The Apology by Plato
When was the Athenian empire wealthy?
Up until the Peloponnesian War because they were only worried about gaining wealth
What jobs did Socrates have?
"I have never held any other office in the city, but I served as a member of the Council, and our tribe Antiochis was presiding at the time when you wanted to try as a body the ten generals who had failed to pick up the survivors of the naval battle."
What does Socrates mean in his analogy about being a Gadfly?
"I was attached to this city by the god—though it seems a ridiculous thing to say—as upon a great and noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a kind of gadfly. It is to fulfill some such function that I believe the god has placed me in the city. I never cease to rouse each and everyone of you, to persuade and reproach you all day long and everywhere I find myself in your company."
What are Socrates last words?
"Now the hour to part has come. I go to die, you go to live. Which of us goes to the better lot is known to no one, except the god."
Where does The allegory of the cave come from?
"The republic" which is about how we should rule
What does Socrates say about fearing death?
"To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may not be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evils. And surely it is the most blameworthy ignorance to believe that one knows what one does not know"
What does Socrates say about wealth?
"Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both individually and collectively."
What was Socrates response when he was asked if he was ashamed to have followed the kind of occupation that led to his death?
"You are wrong, sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or a bad man."
How will the prisoners feel after finding out the truth?
Angry and that's why Socrates was killed
Who was the driving force behind the prosecution?
Angtus
Who was accused of treason? How did they get out of it?
Angtus, he was acquitted due to bribe
Is Socrates angry with his conviction?
No he's not angry especially of those who accused him
Who is Socrates accused of charging a fee to?
Callie's the son of Hipponicus
What did Socrates say about orators?
That they were less concerned with truth and more with power and influence
Is Socrates popular among people?
No
Is what they accused Socrates of true?
No
What does Socrates ask of his accusers?
"when my sons grow up, avenge yourselves by, causing them the same kind of grief that I caused you, if you think they care for money or anything else more than they care for virtue, or if they think they are somebody when they are nobody. Reproach them as I reproach you, that they do not care for the right things and think they are worthy when they are not worthy of anything. If you do this, I shall have been justly treated by you, and my sons also."
What are the stages of waking up?
1) shadows and after that 2) the images of people and the rest of things as they are reflected in water 3) he would be able to view the things themselves [the beings, instead of the dim reflections]. But within the range of such things, he might well contemplate what there is in the heavenly dome, and this dome itself, more easily during the night by looking at the light of the stars and the moon, [more easily, that is to say,] than by looking at the sun and its glare during the day. 4) finally he would be in the condition to look at the sun itself, not just at its reflection whether in water or wherever else it might appear, but at the sun itself, as it is in and of itself and in the place proper to it and to contemplate of what sort it is.
What does Socrates say death can be?
1. Nothing and have no perception of anything 2. A change and a relocating for the soul from here to another place
What did Meletus accuse Socrates of?
1. Refusing to acknowledge gods of state and introducing new gods 2. Corrupting youth
What was Socrates accused of?
1. Sayings things about the natural world 2. Charging a fee 3. Corrupting the youth 4. Being an atheist
What does Socrates say are the two kinds of accusers?
1. Those who have accused him recently 2. The old ones
How old was Socrates when he was brought up on trial?
70
What is a deposition?
A statement before you go to trial
Who is Socrates referring to when he says "What is most absurd in all this is that one cannot even know or mention their names unless one of them is a writer of comedies"?
Aristophanes
Why was Angtus angry with Socrates?
Because Socrates critiques the Athenian government
Why do the wise figures of the town get mad?
Because Socrates questions them
Why did Socrates divine sign not stop him from speaking badly during the trial?
Because he knows death is a good thing
Why did they sentence Socrates to death again?
Because he would not beg for his life
Why do the people who get out of the cave feel bad for the people still in there?
Because the people in the cave give each other awards but they don't mean anything because the shadows don't actually exist.
Like Achilles, what is Socrates not afraid to do?
Die for what he believes is right
What does Socrates reply back with when he is accused of corrupting the young?
He accuses Meletus of dealing frivolously with serious matters, of irresponsibly bringing people into court, and of professing to be seriously concerned with things about none of which he has ever cared.
What does Socrates do to prove he isn't wise?
He goes to meet people who other people say are wise (public men) but they aren't.
What was Socrates childhood like?
He grew up poor, his mom was a mid wife and his dad was a stone cutter
Why did Lycon hate Socrates?
He saw him as a threat to System
What was contradicting about Meletus' statement?
He says that Socrates was involved in spiritual activity but he also says he doesn't believe in gods, how's that possible
How did Socrates think?
He thought critically and asked big questions. He also never wrote anything down.
What was Meletus' job?
He was a poet
What job did Angtus have?
He was a politician
What was the job of Lycon?
He was an orator
What happened to Meletus after the execution?
