosophy has many reasons for its importance such as how to understand your ideas, the origin of your ideas, how to contrast arguments. Philosophy can also help you defend arguments, read it, build your position and understand it. Philosophy is used for the betterment of the world, gender, race, civilization, town, state, country, etc. But in order to practice philosophy you need parrhesia and you need philosophy to practice parrhesia, they come hand in hand with each other. There have been many imperative philosophers that gave us the knowledge and foundation for our study of philosophy today, such as Plato, Aristotle, and among them Socrates. Socrates was an interesting philosopher and his main focus before his death was to find true knowledge and he believed that there was only certain acts of statements that qualified as such. In Socrates work, parrhesia worked as a big role in his work as parrhesia is also known as fearless speech. This form is merged with the courage to face danger in circumstances of life or death. Parrhesia consists of the individual to speak the truth courageously in spite of danger and in its extreme form in life or death. It creates the chance to take the form of criticism to another or oneself, but always in a situation where the speaker is in a position of inferiority. Socrates fits the character...
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...Euthyphro By Plato（Written 380 B.C.E） Euthyphro. Why have you left the Lyceum, Socrates? and what are you doing in the Porch of the King Archon? Surely you cannot be concerned in a suit before the King, like myself? Socrates. Not in a suit, Euthyphro; impeachment is the word which the Athenians use. Euth. What! I suppose that some one has been prosecuting you, for I cannot believe that you are the prosecutor of another. Soc. Certainly not. Euth. Then some one else has been prosecuting you? Soc. Yes. Euth. And who is he? Soc. A young man who is little known, Euthyphro; and I hardly know him: his name is Meletus, and he is of the deme of Pitthis. Perhaps you may remember his appearance; he has a beak, and long straight hair, and a beard which is ill grown. Euth. No, I do not remember him, Socrates. But what is the charge which he brings against you? Soc. What is the charge? Well, a very serious charge, which shows a good deal of character in the young man, and for which he is certainly not to be despised. He says he knows how the youth are corrupted and who are their corruptors. I fancy that he must be a wise man, and seeing that I am the reverse of a wise man, he has found me out, and is going to accuse me of corrupting his young friends. And of this our mother the state is to be the judge. Of all our political men he is the only one who seems to me to begin in the right way, with the cultivation of virtue in youth; like a good husbandman...
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...Socrates – An Ethics Philosopher Socrates – An Ethics Philosopher In the world of business accounting, ethics plays a major role in the daily operations of a business. Not only are businesses responsible for incorporating ethical standards into their operations, but accountants are also responsible for ensuring they perform in an ethical manner. So often, there is a thin line between what is considered ethical and what is considered unethical, especially when a company is considering profit over ethics. However, top level professionals or accountants hold the power to set the tone at the top, lead by example, and provide a standard or code of ethics for peers to follow without hesitation that will ultimately lead to profits earned in an ethical fashion. In efforts to make reasonable decisions and set reasonable standards of ethics, some professionals and accountants may turn to the philosophy of ethics, and the philosophers who have contributed to this subject matter. One of the many great philosophers who have contributed a great deal of insight into the field of ethics is Socrates. Socrates, a Greek philosopher and logician, was born in 469 Before Common Era (B.C.E.). When Socrates reached the age of eighteen, he was presented to examined and entered onto the citizens' roll, making him eligible for the many tasks of government determined by lot or required of all citizens, beginning with two years of compulsory training in the Athenian militia (SEP, 2009). After...
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...The Death of Socrates vs. The Death of Perpetua Civil disobedience has been a common element in human behavior. From the time of antiquity to the present, people lash out in various ways against standards that society has placed upon citizens. Two ancient examples of disobedient actions come from different ages revered for standards that hold today and provide a basis for modern law; the Greek and ancient Roman empires. From the Greeks, we have come to know the story of Socrates as memorialized by Plato, and the Roman age was the time of Perpetua, an early Christian woman. The fate of those individuals is the same – a death sentence handed down by the society they lived in. Although the conclusion of their respective lives is the same, the differences that lie in the reasoning of their death run deeper, with several key factors impacting their individual destiny. As we will see, these factors affect their relationship to the states and time periods they existed. Understanding the differences between Socrates and Perpetua rests in two major elements. The first one is the role of religion and understanding of deities. Their respective beliefs affected their relationship with the state that decided their deaths. Beginning with Socrates, we must first remember that Greek society was polytheistic. Standards such as monotheism in Catholic terms did not exist. There were Gods that ruled over emotions, the land, sea, and even realms outside of human reach, such as Zeus in heaven and...
