Did Socrates Believe in the Athenian gods - 982 Words

Topic: First Take-Home Essay – Did Socrates Believe in the Gods? Socrates does not explicitly answer whether or not he believed in the many gods of Athens, but he definitely believed in at least one divinity: his inner voice. Although this may still be considered a form of impiety by an Athenian jury, it is erroneous to describe Socrates as an atheist. The philosopher’s views on religion were unorthodox to say the least. His actions seem to suggest atheism, as he is more interested in debating wisdom than pursuing favor with the gods. Socrates is not adverse to a religious conversation, though, as he stops on the steps of the courthouse to discuss the nature and meaning of piety with Euthyphro. Although he does not speak in favor of the gods, neither does he move to deny spirituality or divinity. It is understandably difficult to decipher what Socrates believes himself amid all his questions and circling discourses. Interpreting Socrates is made increasingly more difficult by the fact that he is available today only as a literary character created by Plato. Perhaps the most insight is available in Plato’s text, the Apology, documenting the trial of Socrates when he is brought to court by various Athenian citizens on charges of impiety. As he is forced to discuss himself in relation to the subject of divinity, there is quite a lot to be gleaned from his discourse in this text. Additionally, Plato’s works Crito and Euthyphro take place around the event of the trial,Show MoreRelatedEssay about Socrates’ Trial Defense in Terms of His Values1414 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates’ Trial Defense in Terms of His Values In his Apology, Plato recounted the trial that led to the execution of his friend and mentor, Socrates. The account revealed that values of Socrates’ accusers and his own fundamentally differed, and that they had been angered because he tried to prove that they had misplaced theirs. Those differences created conflict between the two parties that culminated in his trial. With the understanding that a jury condemned Socrates to deathRead MoreSocrates Accusers Essay800 Words   |  4 PagesIn 399 BC, Socrates was executed on charges of not believing in the same Gods as Athenians, and for being a bad influence on the young. Were these charges just and fair? No, they were not. Socrates was not guilty of these charges. In fact, in the presence of his accusers, Socrates proved that he was an innocent man and was simply in the process of carrying out his mission to share truth in an attempt to improve the lives of his neighbors. Though with no avail, Socrates was still found guilty of crimesRead MoreSocratesApology And The Hebrew Bible1493 Words   |  6 Pageshow they view their world. The people in Socrates’ Apology and the Hebrew Bible have different ways of life. The Greek gods and the Hebrew God shape these people’s views, and they live the way their Gods want them to. Socrates’ gods and the Jews’ God give them a sense of authority in how they live and view their world. It evidently shows in Socrates’ Apology while Socrates defends himself in court, and in the books of the Bible when the Jews follow God and how they judge before and after JesusRead MoreThe Apology Of Socrates And Hebrew Bible Analysis1676 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Apology of Socrates and Hebrew Bible, there are different structures of authority – the way the system works; people live their lives, or how they view their world. The Greek gods and the Hebrew God shape these people’s views and give them a sense of authority. The structures of authority evidently show in the Apology of Socrates while Socrates defends himself in court, and in the books of the Bible when the Jews follow God and how they judge others. Although the Athenians’ and Jews’ livesRead MoreThe Euthyphro, By Socrates And Euthyphro1733 Words   |  7 Pagesconsidered the epitome of Socrates’ mastery of philosophy. In this dialogue, Socrates and Euthyphro converse on the porch of King Archon, who oversees religious laws. They both state why they are there and try to justify themselves to each other. While doing this, they circumvent about the matter of what piety exactly means. Euthyphro, having the reputation of being divine and pious, told Socrates that he is indeed an expert in these matters relating to piety, but Socrates makes it his mission to proveRead MoreEssay on The Trial of Socrates655 Words   |  3 Pages Socrates was accused of being a sophist because he was engaging in inquiries into things ben eath the earth and in the heavens, of making the weaker argument appear the stronger, and teaching others these same things. (Apology, Plato, Philosophic Classics page 21) Socrates is also accused of denying the existence of the gods, and corrupting the youth. Socrates goes about trying to prove his innocence. The jury that Socrates was tried by was made up of 501 Athenian citizens of all classesRead MoreThe Recordless: A Socrates Biography867 Words   |  4 Pagesphilosopher Socrates remains, as he was in his lifetime, an enigma, an instructable individual who, despite having written nothing, is considered one of the handful of philosophers who forever changed how philosophy itself was to be conceived†(Nails). A great philosopher named Socrates once changed the very way man perceived nature. Socrates was a man that lived life to its fullest, from being a foot soldier, or hoplite, to freelancing around the town hall barefoot and smelly. Socrates, because heRead MoreWhy Wa s Socrates Final Speech So Ineffective?1407 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates: Why was his final speech so ineffective? Although the Platonic dialogue chronicling Socrates death is called the Apology, many critics have noted that Socrates seems notably unapologetic throughout the speech, thus raising the ire of his Athenian listeners. Socrates is openly confrontational in his address to an Athenian jury of his peers, and his philosophical elitism seems designed to confirm, rather than disprove the image the prosecution had created of an unstable, dangerous, andRead MoreEssay Is Socrates Guilty As Charged?1134 Words   |  5 PagesQuery: quot;Is Socrates Guilty As Charged?quot; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In any case of law, when one is considering truth and justice, one must first look at the validity of the court and of the entity of authority itself. In Socrates case, the situation is no different. One may be said to be guilty or not of any said crime, but the true measure of guilt or innocence is only as valid as the court structure to which it is subject to. Therefore, in considering whether Socrates is guilty orRead MoreComparison Between Crito and Apology1661 Words   |  7 Pageswe could know Socrates is an enduring person with imagination, because he presents us with a mass of contradictions: Most eloquent men, yet he never wrote a word; ugliest yet most profoundly attractive; ignorant yet wise; wrongfully convicted, yet unwilling to avoid his unjust execution. Behind these conundrums is a contradiction less often explored: Socrates is at once the most Athenian, most local, citizenly, and patriotic of philosophers; and yet the most self-regarding of Athenians. Exploring that