The Apology Notes - Key Concepts

Key concepts from *The Apology* The material for our first week in class is based on *[The Apology]*. Each student should know and be able to explain each of the following: 1. Socrates' view of language vs. that of the Sophists. In the beginning of the reading, Socrates makes a point to tell...

Key concepts from *The Apology* The material for our first week in class is based on *[The Apology]*. Each student should know and be able to explain each of the following: 1. Socrates' view of language vs. that of the Sophists. In the beginning of the reading, Socrates makes a point to tell the audience that he is not a skilled speaker. He claims to tell the truth and not speak in the way others speak in the court. Here, he is contrasting himself to the *Sophists.* The Sophists use [rhetoric] or manipulative language to gain power over others. The Sophists were professional persuaders. They were paid good money by the people in power in Athens to persuade the Assembly of policies or actions that the powerful wanted. Socrates promises to speak plainly and truthfully. Socrates believes that the Sophists are a threat to Athens because they do not care about the truth and only serve the interests of those in power. Know who the Sophists are and why Socrates see them as a threat to his community. 2. The 4 accusations against Socrates and the two groups of accusers (which is more important?). He is accused by 3 guys---Anytus, Meletus, and Lycon. These guys are not taken seriously by Socrates. In ancient Athens, a person could only be put on trial if three people officially accuse you of a crime or crimes. He does also mention a nameless group of people who have been accusing Socrates for years and attacking him in the city. He is accused of being an atheist or teaching the wrong gods (note the contradiction). He is accused of corrupting the young, making the weaker argument defeat the stronger, and speculating about what is above and below the earth. Note that making the weaker argument defeat the stronger is what the Sophists did (reflecting manipulation). Also, know the concept of metaphysics and how that relates to the accusation of investigating things above and below the earth. *Metaphysic*s is that part of philosophy that attempts to understand the whole of reality. 3. Oracle of Delphi---what is it and what does it say? Oracles in the ancient world were thought to have a special connection to the gods. Socrates' friend, Chaeraphon went to the oracle and asked who the wisest person is. The Oracle said Socrates. Strangely, Socrates does not agree or understand what the oracle meant. Why is that? Socrates claims not to know the answers to the questions about the Good Life and so, how can he be wise? 4. Socratic Project---assumption that to live the Good life one needs to know what it is and to prove it one must be able to pass elenchus test. The project was to go about Athens questioning people to find someone wiser than himself. He did this to find out what the oracle meant and to challenge the hubris of Athens. Be able to define the idea of [hubris]---excessive pride to the extent that one acts like a god. 5. Explain Elenchus (Socrates' questioning procedure)---5 steps and the assumptions behind it. Elenchus is: a. Socrates asks a question about some aspect of the Good Life (eudaimonia) b. The other person gives an answer and Socrates asks follow-up questions of clarification. c. Socrates identifies the contradiction in what the other person says (a *contradiction* is a situation in which a person says two things both of which can not be true). An example is when Meletus says that Socrates is an atheist and teaches people to worship the wrong gods. d. Other person admits ignorance. Be able to explain how elenchus is *dialogical*---both persons must cooperate. Socrates cannot "Make" you do elenchus. e. Other person goes back to step one and tries again. 6. The 3 main groups Socrates questions---his judgments of them. The poets or creators of media are influential in the city. They create the culture. He questions them about the Good Life, and they do not know the answers. The craftspeople are good at making the technology, but they fail to answer Socrates' questions. Finally, the politicians are just worthless. They do not create culture or technology, but they think they have all the answers to the questions about the Good Life. Socrates thinks they are the worst because the most filled with hubris. 7. *Socrates conclusion*---how is he wise? Socrates is wise in the end because he knows that he does not know. He knows his ignorance. Human vs. divine wisdom. He even suggests that only the gods have true wisdom. Maybe Socrates is religious after all? 8. The verdict and the sentence. Explain why Socrates does not try harder to escape punishment. 9. Socrates' argument as to why we should not fear death. Socrates says we should not fear death because we do not rationally know what happens after death. If we fear it then we claim to know what we do not really know. How does this argument reflect his philosophy? 10. The voice Socrates hears. At the end of the reading, Socrates says that he has always followed a voice that has always directed him in the right way. This voice may be conscience or even a god? How does this suggest that Socrates may have answers to the great questions of the Good Life? 11. Athens as a horse and Socrates as a fly. Explain the significance of this analogy. Socrates believes that his questioning of Athens has been good for his community because he is challenging his community to care about its soul. How does Socrates imply that the soul is more important than the body? Explain dualism. Dualism is the philosophical view that human beings are composed of a physical body and a nonphysical soul. 12. Explain the *Socratic Paradox*. Socrates seems to know things about the good life (i.e., chasing money and fame will not bring the GOOD LIFE) and yet, Socrates always claims ignorance in the dialogues. Explain the *anti-hubris view* (Socrates thinks he needs to show Athens that hubris is reflected in claiming to know everything and that hubris will destroy the community) and the Platonic view of how to resolve the paradox. *Plato's view* is that Socrates knew all the answers to the questions he asked but he had to first show people ignorance before he could truly teach them. In other words, Socrates had to first use elenchus to show people ignorance before they could start to learn the truth. You cannot learn if you think you know all the answers.