Reaction Paper #1- “Is Socrates guilty of corrupting the youth?”
Socrates was nonetheless an enigmatic figure in Athenian time. He was repeatedly slandered with the title of corrupting the Athenian youth, but the charges held against Socrates were indefinitely false, as his goal of education was to brighten the youth and open their eyes and question the values taught before them.
Throughout Socrates’ texts, his goal of education is to make his students question the world around them. He encourages his students to step away from the norm and formulate new ideals about the world around them. He does not only encourage his students to do so, but also encourages anyone who is willing to listen to his teachings. In fact, in Euthyphro, he even encourages …show more content…
Perhaps his prosecutors are only in anger since Socrates was able to educate many students and shed them in a new light. In the Apology, when Socrates speaks against Meletus and his accusers, he clearly points out that they are too in fact guilty of his supposed crime. Socrates says, “The assemblymen, do not corrupt the youth? Or do all those too make them better?” where he points out that the fact that just because they are judges doesn’t make them innocent of the crimes accused towards himself. He doesn’t stop there, he continues to prove that even the common population is guilty of similar wrong doings by saying, “Then all Athenians, as it appears, make noble and good except me, and I alone corrupt them”. In an effort to shed light on even his judges, he urges them to consider his philosophy (Plato …show more content…
If he subdues to politics, his teachings and all of his work will go without notice. He enforces so by speaking before the judges saying “Nothing prevents our telling tales to one another [for] as long as it is possible” (Page 94).
In Crito, Socrates battles with his friend, rendering whether his legacy and teachings will live long after his death. Even as Socrates awaits his death in his cell, he urges Crito to consider things more deeply. He questions Crito, “What then? Should one do evil or not, Crito?”, urging him to consider his philosophy and his view on acting against the law. He speaks to Crito saying, “And this echo of these speeches is booming within me and makes me more unable to hear the others,” in essence speaking as a true teacher that he would sacrifice himself in order for more people to be affected by his philosophy. (Plato 107) (Page 114)
Nevertheless, Socrates should have been ruled as innocent. Throughout every text, it is proven that he was simply an educator of the world, and wanted the youth to question their ideals and create new philosophies. He proves that he does not want us to limit ourselves to what is around us, but instead look at things in a different
Socrates was nonetheless an enigmatic figure in Athenian time. He was repeatedly slandered with the title of corrupting the Athenian youth, but the charges held against Socrates were indefinitely false, as his goal of education was to brighten the youth and open their eyes and question the values taught before them.
Throughout Socrates’ texts, his goal of education is to make his students question the world around them. He encourages his students to step away from the norm and formulate new ideals about the world around them. He does not only encourage his students to do so, but also encourages anyone who is willing to listen to his teachings. In fact, in Euthyphro, he even encourages …show more content…
Perhaps his prosecutors are only in anger since Socrates was able to educate many students and shed them in a new light. In the Apology, when Socrates speaks against Meletus and his accusers, he clearly points out that they are too in fact guilty of his supposed crime. Socrates says, “The assemblymen, do not corrupt the youth? Or do all those too make them better?” where he points out that the fact that just because they are judges doesn’t make them innocent of the crimes accused towards himself. He doesn’t stop there, he continues to prove that even the common population is guilty of similar wrong doings by saying, “Then all Athenians, as it appears, make noble and good except me, and I alone corrupt them”. In an effort to shed light on even his judges, he urges them to consider his philosophy (Plato …show more content…
If he subdues to politics, his teachings and all of his work will go without notice. He enforces so by speaking before the judges saying “Nothing prevents our telling tales to one another [for] as long as it is possible” (Page 94).
In Crito, Socrates battles with his friend, rendering whether his legacy and teachings will live long after his death. Even as Socrates awaits his death in his cell, he urges Crito to consider things more deeply. He questions Crito, “What then? Should one do evil or not, Crito?”, urging him to consider his philosophy and his view on acting against the law. He speaks to Crito saying, “And this echo of these speeches is booming within me and makes me more unable to hear the others,” in essence speaking as a true teacher that he would sacrifice himself in order for more people to be affected by his philosophy. (Plato 107) (Page 114)
Nevertheless, Socrates should have been ruled as innocent. Throughout every text, it is proven that he was simply an educator of the world, and wanted the youth to question their ideals and create new philosophies. He proves that he does not want us to limit ourselves to what is around us, but instead look at things in a different