plato

             Philosophy is a very important subject for it raises the important questions in life such as: How should one live? Is morality universal or relative? Is Justive at all possible? In the book The Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato brings up those ideas. Socrates, the main character, shows us how we should live life and what is important whether we realize it now or not. He teaches his philosophy in Athens and is accused of corrupting the young and introducing new gods and spirits.
             Socrates is first charged with the crime of corrupting the young. Ironicly, Socrates defends with a question instead of an answer. He asks, "Who improves our young?"(28,Plato). Meletus falls into Socrates' trap by replying everyone in Athens except Socrates himself. Now Socrates has Meletus exactly where he wants him. So now Socrates raises the question "Does this also apply to horses... that all men improve them and one individual corrupts them? Or is quite the contrary true, one individual is able to improve them, or very few, namely, the horse breeders, whereas the majority, if they have horses and use them, corrrupt them?"(28,Plato) What the philosopher is implying is that one person can not possibly corrupt the young, but improve them. The majority can not train horses and only corrupts them. If i was to be called to train a horse i would not be able to do so. The only thing is could do is corrupt it and so would many of us. Only the few trained ones can improve them. Socrates uses that anology to fight the charge against him. His next counter arguement is "...wicked people always do some harm to their closest neighbors while good people do them good."(28,Plato) Who would want to corrupt young ones knowing that they will do them wrong someday? Socrates says that just does not make sense! Meletus and members of the Council accuse Socrates of corrupting the young deliberately and not unwillingly. And Socrates also has a counter arguement for this. ...

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plato. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 07:44, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/13427.html