Three important lessons (PLato's Apology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Three important lessons (PLato's Apology) - Essay Example In truth, Socrates was imparting a lesson that was central to his work and to his beliefs. His apology was a lecture on the triumph of knowledge over ignorance and he was beseeching his listeners to discard old and traditional beliefs and embrace modern intellectual development. The background of the Apology is that Socrates is being charged with the corruption of the youth and disrespect towards the Gods. He begins by saying that â€Å"The task is not an easy one; I quite understand the nature of it. And so leaving the event with God, in obedience to the law I will now make my defence.† (Plato, quoted in Biffle, 34) He confronts his accuser Meletus and demonstrates exactly why and how the charges against him are false. However, despite his use of logic to defend himself, he is still found guilty and sentenced to die. It is clear throughout the text that Socrates wants to emphasize that he will counter his accuser’s lies and accusations with wisdom. This is the first lesson: the importance of wisdom. He also wishes to emphasize that it is his wisdom and knowledge that make him persecuted, but this wisdom and knowledge will be of much use to the city of Athens. Therefore, instead of using pathos, or arousing pity, he was appealing to the logic of the crowd. Instead of beseeching the people to spare his life, he reasoned with them – making logical and coherent arguments with the end in view of convincing them that they would be better off with him alive than with him dead. To quote: For if you kill me you will not easily find a successor to me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by God; and the state is a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has attached to the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading