Analysis of Plato's Apology - Essay Example

The Apology begins with Socrates expending considerable effort to demonstrate how he came to partake in his role as an expounder of wisdom and intellectual thought. He describes how a truth-teller claimed that Socrates was the wisest individual in the land, and how he went about attempting to test the truth of this claim. He indicates that he engaged many individuals in intellectual debate and after leaving each conversation came to the realization that he was in actuality the wisest.

Socrates then turns his argument to Meletus's claim that in expounding his wisdom he has consciously corrupted the Athenian youth. The main contention in these regards is that Socrates has instructed the youth that the Greek Gods are not real, or not to be believed. Socrates attempts to refute Meletus's argument that he willfully corrupts the Athenian youth, by advancing the argument that it is impossible for a worse person to harm a better person. While the comment is directed at Meletus, it’s been argued that Socrates is directing the comment towards the entirety of Greek culture that has sought to indict him for ‘corrupting the Athenian youth’ (Grippe).

In these regards, the main charges against Socrates are in regards to his teaching to the Athenian youth. In understanding all the charges levied against Socrates, it’s necessary to consider Socrates' own position in relation to them. One of the primary complaints that Meletus levies against Socrates are his argument that Socrates has corrupted the youth by advising them not to believe in the gods. In refutation of this Socrates seems to argue that he actually embraces a belief in the gods, just not in the form that is traditionally accepted in Greek culture.

Instead, Socrates' embracement of the gods comes in terms of his purpose in life, which is living the examined life. In these regards, Socrates states, “God orders me to fulfill the philosopher's mission of searching into myself and other men, I were to desert my post through fear of death, or any other fear; that would indeed be strange, and I might justly be arraigned in court for denying the existence of the gods, if I disobeyed the oracle because I was afraid of death” (Plato). Here Socrates is indicating that since God has made his purpose that of a philosopher, then the core element of his existence is to live the examined life so that ultimately Meletus claims that Socrates has corrupted the Athenian youth by expounding on the knowledge he gained from living the examined life is erroneous as he has done this out of following the purpose God or the gods placed him on Earth.

When considering the charges levied against Socrates it is clear that the charges are erroneous. In large part, Meletus's claims against Socrates are based on the notion that Socrates has instructed the Athenian youth in the wisdom that is counter to the main understandings of Greek culture. It’s been indicated that in large part Socrates was an early proponent of humanistic standards of philosophy that have placed him at odds with Meletus (Ward). While Meletus claims that Socrates has been teaching to the Athenian youth are true, the more important notion is that the information that Socrates has instructed the youth is more accurate than the pervading notions of truth that Meletus is embracing.

In these regards, Socrates is not guilty of ‘corrupting’ the Athenian youth, which is the main charge made against him, but has instead uplifted the Athenian youth from false information. Ultimately, it is Meletus who is corrupting the Athenian youth through his insistence on erroneous information. In conclusion, this essay considers the charges that have been made against Socrates in Plato’s Apology and examine whether he is guilty of these charges. In terms of the charges, the essay demonstrates that the main charges levied against Socrates concern his corrupting the Athenian youth through his teachings.

Ultimately, it’s argued that Socrates is not guilty of these charges as he has sought to teach them the reality of existence, rather than a false understanding.