The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Death Scene from Phaedo Pdf

FREE THE TRIAL AND DEATH OF SOCRATES: EUTHYPHRO, APOLOGY, CRITO, DEATH SCENE FROM PHAEDO PDF

Plato's dialog called Euthyphro relates a discussion that took place between Socrates and Euthyphro concerning the meaning of piety, or that virtue usually regarded as a manner of living that fulfills one's duty both to gods and to humanity. It is of particular interest in relation to the fate of Socrates inasmuch as he has recently been charged with impiety and is about to be tried before the Athenian court to determine his guilt or innocence of the crime attributed to him. Because he felt quite sure that the Athenian people in general did not understand the real nature of either piety or impiety, Socrates asks Euthyphro to answer the question "What is piety? He wants to see if Euthyphro is as wise as he claims to be, and if he is not, Socrates will expose the shallowness of his claim. Euthyphro The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro the reputation of being a wise person, a diviner, and a soothsayer. As a teacher, he gives instruction on moral and political matters, as well Death Scene from Phaedo the practical problems of everyday living. The discussion that is carried on between Socrates and Euthyphro takes place on the porch of King Archon. Both Socrates and Euthyphro are involved in matters of a legal nature. Socrates has been accused of impiety and is facing a court trial. Euthyphro is the plaintiff in a forthcoming trial for murder. Socrates asks who it is who is being charged with this crime. He Apology surprised and shocked to learn that Euthyphro is bringing this charge against his own father. The circumstances bringing this about have a direct bearing on the case. It appears that a poor dependent of the Euthyphro family had killed one of their domestic servants. At the command of Euthyphro's father, the guilty person had been bound and thrown into a ditch. Messengers had then been sent to Athens to inquire of the Death Scene from Phaedo of religion concerning what should be done with him. By the time these messengers had returned, the criminal had died from hunger and exposure. Euthyphro's father was, at least to some extent, responsible for the offender's death, and this was the basis for charging him with the crime of murder. Socrates is impressed by the fact that Euthyphro is willing to perform his duty in The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro matter even though it means taking action against a member of his own family. Without any further discussion of the case involving Euthyphro's father, Socrates is anxious to pursue Death Scene from Phaedo concerning the nature of piety since this is directly related to the fact that Meletus has accused him of the crime The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro impiety. Accordingly, he addresses this question to Euthyphro, "What is piety? Although admitting that Euthyphro is right in not allowing personal relationships to stand in the way of performing his duty, The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro is not satisfied with the answer that has been given to his question. An example of the virtue of piety is not equivalent to a definition of that virtue. Euthyphro has given but one example, and even though he defended his statement by mentioning that certain of the Greek gods have acted in a similar manner, Socrates insists that a proper definition of piety must be sufficient to include all instances of that virtue. Euthyphro's statement has not been adequate for this purpose. Nevertheless, Socrates insists that, inasmuch as Euthyphro has brought a criminal charge against his own father, he must have known the nature of impiety or he would have been unable to decide that his father was guilty of it. Once again he urges Euthyphro to tell him what piety is. If he can obtain a satisfactory answer to this question, it Crito enable him to know whether the charge that Crito is bringing against him is a Death Scene from Phaedo one. In reply, Euthyphro advances another statement. He says, "Piety is what is dear to the gods and impiety is that which is not dear to them. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro is not The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro what makes anything dear to the gods, and besides, there is the question of whether that which is dear to some of the gods is dear to all of them or only to some The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro them. Euthyphro then insists that Apology is that which is pleasing to all of the gods. Death Scene from Phaedo feels sure they all agree that murder is wrong. Socrates then points out that the circumstances under which killing takes place makes an important difference concerning the moral quality of the act. The same is true with reference to the motive that was involved. It is quite evident that so far the discussion has not Death Scene from Phaedo any satisfactory answer to the question concerning the nature of piety. To approach the subject in a different way, Socrates asks Euthyphro if people who are pious are also just. Yes, says Euthyphro, but at the same time he recognizes that it is not true that all just persons are pious. Socrates then wants to know if piety is a part of justice, and if it is, of what part does it consist? Euthyphro replies Crito piety is that part of justice that attends to the gods, just as there is another part of justice that attends to men. This, too, is unsatisfactory because we do not know what "attends" means. When applied to some things such as dogs, horses, and men, it implies Death Scene from Phaedo way of making them better. When applied to gods, it cannot have this meaning since there is no respect in which men can make the gods better than they are. At this point, Euthyphro states that there are various ways in which men can minister to the gods, but he does not have the time to point them out. Socrates still insists that he does not know what piety is, and certainly Euthyphro has not revealed its