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...“Apology” professes to be a record of the actual speech that Socrates delivered in his own defense during his trial and conviction before a jury of 501 men in Athens. Socrates was charged with corrupting the youth of Athens and introducing strange gods to the city. Socrates addresses the men of Athens as follows: “Do not create a disturbance, gentleman, even if you think I am boasting, for the story I shall tell does not originate with me, but I will refer you to a trustworthy source. I shall call upon the god of Delphi as witness to the existence and nature of my wisdom, if it be such. You know Chaerephon; he was my friend from youth, and a friend of most you, as he shared your exile and your return. You surely know the kind of man he was, how impulsive in any course of action. He went to Delphi at one time and ventured to ask the oracle – as I say, gentlemen, do not create a disturbance – he asked if any man was wiser than I, and the Pythian replied that no one was wiser. Chaerephon is dead, but his brother, will testify to you about this.” (Plato 25-26) Socrates recounts to the men of Athens how he took this news with great puzzlement. “What can the god mean? And what is the interpretation of this riddle? What can the oracle mean when he says that I am the wisest of men?” Socrates knew the oracle could not lie, and yet he thought that he had no particular wisdom or specialized knowledge at all So Socrates set out on a quest with two goals in mind: 1) To disprove...
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...Questioning vs. Acceptance, Truth vs. Balance: A Comparison of East and West Canyon Law Western cultures have historically differed greatly from their far Eastern counterparts in several ways, be it in lifestyle, government, or worldview. These noticeable differences can be attributed to the West’s and East’s own unique philosophical backgrounds. While Western philosophers such as Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Socrates put large emphasis on the ideals of questioning authority in the search for truth, Eastern dogma—as reflected by Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism—assert very different, conflicting values focused on acceptance and obedience of superiors. Because of this disparity of thought process, East and West subscribe to very different schools of thought with regards to individualism, rationalism, and democracy. Jon Stuart Mill, in his book On Liberty, promotes the importance of constant debate of ideas. He argues that all opinions must be heard, whether they are from the majority or a minority of beliefs. He states that, “Judgment is given to men that they may use it… To prohibit what they think pernicious is not claiming from error, but fulfilling the duty incumbent on them, although fallible, of acting on their conscientious conviction. If we were never to act on our opinions, because those opinions may be wrong, we should leave all our interests uncared for, and all our duties underperformed.” (p. 18). In this passage, Mill argues that “judgment,” in this case the...
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...(428/427 BC – 348/ 347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, the second of the great trio of ancient Greeks –Socrates, Plato, originally named Aristocles, and Aris- totle– who between them laid the philosophical foundations of Western culture. Plato was also a mathematician, writer of philosophical dia- logues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the western world. Plato is widely believed to have been a student of Socrates and to have been deeply influenced by his teacher's unjust death. Plato's brilliance as a writer and thinker can be witnessed by reading his Socratic dialogues. Some of the dialogues, let- ters, and other works that are ascribed to him are considered spurious. Plato is thought to have lectured at the Academy, although the pedago- gical function of his dialogues, if any, is not known with certainty. They have historically been used to teach philosophy, logic, rhetoric, mathem- atics, and other subjects about which he wrote. Source: Wikipedia Also available on Feedbooks for Plato: • The Complete Plato (-347) • The Republic (-380) • Symposium(-400) • Charmides(-400) • Protagoras(-400) • Statesman(-400) • Ion(-400) • Crito(-400) • Meno(-400) • Phaedo(-400) Note: This book is brought to you by Feedbooks http://www.feedbooks.com Strictly for personal use, do not use this file for commercial purposes. 2 Socrates' Defense How you have felt, O men of Athens, at hearing the speeches of my ac- cusers, I cannot tell;...
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