Locate one instance where Socrates used untruth and justified it as truth
The Apology
The apology is an account of the Socratic speech made during his trial in Athens in 339 B.C. In this trial, Socrates was charged with failing to recognize the gods that were recognized by the state, corrupting the Athenian youths, and invention of new deities. Nevertheless, these charges against Socrates were untrue. The term apology in this case refers to defense as opposed to the usual apology used in modern English. Socrates was defending himself in his speech. He recognized his ignorance in most of the worldly affairs, and makes a conclusion that he must be the wisest of all men, but he knows nothing. This is the untrue statement that Socrates proved as true during this trial.
Socrates had gained sufficient admiration and fame from the youth in Athens and equal hatred as he angered the supposed wise men with embarrassment. He believed that he was the wisest of all men and disregarded the wisdom of all other men. He spoke a noble lie in the court, and used personal appeals of his ignorance of the matters relating to the courts and their procedures, but maintained that the oracle at Delphi’s prophecy that claimed that he was the wisest of all men. This was a fact that the courts could not prove wrong or right, since there was no evidence refuting his claims.
If I were present during this trial, I would explain to Socrates that the fact that he accepted his ignorance in the matters relating to the courts and other earthly phenomena implies that he is not the wisest of all men. That in itself implied that he had corrupted the minds of the youth in Athens and lacked respect for the other wise men.
An example of a rhetoric appeal that Socrates uses from any of the texts and its effectiveness or ineffectiveness
In this case, Socrates appeals to the opinions of the many, he contends while discussing the case of Archelaus that if he is unjust, he is miserable. Polus finds this statement unacceptable. In this rhetoric, Socrates asserts that he believes in the truth only, notwithstanding the opinion of the majority. Therefore, he indicates that even though Polus might try to outsmart him in the courts by bringing reputable witnesses, the testimony of his one interlocutor is the most important. This rhetoric is effective since it dismisses the opinion of the many and confirms to Polus that even the unjust person who escapes the penalty is more miserable than one who does not.
What is Plato’s Cave a metaphor for?
The metaphor is about ignorance, knowledge, truth, and justice. He presents a group of prisoners chained in a cave, and the only thing they can see and believe exist is them and their shadows. They take these shadows as reality thereby valuing imagination and ignorance since they do not understand the source of the shadows. The release of one prisoner eventually exposes him to the realities of the world and realizes that all he knew as the truth before were false. This forms the basis of learning. The released person learns the relationships of different things and their causation. He then returns to the cave to educate the ignorant members of the society about the reality. Even if the people would disregard his teaching, he shall have fulfilled his mission for gaining knowledge, which is to educate others
Utilitarianism and my personal set of ethics
Having grown in a neighborhood with people from different racial origins, I believe that every member of the society is important and has an important role to play in each other’s life. As an ethical perspective, I consider helping the elderly in the society as the best practice since it gives me happiness, and assists the need with their chores. I compare this with the utilitarianism principle, which implies that the utility determines the value of anything in the society.
Why Socrates feels he must die in apology
Socrates says that to fear death would be to assume that we are aware of the particulars of the metaphysical things of which human beings cannot possibly be aware, and so "those of us who believe death to be evil are certainly mistaken" (Plato, p 43: 40c). Even to challenge them more, Socrates argued that a person who feared death is one who has not served the god and fellow man properly during the time of his life. Additionally, he mentions that these people falsely accusing him of piety and offering him a death sentence justify that they fear death, and have therefore the same offense that they are condemning him for it.
Having read through the entire saga of Socrates trial and death, write about three philosophical quandaries that this story made you think about using at least one example from three different dialogues.
One of the strongest arguments in favor of Crito’s advice to Socrates for escape from prison is where Crito suggests to Socrates that the latter would be supporting the wrong doing of his enemies if he decides to follow through their wishes of keeping him locked up in the prison. He however, replies that he would be harming the laws if he decides to follow in the advices of his Crito. He explains that the law is just, and should not be treated unjustly. The philosophical quandary in this case is the fact that Plato would choose to escape from prison, but chooses to stay despite the reasoning that, if he stays in prison, he will be accepting the unjust accusers’ assertions. On the other hand, if he escapes, he will be acting against the just laws. Therefore, he decides to stay. This indicates that people should abide by the law, and not the authority.