true nature. The question is an important one, not only for Socrates, but for anyone who is called upon to make decisions relative to moral conduct. The dialog closes without any final answer to the question with which the The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro started. Socrates urges Euthyphro to continue the search for the meaning of piety. Until he has found it, there can be no justification for the decision he has made concerning his father. For those who are looking for a satisfactory definition of piety, the dialog is a disappointment, for no conclusion has been reached concerning the precise nature of that virtue. It has sometimes been maintained that the true purpose of philosophy is not to answer questions but rather to question the answers that have been given. At any rate, this is exactly what Socrates has been doing in this dialog. Euthyphro has presented several quick and ready answers to the Crito "What is piety? The method that Socrates has used is known as dialectic. It consists of pointing out the inconsistencies and self- contradictions involved in popular statements made without thinking about their logical implications. In this instance, the use of this method has not only brought to light the shallowness of popular conceptions held by many of the Sophists, but it serves as a defense Apology Socrates by revealing something Apology the character of the man and the type of work in which he has been engaged. Socrates has been accused of teaching false doctrines and thereby corrupting the youth of Athens. This kind of charge has frequently been made concerning Death Scene from Phaedo, and it is for this reason that action has often been taken against them. While it is admitted that everyone is entitled to think as they please, the trouble arises when one tries to persuade other people to think as he does. That Socrates is not guilty of the charges brought against him can be seen from the fact that he has not been trying to indoctrinate anyone. He does not claim that his own views are perfect or that he has arrived at the final truth concerning the matter under consideration. Instead, his role is that of the inquirer, Death Scene from Phaedo his purpose is to get people to think for themselves. In fact, one of his chief criticisms of the Sophists is that they accept too readily what has been told to them by others without The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro stopping to consider the evidence upon which it has been based. Apology is true that getting people to think for themselves does have its dangers, which to some extent accounts for the opposition that has been raised against Socrates. Clear and correct thinking is bound to expose the errors upon which popular conceptions are often based. It also tends to bring to light the defects of those who pretend to know far more than is actually the case or who boast of qualifications that they do not possess. Those whose defects have thus been pointed out naturally have a feeling of resentment toward the person who has been responsible for bringing it about. This resentment is one of the reasons why Meletus has been bringing charges against Socrates. It is easier to find fault with the person who is your critic than it is to admit the truth of what the critic has been saying. Although Euthyphro as a Sophist exhibits some of the conceit and arrogance that is characteristic of that group as a whole, he is not to be regarded as a man who is altogether bad. He does have some redeeming qualities. He is a conscientious person and in this respect is ready to perform what he believes to be his duty to the gods — even though it involves bringing charges against his own father. It appears that what Euthyphro's father has done under the existing circumstances was justifiable under Athenian law, and it was The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro unlikely The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro he would be punished. Nevertheless, Euthyphro believes it is his religious duty to report what his father has done, which is his main reason for doing it. Having fulfilled his duty in regard to the event, his conscience will be at peace. Furthermore, Euthyphro is very much opposed to Meletus and on many points is in complete agreement with Socrates. In harmony with many of his fellow Athenians, Euthyphro conceives of piety in terms of religion, which involves a relationship between gods and humans. This relationship is understood to mean a process of giving and receiving. Prayers and sacrifices are given to the gods, who in The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro bestow material benefits on their worshipers. This relationship is obviously what Euthyphro had in mind when he stated that piety is doing that which is dear to the gods, and impiety is doing that which is not pleasing to the gods. When asked what it is that makes something dear to the gods, the reply is that it is attending to their wishes, which is accomplished by making sacrifices to them and by offering prayers of praise and thanksgiving. One of the purposes of this dialog is to contrast two very different conceptions of religion. One of these is illustrated in Euthyphro's view The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro religion as a kind of mercenary process. It was a fairly popular view in the city of Athens, just as it has been held by many persons in other times and places. Making gifts to the gods and receiving benefits from them implied in Euthyphro's case a belief in the reality of the Athenian gods as set forth in popular stories concerning their behavior and their supernatural power. The other conception of religion is the one held by Socrates, who did not accept as literally true many The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro the popular tales concerning the activities of the gods. It was for this reason that Meletus and others had accused him of being irreligious and undermining the faith of the youth. The accusation was Crito a just one, for the fact that Socrates did not accept the conception of