Socrates In Plato's Apology

In Plato’s dialogue Apology, Socrates stands trail to defend himself from the accusations of “corrupting the youth” and disregarding the Gods of the state. In his speech he tells the jury that an oracle at Delphi told Chaerephon a friend of Socrates that Socrates is a man of wisdom and no man is wiser than he is. To prove this cannot be true Socrates conducts cross examinations to find someone who is wiser than he is. Through these examinations Socrates mission and main points are to help people by exposing their ignorance to find wisdom, to find virtue, to find truth and to improve the soul. In the article, Socrates is presented as the wisest man of all. However to Socrates this cannot be true because he knows that he does not possess any wisdom. As Socrates begins to question men of politicians, poets and craftsmen he realizes that none of these men are wise. The difference between these men and Socrates is these men did not know many things and yet they believe they did. Socrates on the other hand knew he …show more content…
Socrates makes a statement that if the jury kills him it will not be easy to find another like him. However once he is sentenced to death he states there will be more accusers after he is gone. Is he not contradicting himself? Was he trying to spare his life even though he claimed to not fear death? Another statement that leaves me with questions is, in the beginning of Socrates speech he says that his friend asked an oracle if there is anyone wiser than Socrates. Socrates later mentions that an oracle or sign has been coming to him ever since he was a child, is this the same oracle? How did Socrates never know he was considered to be the wisest of them all if the oracle and or sign have been coming to him since he was a child? One statement that I did not understand, “…and made the worse appear the better cause” what did Socrates mean by