Why Socrates Should Be Found Guilty Essays - Socrates,

Why Socrates Should Be Found Guilty? Why Socrates should be found guilty? In 470 B. C or 469 B. C a Greek Philosopher named Socrates was born in Athens. He was the son of Sophroniscus who was a sculptor. Researchers has said that Socrates was brought up as a sculptor. Socrates later abandoned it. When Peloponesion war broke out, Socrates went into active service and he earned high praises by the people of Athens for his courage and his endurance. Socrates took part in three war campaign for Athens. The seize of Potidea which was the beginning of the war and where he saved Alcibiades life. He also took part in the defeat and retreat of the Athenians at Delium in Boeotia in 424. He also fought in the battle of Amphipolis in 422. He was considered a hero by the people of Athens. In 406 B. C a trial of generals who commanded an Athenian fleet at the battle of Arginusae was held. They were accused of failing to pick up survivors and the dead of the battle. The generals defended themselves by claiming that the rescue of the bodies would be impossible because of the strong seas. Socrates was a member of the Prytaneis who are the board of fifty that presided at the trial. What Socrates asked himself was Whether the generals had a right to be tried separately (Stone pg.110). He believed that if they were tried together it would be unfair. The Athenian council listened to the public opinion who said, that they should be tried together. The council then decided that they were to be tried together. Socrates dissented and challenged the mass trial as unconstitutional under Athenian law and procedure of the court. But, the population of Athens and the majority of that population was so angered by the decision to postpone the trial, that the committee forgot unconstitutionality and allowed a vote on an amendment to try all ten generals together. Socrates held out against this decision because he believed it was not only illegal but also unjust. The majority prevailed and cleared the passage for the amendment and the trial. Socrates said What they have done was illegal (Stone pg. 113). By saying this statement Socrates criticized the majority's decision. Socrates gained many enemies from saying this statement. It gives the majority a view of him as a defector of the city and views not like their own. Socrates went against the decision of the people to try them together. When you go against a majority you create a negative view of yourself. When people have negative views of you, you create many enemies. The second occasion that gave Socrates a negative view was when, Socrates went against the Thirty Tyrants. The Thirty Tyrants were responsible for oligarchy in Athens after they overthrew the Democracy. It was formed by a Spartan commander named Lysander after Sparta has won the Peloponnesian war. These Thirty Tyrants were responsible for many judicial murders. They murdered wealthy citizens who's property they wanted for their own. The Thirty ordered Socrates and four other men to arrest a man named Leon of Salimis. Socrates went home while the others obeyed the order. Socrates new the leaders Critias and Charmides of the Thirty well. He was very close with them including Alcibiades. Alcibiades, Critias, and Charmides were all in the Socratic circle. There was then a counter revolution that restored Democracy in Athens. The democrats wanted to prevent a comeback of the horrors that were in every Athenian citizen's mind. The terror that Critias, Charmides, and Alcibades has caused. In order to do this they would have to get Socrates out of the way. The democrats felt since Socrates was the teacher of these Thirty Tyrant leaders, that he was responsible for their misdeeds. Socrates' relations with these three tyrants gave the wrong impression in the eyes of the people in Athens. Not only this was the cause of the negativity toward Socrates, it was also the fact that he went home instead of joining the exiled that left the city to over throw the Thirty tyrants. Maybe perhaps if he joined the exiles to overthrow the Thirty his popularity