Socrates Trial And Death: Moral Exemplar In Philosophy
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Socrates Trial and Death
Socrates is known as a moral exemplar in philosophy. Socrates ideas that we know of comes from Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes (Arnold). The Sophists were private teachers in Athens who argued for moral relativism in cultural diversity (Arnold). Sophists and rhetoric gave their point of view in an argument by using emotions, ad homonym attacks, and many more methods (Arnold). The Sophists are compared to lawyers because they wanted to influence people and get what they want just as a lawyer does at trial (Arnold). Relativists view right and wrong as an expression of preference (Mills). There are two types of relativism: cultural and personal. Cultural relativism means different cultures have different standards on…show more content… While in prison Socrates was offered the deal to leave Athens but decided to face trial instead (Arnold). The trial had 500 male citizens over the age of 30 (Linder). At his trial Socrates was a gadfly (Solomon 1). Socrates says he was convicted because he lacked the boldness and shamelessness and the willingness to say what is heard from others (Solomon 3). At trial Socrates say he was caught by death but his accusers was caught by wickedness (Solomon 3). Socrates prophesize at trial to the jury of those who voted to kill him that there will be vengeance and it will be harder than what they did to him (Solomon 3). Socrates says at trial “I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall never cease to practice philosophy” (Linder). Socrates goes on to say “Athens should perhaps support his livlihood until he dies, since he has done so much for the polis“ (Arnold).When the jury took a vote 280 of them voted Socates guilty and the other 220 voted for an aquttial (Linder). He was sentenced to…show more content… Socrates says wickedness is much harder to avoid then death because it’s faster than death (Solomon 3). He says a man should not avoid death at any cost (Solomon 3). Socrates felt he benefited life in the polis so he should accept his punishment (Arnold). Socrates say death is not to be feared (Arnold). He compares death to a dreamless sleep (Arnold). Socrates made a joke of how he will enjoy the afterlife (Arnold). Socrates was offered the choice to renounce his beliefs or death by hemlock and he chose death