The Greek philosopher Socrates used a philosophical technique known today as the Socratic Method to reveal inconsistencies through critical thinking. This approach provoked a procedure that often started with Socrates posing a question to one of his students. Socrates persuades his peers to accept a statement that directly opposes the response or definition they initially offered. Socrates recounts an example to prove that a virtuous person cannot be harmed and should not fear death. He claimed that an unexamined existence is unworthy and that ones should be committed to soul growth through consistently doing ‘good’ (Erler). The central argument of the well-known Apology by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato presented in this paper raises the question of whether Socrates harmed young people by advocating godless doctrines and imparting immoral ideals to those who hurt society’s members.
Socrates and Euthyphro are arguing as they debate the precise meaning of Virtue. That is the ideal example of how the “Socratic” approach to teaching works. Euthyphro is grilled by Socrates, who asks him follow-up questions that force him to attempt to articulate his points of view. Socrates compliments Euthyphro by saying that he must be a great specialist in religious matters if he is willing to accuse his father of such a questionable charge. Euthyphro concedes that he does possess a thorough comprehension of what is divine. The Apology of Socrates primarily responds to Athens’ accusations that Socrates “corrupted the young” and “did not believe in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are unique.” Socrates’ Dialectic approach focuses on finding the truth and gaining authentic knowledge through dialogues and inquiries that assist in elucidating the concept of discussion.
Socrates argues that life is not worth living if one cannot make wise choices. His well-known aphorism, “The Unexamined Life Is Not Worth Living,” is found in The Apology (Cavalier et al.). The ancient philosopher successfully disproves atheism. Through his perception of the Oracles’ proclamation and subsequent actions, he successfully convinced his fellow students of philosophy. Socrates points out that even if he went somewhere else, he would still be asking questions because he cannot alter his soul. After all, it appeared that relatively few people from other city-states than his fellow Athenians would respond to his questions. Socrates asserts that it is a sacred responsibility to criticize his compatriots. Chaerephon questioned the Delphic Oracle whether there lived anyone wiser than Socrates. The Oracle responded with, “No.” Socrates didn’t regard himself as intelligent. Hence, by asking others, he learned that the Oracle’s claim about wisdom was founded on the fact that he was aware of his ignorance.
The Apology features Socratic irony since Euthyphro is depicted as the philosopher, whereas Socrates is the one teaching Euthyphro. The setup is essential for Euthyphro to explain and evaluate his ideas and independently identify their shortcomings. The ambiguous conclusion of the dialogue was meant to motivate the reader to use their discretion and exert substantial effort to come up with a satisfying definition on their own. Euthyphro says that what is holy is like what the gods approved. As Socrates’ astute reasoning shows, more than this definition is required. While the gods may bless what is sacred, the two cannot result in the same thing. If something is holy because the gods believe it to be such, then the gods’ belief cannot be the source of the object’s holiness. Typically, we associate purity with a particular kind of divine will, but Plato proposes that we should take an entirely alternative approach.
As presented in the Phaedo, the Theory of Forms argues that what makes anything Immaculate and Holy is the Shape of Purity. There are hints in The Apology that hint in this direction. However, it is highly implausible that Plato would have developed any technical theory during the Euthyphro era. This well-documented hypothesis’s absence is what keeps the conversation from progressing. Euthyphro’s Dilemma is one of Plato’s most well-known studies on the nature of Virtue. He questions whether something is good simply because God says it is good. Or if God says something is good simply because it is good. The belief that individuals have a fundamental obligation to think on the moral basis and robustness of their ethical assessment seems obvious. Until now, morality comes from a plethora of sources. Some philosophers agree that character has a rational foundation.
Socrates claimed that to comprehend anything truly. One must first admit ignorance. His opponents filed a lawsuit against him. They believed he was attempting to undermine the existing religious practices in the city. He claims that he was instructed by “the divine at Delphi” that “human wisdom is useless (Cavalier et al.).” The message was reportedly spreading like wildfire throughout Greek society. Socrates was willing to jeopardize his health and safety to preserve his moral convictions. He maintains his ethical principles even if the jury votes to execute him. Instead, he uses his sad circumstance to encourage moral rectitude in others. Miletus is confronted by Socrates using a straightforward dialectical argument. It forces him to concede that his statements are inconsistent. However, Socrates emphasizes that he is not misleading the jury with rhetorical tactics, although his defense is highly compelling. Instead, he follows each allegation until it is proven correct.
The simple pursuit of honesty and truth is what he proposes as concluding observations. Socrates’ apologia argues that it is improper to degrade the fact with falsehoods and folly. He believed that it was nearly impossible for an honest individual to “survive” in society. He contends that his justification is flawed and illogical since he is harming society and himself by purposefully harming the youth. Socrates takes advantage of the chance to illustrate the meaning of Virtue via his hardships. The goals of an apology are typically to ask for forgiveness, find a solution, and heal a relationship between the parties to a problem. The “Apology” shows that Socrates was willing to risk being put to death rather than minimize his brilliance. He claims that “goodness begets money, not riches generate goodness.” Hence, he thought that by exposing their erroneous reasoning, he was doing the city of Athens and its citizens a service by directing them toward the path of Virtue.
Socrates valued knowledge more than he dreaded passing away. He promoted giving more importance to one’s soul and less to one’s looks and possessions. The Dialectic nature of the technique Socrates employed entails pointing out the contradictions and self-contradictions present in widely accepted claims stated without considering their logical ramifications. By illuminating Socrates’ character and the nature of his activities, the application of this strategy, in this case, disproves widespread assumptions made by many Sophists. There has been no determination of the specific characteristics of Virtue. Euthyphro provided various hurried justifications for holiness or piety, but Socrates’ Method uncovered enormous flaws.
Conclusively, Socrates’ is both the wisest man in Athens and the most virtuous man because not even death shakes his principles. He can symbolize Jesus in Christianity because he died for what he believed was right. Socrates’ Method defines Virtue as the ability to stand by their principles and think for themselves.
It is undeniable that promoting independent thought could be hazardous. Nevertheless, logical, appropriate cognition will always show the falsehoods of culturally accepted ideas. There is a propensity to highlight the flaws of those who exaggerate their qualifications or flaunt achievements they do not genuinely own. Those with defects typically feel hatred against the person who exposed them, which is only standard. Meletus had accused Socrates of being to fault for it. Finding fault with a critic is far easier than admitting that what they have been saying is accurate.
References
Cavalier, R. J., Plato, & Walker, I. (1986). Plato’s Euthyphro. The Classical World, 79(6), 421. https://doi.org/10.2307/4349957
Erler, M. (2018). ‘” Plato Socraticus” – The Apology of Socrates and Euthyphro. Peitho. Examina Antiqua, 1(2), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.14746/pea.2011.1.5
write