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The First Speech of Socrates to the Court
- What are the parts of the First Speech?
1.2. Socrates explains himself and contends that his goal is reveal the truth and not just to persuade the Jury. Truth is always more important than persuasion. His way of speaking is not fancy or that of trained lawyers (and he is not about to learn that at age 70) but it is rather the way of telling the truth without trickery or lies.
1.2.1. The Truth about the first group of accusers are those of have heard rumors and stories about Socrates from others who have experienced his difficult questions. But why are his questions difficult and why he is such a disagreeable person, or a person who often disagrees with those of share their ideas about justice and truth? He does this because the Oracle of Delphi said that no one is wiser than Socrates.
[Aside: What is the wisdom of Socrates? In part it is to realize that what arises from our feelings or our initial thoughts on some matter is not necessarily providing us with right thinking and truth. Socrates often asks for definitions and often finds people do not have sound definitions of what they are talking about. But without definitions and careful reasoning our ideas remain loose and wandering and much under the control of emotions and feelings and desires.]
Socrates, then, is on a mission to prove the Oracle to be wrong because he does not claim for himself to have great wisdom and understanding. What does he find when he questions those who claim to be wise men of high reputation. [Watch out for that notion of reputation. It is not always a sign of wisdom. Think of Hollywood figures, Influencers, the Rich and Famous.] Poets, Politicians and Craftsman, and Orators may think themselves to be wise and even to be wise in matters outside their areas of expertise, but that need not be so.
About his own wisdom said of him by the Oracle, Socrates regards it as little or nothing. [But note: He is wise to know that not all his opinions based on his emotions and desires and wants are necessarily good and true. He knows that he does not know with full wisdom and so seeks out other from whom he can learn.]
His inquiries about the claims of knowledge and wisdom as we see them here and often in other dialogues seem to come to an end without a conclusion. But note the implications: We often set out ideas without sufficient thinking and they lead us on paths going in the wrong directions. We need to know our way before we begin a journey or make claims about things of importance.
1.2.2. More recent young accusers such as Meletus are not really serious in their claims and accusations. He offers no proof that Socrates corrupts the young but instead says that the officers of the state who set out the customs of the City State teach the young. These are the laws, juries, and representatives in government. But young people need learning and training in thinking, as horses also need training to function in society. As for the gods, Socrates is not an atheist and is not against the gods of the City State. He believes in spirits and hold that spirits are gods or children of the gods. How then could he be called an atheist?
As for his occupation of questioning the young and teaching them to think clearly and to reason well, this is not something he does for money but rather for the sake if improving the reasoning capacities of the young to find the truth. In this Socrates has neither shame or fear of death since he goal is the think rightly about important matters. To die is not shameful but to do wrong is shameful and wicked. Wealth or honor or reputation have no real value when compared to the character of our souls and out true selves. His accusers may win the court decision and Socrates may get the death penalty but they do not harm him [because his real self is his character and devotion to truth]. He is a thinker guided by a divine sign at times telling him not to act on some matter. This prevents him from wrong doing. The real impiety in all this is that Meletus is undermining his own job which is to see to there being justice [based on truth] in society.
- The Decisions of the Jury on the Charge and on the Sentencing of Socrates.
2.1. The Decision on the Charge: Guilty
Socrates is not angry at the decision but is pleased that the votes were close. Rather, he contends that he has in fact been seen to be not guilty of the charges of Meletus. The issues of the First Accusers and the reputation that he had among Athenians of being difficult and disagreeable with those who claim to be wise, contributed support for the charges of Meletus.
2.2. The Sentencing: Socrates insists that he is a person of great value to the citizens of Athens and proposed something similar to a fellowship covering the cost of his housing (near to the market place so he can continue doing exactly what he has done all along, namely, helping Athenians to understand that they do not have the strong knowledge they believe themselves to have when acting on matters of society and state) and meals. He also goes on interestingly to state a prophecy that they will be looked down upon and be reproached for not living the right way. [Of course, that is what has come to be true through the centuries! Socrates is a famous admired martyr for truth and right reasoning.] He interestingly closes by suggesting that they cause to his sons the kind of grief they are claiming he causes them. [That is, he suggests they should question and teach his sons to seek truth and good.]