He was banished from Athens
Socrates was accused of saying things about the natural world but what was wrong with this?
He was not a natural philosopher
Does Socrates think he is wise?
No and that is wisdom because he knows his human limitations
Did Socrates like poets?
No he hated them
What did Socrates say he would do if they let him go?
He would continue to practice and preach philosophy and he wouldn't listen to others because he obeys the gods before people
What would happen if Socrates took part in politics?
He would have died a long time ago and benefited neither them or himself.
Who is Aristophanes?
He wrote "The Clouds", in which he makes fun of Socrates
How does Socrates feel about being a bad provider for his family?
He's ok with it because he's doing what the gods wanted for him, philosophy
Chairephon is dead so who is going to take his place?
His brother
What is Socrates witness for not receiving money or charging people money?
His poverty
What does Socrates say is the greatest blessing for the city?
His services to the god because he goes around doing nothing but persuading both young and old among them not to care for their bodies or wealth in preference to or as strong as for the best possible state of their soul
What does Socrates says surprised him the most?
How persuasive they were while still lying. They also said he was cunning when he actually isn't good at speaking
What has caused Socrates reputation?
Human wisdom
What is Socrates divine or spiritual sign?
It began when he was a child and it is a voice and whenever it speaks it turns him away from something that he's about to do but it never encourages to do anything.
What did Plato believe about true reality?
It existed beyond normal perception of the world
Is Socrates being arrogant? What's his response to that?
No he is just convinced that he never willingly wronged anyone
Before the war what was Athens?
It wasp a democracy and after its an oligarchy
What does Socrates say about an unexamined life?
It's not worth living
What is another example other than Socrates is someone who was killed for trying to wake people up?
Jesus
Who signed the sworn affidavit against Socrates?
Meletus
Who was the puppet of Angtus? Why?
Meletus because Angtus has the money
The allegory of the cave is based on what forms?
Metaphysics
Who are the true judges of the after life?
Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacus, and Triptolemus
Is Socrates trying to make the "wise men" look dumb?
No in his mind he is defending himself against the people who have been against him since they were young. He says his motives are misinterpreted and he's being treated wrong
Can you go back after waking up?
No, the man who comes out of the cave doesn't care about those awards
Socrates tells the jury to judge him on what?
Not by how well he speaks but by what he says
Who was Socrates?
One of the Greek philosophers who was born in 465 B.C. and lived through the Golden Age
Who was one of Socrates disciples?
Plato
Who wrote The Allegory of the Cave?
Plato
Who were the students willing to pay the fee for Socrates?
Plato, Crito, Apollodorus and Critobulus
What is metaphysics?
Reality
Waking up to Forms is what?
Remembering- the soul will remember, that is why we are experts in certain things.
What was the sworn depositions of the the accusers?
Socrates is guilty of corrupting the young and of not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other new spiritual things. Such is their charge.
What is "The Apology"?
Socrates' defense, not him actually apologizing
Who is Chaireohon?
Socrates' friend from youth who went to Delphi and asked the oracle if any man was wiser than Socrates and the Pythian replied that no one was
What truth does Socrates say to the jury before he dies?
That a good man cannot be harmed either in life or death and that his affairs are not neglected by the gods.
What did Socrates say to those who voted to kill him?
That vengeance will come upon them immediately after his death, a vengeance harder to bear than that which they took in killing him
Who does Socrates call upon as witness to the existence and nature of his wisdom?
The God at Delphi: Apollo the god of wisdom
What exactly was Socrates accused of creating a new god?
The Greek gods were external and Socrates kept talking about this divine voice inside of him
What war did Socrates fight in?
The Peloponnisan War, he was a war hero
What is Hades?
The afterlife
Who does Socrates fear more than Anytus and his friends?
The earlier accusers because they manipulated the youth against him
Who will Socrates obey?
The gods rather than anybody else
What does Socrates happens if the prisoners look up toward the light?
The person would be able to do this only with pain. He explains that looking at the light (truth) is painful.
What did Plato believe our rulers should be?
There should be philosopher kings because the philosopher is in tune with the eternal world. The philosopher will know forms
What happens after the prisoners are freed?
They are cured of their lack of insight
What does Socrates say will happen if they kill him?
They will not harm him more than they'll harm themselves because you will not find another like him.
What did the Gods order Socrates to do?
To live "the life of a philosopher", to examine myself and others
What is epistemology?
True knowledge and information
What is the allegory of the cave?
Waking up to Forms
How are we like the people who live in the cave?
We aren't really educated and Socrates paints the picture of human delusion and humanity is under these same delusions.
What is Ethics?
What is good and what is bad
What does Socrates say is more difficult to do than avoiding death?
Wickedness (sin)
Was this Socrates first time in a court room?
Yes
Does Socrates have a family?
Yes he has a wife and small kids but he is a bad provider