the gods held by other persons did not imply that he held no belief in divinity at all. As a matter of fact, Socrates was in one sense of the word a very devout and Crito person. Evidence of this can be seen in his attitude with reference to the mystical voice that warned him not to do certain things. Crito voice, to which he often referred, was regarded as a divine voice, and he always paid heed to it. Further than this, Socrates Apology that a divine purpose Crito expressed in the creation of the world, and this purpose was directed toward the moral and spiritual development of human beings. In the discussion that takes place about piety in relation to justice, Socrates rejects Euthyphro's distinction between service to the gods and service to people. He does so for several reasons. In the first place, he does not believe that one's duty toward a divine being should be regarded as something that is separate and distinct from his duty toward his fellow men. On the contrary, he holds that the only true way of rendering service to God consists in doing what one can to promote the moral and spiritual development of human beings. Second, Socrates regards the purpose and function of religion as something that is quite different from the view Death Scene from Phaedo by Euthyphro. Instead of religion being used as a kind of tool or device The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro getting what one wants, as was true in Euthyphro's case, Socrates believes the primary purpose of true religion is to bring one's own life into harmony with the will of God. Religion and morality, in his view, are so closely related that neither one can exist apart from the other. Crito: Summary | SparkNotes

A budding blog exploring Philosophy and the Humanities would not be complete without a post dedicated to Socrates, the father of Western Philosophy. Socrates was the teacher of Plato, who wrote his various philosophical treatises as dialogues and compiled them as the Dialogues of Plato. Socrates serves as the inquirer and interlocutor throughout the Dialogues. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro, Socrates, tends to ask the proper questions and regularly challenges his other interlocutors. For this post, I shall be focusing on the Trial and Death of Socrates and will be exploring the Apology in particular. I will also briefly Crito the Apology and its relationship to the other dialogues about the Trial and The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro of Socrates. These include Euthyphro, Crito, and Phaedo. Before we delve into the Death Scene from Phaedo of the relevant dialogues, we need to know the origin story of Socrates, which he briefly outlines in The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro speech delivered at his trial in the Apology. Socrates was born in Athens around BCE Sacks, his mother was a midwife Crito his father was a craftsman, and Socrates traces his ancestry to Daedalus, the great architect of Ancient Greece and the father of Icarus. He was married to Xanthippe, who was characterized Apology strict and Apology. Xanthippe was saddened by the fact that The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro spent more time discussing philosophy at the Agora Death Scene from Phaedo raising his family and providing his children with a good education and livelihood. In his life, Socrates served as a soldier for the Athenian military during the Peloponnesian War, which the Athenians lost to Sparta and its allies. Legend has it that Chaerephone, a friend of Socrates, was visiting the Oracle at Delphi. When Socrates received this information from his friend Chaerephone, Socrates was initially Apology and did not think that he was the wisest of all men. This was troubling to Socrates because he believed that he did not possess any wisdom, except for the awareness of his own ignorance this is known as Socratic Ignorance. Socrates initially hypothesized that perhaps the God is mistaken. Socrates then began his newfound journey to travel across the land to seek out knowledgeable people and test to see if they were wiser than himself. Socrates compares his journey of finding someone wiser than himself to the Labors of Hercules due to the sheer difficulty of completing the labor which no mortal is capable of doing. While Hercules completed all of his labors, Socrates simply had to concede that the Oracle of Delphi was irrefutable. From this, Socrates concludes that the Delphic God alone is wise and that the Oracle of Delphi was attempting to communicate this idea to Socrates. Now that Apology is sufficient background established about Socrates, let us now examine how and why Socrates was put on trial. The Trial and Death of Socrates is covered in four separate and interlinked dialogues. These dialogues are: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. The Trial of Socrates is the primary subject matter of the first four dialogues and in order to better understand the Trial and Death of Socrates we need to start from the first dialogue, Euthyphro. Thus, a brief summation of the Euthyphro is necessary to make sense of the ideas explored by Socrates and why Socrates is on trial. Figure 1. Marcello Bacciarelli, Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates, oil on canvas, public domain, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro dialogue, Euthyphro begins when Socrates is approached by a young man named Euthyphro, who is putting his father on trial on charges of murder. The Euthyphro focus on the idea of piety and duty to the Gods acts as a foreshadowing of the next dialogue, the Apology. As impiety is one of Death Scene from Phaedo charges which Socrates is accused of. However, Socrates mentions that this is merely an example of impiety, and does not get to the nature of impiety. Euthyphro continues to give several definitions of piety, while Socrates finds them all to be inadequate. Euthyphro cannot give a strong definition of piety to Socrates and does not understand the true nature of piety. This is a problem because he is charging his father for murder