Socrates Contribution To The City In Plato's Apology

I am arguing that Socrates’ argument is sufficient to establish the truth of his conclusion that he has contributed to the city in Plato’s Apology. In the Apology, Socrates is being put on trial for his “crimes” against the city. He is already convicted of corrupting the youth and disbelieving in the gods and is awaiting his sentencing. Socrates wants to be given free meals for what he has not done for the city. He believes that what he has done is not worthy of death, but that he should be treated as a hero, like the heroes of Athens that are rewarded with free meals at the Prytaneum. The Prytaneum is the town hall in Athens, which is where distinguished citizens dine and meet. When asked for his opinion on his sentence he says he believes that he deserves to be rewarded for what he has done for the city instead of being punished for something he has not done.
Socrates does not live a life that he could be living because he does not want it to interfere with his work. He has dedicated the majority of his life to teaching the youth to see things differently. Socrates has focused on helping the well being of those around him by putting his life on hold. He never ran for any political positions and has devoted his life to the service of the city of Athens. (Plato, 40) He …show more content…
The Olympians make the citizens think that they are happy and then they get free meals. Socrates argues that he makes people happy by educating them. With education, a person can live a more fulfilling life. The citizens can learn more about the world around them and figure out new ways to improve their lifestyle. Education is very important because it can produce more opportunities within someone’s life. With education, a person is able to go out and change their community for the better, which in turn benefits the community as a whole. By educating the citizens of Athens, Socrates has directly benefited the