Dr. Kinkead
1301
9/14/2017
Plato’s Apology The judicial system has been known for mishandling serious cases in the past. Socrates happens to have a case quite similar where he had been wrongfully accused of corrupting the youth, attempting to create a deity, and not believing the gods of the state. Socrates apology will be analyzed in the following paragraphs. An apology (apologia) is a justification or defense of a general belief and or idea. Socrates gave his apologia or “apology” by defending himself against his supposed crimes of corrupting the youth and creating deities. Socrates states that he had taken it upon himself to question and expose the supposed “wise men” in the world. By doing so Socrates had acquired much interest from the youth of his community. Socrates was accused of creating deities for a supposed nonbelief in his states gods or goddess. However, Aristotle explains there are three types of rhetorical appeals which consist of ethos, pathos, and logos. Socrates takes and uses these appeals to try and persuade the judges and audience in his defense. Socrates uses ethos which deals with one’s personal character. Socrates states that he felt he was the wisest by knowing he could not possibly know everything. This showed that he was wiser than the “wisest” infinite knowledge cannot be attained. …show more content…
Socrates then must agree to a punishment that he or the court comes up with. Meletus suggest the death penalty should be enforced but Socrates can suggest another form of punishment. Socrates later comes up with a reward rather than a punishment because he feels he has done no wrong doings. The jury later votes and by a large margin the jury has elected to put Socrates to death. Socrates later tells them they will be blamed for putting an innocent and wise man to death. Socrates ends his apology by stating “a good man has nothing to