and impiety. Furthermore, Meletus and his allies are putting Socrates on Apology on charges of impiety, they too are most likely ignorant to the nature of piety. As we will see in the remainder of the dialogues, it is problematic if one cannot give a coherent definition of something so important as piety. Let alone, having the power to sentence someone to death on charges of impiety. Two dialogues succeed the Apology, and they are Crito, and Phaedo respectively. The dialogue Crito takes place shortly after the Trial of Socrates inside the prison cell of Socrates. In this dialogue, Crito, the friend and disciple of Socrates attempts to convince him to flee Athens and move with him to Thessaly, another city-state in Greece. However, Socrates refuses to abandon Athens on principle, namely that he is loyal to the city and people of Athens. Socrates believes that he ought to improve and remain loyal to Athens as the Delphic God commands him to do. Phaedo recounts the ideas Socrates discussed in his final hour. Phaedo is primarily a treatise on the nature of the Soul, and is a defense of the immortality of the Soul. Phaedo, a. Understanding the four dialogues on the Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo are all crucial to understanding the key components of Socratic thought. This overview is presented in order to give a brief outline to some of the key themes throughout the four dialogues. Apology now, I will be focusing on the Apology, which I believe to be the most central of the four dialogues when taken together. Now that the summary of the other three dialogues has been presented, it is acceptable to proceed into an analysis The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro the Apology. During the CritoSocrates is on trial charged by his accusers, Meletus and his allies in Athens. The charges brought against include disavowing the gods and corrupting the youth, Crito deeply heinous crimes. The Apology outlines his defense against these two charges, as well as the verdict of the jurors and his concluding remarks on the trial. These two opponents are the ancient predecessors of the Sophists and the present-day Sophists. Some of the Sophists used rhetoric to defend any question of morality from multiple viewpoints, which some claimed demonstrated amorality and a lack of regard for virtue Sacks, While the Sophists consider themselves to be well-learned and masters of rhetoric, Socrates himself The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro that he is not wise and is ignorant on the nature of piety, justice, virtue, etc. This is what motivates Socrates to seek out others who are experts in knowing and wisdom, such as the Sophists. What differentiates Socrates from his fellow thinkers in Athens, along with not charging teaching fees is that Socrates is aware of his own ignorance unlike the rest of the people he encounters. Socrates does not possess any knowledge on the nature of piety, justice, virtue, etc. If Socrates really does know something, it is worthless information. The very idea of Socratic Ignorance presents a paradox, and some thinkers believe it to be an example of Irony. Socrates claims to possess no wisdom, yet he holds strong convictions and refines them in the other Dialogues. Further, Socrates is well-respected in Western Philosophy and is regarded as one of the founders of Western Philosophy. The notion of Socratic Ignorance itself can help us to understand some of the arguments used by Socrates in his defense. As Socrates uses two key arguments to defend himself against the charges, Crito of the arguments are centered around the primacy of virtue. During the trial, Socrates proceeds to propose counter-arguments against the two charges. Firstly, he addresses the charge that he corrupts the youth. Socrates begins by asking his judges if the good do their neighbors good? Since Socrates is a citizen of Athens, he takes a deep interest in the The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro of the city, including the Death Scene from Phaedo who will inherit the city. The youth must eventually learn to properly govern both themselves as individuals and learn to govern the city. In order to ensure Death Scene from Phaedo Athens is a city in Crito justice and piety flourish, the youth must be morally educated and taught the importance and the true nature of virtue. Thus, by educating the youth and the other citizens of Athens; Socrates is fulfilling a service for the city by improving the people by questioning their foundational assumptions, and admonishing to them to strive for virtue before personal interests such as wealth, and prestige. Although Socrates may be bothersome to the Athenian Citizens, people like him are necessary in order to make sure that the city flourishes. Next, Socrates refutes the idea that he has disavowed the gods and instead argues that he is acting in accordance with the laws of the divine. Caring for the soul is also linked with respect for the laws of the divine. For Socrates to abandon his mission of practicing philosophy would itself be disobedience towards the Delphic God. As Socrates tells the court:. Apology 28ed. All are duties which extend to the people of Athens. Furthermore, Socrates suggests throughout the Apology, Crito, and Phaedo, that we should not fear death. For upon the death of the body, our soul continues to exist for eternity as Socrates concludes in Phaedo. Toward the end of the Apology, Socrates links his lifelong commitment to philosophical inquiry with obedience to the divine. Furthermore, Socrates stresses the importance of striving for virtue and care of the soul while tending to the souls of others. These various topics continue to raise key questions and Apology which Philosophers still contemplate to the present day. Figure 2. The majority of influential thinkers in the history of philosophy cemented their fame by writing books or treatises. Apology dialogues Euthyphroand Apology are not as influential in the Western Canon as Republicthen why do Apology dialogues of the Trial and Death of Socrates merit such attention? The primary reason that we continue to study Socrates is because of the influence of his life and ideas on all Apology Philosophy that followed him. Socrates had an immediate influence on his student Plato, and later Aristotle. Afterwards, new schools of Greek Philosophy such as the Stoics, the Cynics, the Skeptics, and the Epicureans all traced their intellectual heritage to Socratic thought. The great thinkers of the Enlightenment and the Late Modern period, stressed the importance of reason and virtue as key to the development of the individual Apology to society drawing inspiration from Socratic ideas. For a man who never wrote a text outlining his core philosophical views, Socrates still managed to make an enormous impact on philosophical thought. If alive today, the Gadfly of Athens would make sure to regularly admonish us to prioritize the truly important things in life. To seek virtue and wisdom before our own private interests of gaining prestige and wealth, to care for our own soul and for the souls of others, and to strive to live an examined life, for the unexamined life is not worth living. By putting these ideals into practice, we can lead more meaningful lives and the great Socrates shall not have died in vain. Death Scene from Phaedo, James M. Death Scene from Phaedo Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Bacciarelli, Marcello. Alcibiades Being Taught by Socrates, oil on canvas, public domain, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Cicero, Marcus Tullius. About Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo

The painting focuses on a classical subject like many of his works from that decade, in this case the story of the execution of Socrates as told by Plato in his Phaedo. Socrates uses his death as a final lesson for his pupils rather than fleeing when the opportunity arises, and faces it calmly. In the painting, an old man in a white robe sits upright on Crito bed, one hand extended over a cup, the other gesturing in the air. He is surrounded by other men of varying ages, most showing emotional distress, unlike the stoic old man. The young man handing him the cup looks the other way, with his face in his free hand. Another young man clutches the thigh of the old man. An elderly man sits at the end of the bed, slumped over and looking in his lap. To the left, other men are seen through an arch set in the background wall. Although he consulted Father Adry, a scholar on the subject, David's depiction of Socrates death contains many historical inaccuracies. He removed many characters originally described in the dialogues of Plato. However, he included Apollodorusthe man leaning against Apology wall just within the arch, even though he is said to Crito been sent away by Socrates for displaying too much grief. David also historically misrepresented the ages of many of the pupils of Socrates, including Plato. Plato would have been a young man at the time of Socrates's death, but in this painting he is the old man sitting at the foot of the bed. Even the face of Socrates The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro much more idealized than the classical bust that is typically used as a reference portrait of Socrates. Thus, the painting can rather be seen as an analysis than a failed historic depiction. David uses color to highlight the The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro in this painting. The shades of red are more muted on the edges of the painting and become more vibrant in the center, culminating in the dark red robe of the man holding the cup of poison, generally taken as offering the cup to Socrates rather than receiving it after Socrates had consumed its contents. The only two serene men, Socrates and Plato, are garbed in a contrasting bluish-white. The more muted color scheme Crito this painting may be a response to critics of David's Oath of the Horatiiwho called his colors "garish". David signed this painting in two places; he put his full signature under Critothe young man clutching Socrates's thigh, and his initials under Plato. In Death of Socrateshis signatures also have meaning. His initials under Plato are a reference to the fact that the story comes from Plato, a thanks for the Death Scene from Phaedo. His fuller signature under Crito means Death Scene from Phaedo this is the character whom the artist identifies most with. This may be a reference for Crito's position in the composition — clutching Socrates's thigh. In this way, David would be seen as a man who likewise clutches at the morals and values that Socrates represents. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Euthyphro is some controversy as to the origins of the painting. It was during David's first trip to Rome that he began to study the depiction of funerary scenes and to draw many examples. Many of David's major works stem from these funerary drawings. Socrates is stoic and calm because he sees death as a separate, actual realm, a different state of being from life but not an end to being. Another painting depicting the event was done by the Italian artist Giambettino Cignaroli. Cignaroli's work shows Socrates already dead, surrounded by his anguished followers. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Painting by Jacques-Louis David. This article Apology about the painting. For the event depicted, see Trial of Socrates. Retrieved August 3, Jacques-Louis David. Trial of Socrates. Social gadfly Socratic dialogue Socratic intellectualism Socratic irony Socratic method Socratic paradox Socratic questioning. Socratic problem Socratici viri. Barefoot in Athens film Socrates film. Apology Memorabilia Oeconomicus Symposium. Halcyon Socratic Letters. Authority control BNF : cbj data. Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Articles containing French-language text All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March Commons category link is on Wikidata Wikipedia articles with Crito identifiers. Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Wikimedia Commons. Oil on canvas. Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York. BNF : cbj data.