The Pursuit of Excellence
The pursuit of excellence
1) Socrates did not write "Apology". Socrates did not actually write anything, It was his friend Plato that wrote and documented Socrates's speeches and dialogs.
The "Apology" supposes to be an accurate account by Plato of Socrates's trial before the Athenian jury in 399BCE. The trial began with the prosecutors presenting their case against Socrates before the Athenian jury. In this trial Meletus, the prosecutor, argued that Socrates was guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens and committing acts of impiety.
The "Apology" contain three speeches, defense, penalty, and after the trial. The second speech of Apology deals with Socrates penalty, Socrates respond to the given penalty by proposing an alternative one, and the jury had to choose between the two. The penalty that was suggested by Meletus was the death penalty. Socrates suggested that he, with the help of his wealthy friends, would pay a fine. He will also be treated as an Olympic hero. From Socrates suggestions we understand that he is actually mucking the jury by suggesting ideas that obviously won't be accepted.
One of the most important terms in the Apology is the term "Excellence". This term is an alternative term for the Greek term "Arete". Arete means the Aim, target the path of life. What you are supposed to do. By "pursuit of excellence" Socrates means that a parson should look for his place in society and in life. Finding his/her excellence will bring him/her health, wealth and happiness. Pursuing wealth and happiness thinking that those will lead one to his/her excellence is wrong.
Socrates gives an example of people that are in pursuit of wisdom. He says that in his investigation he found that the people, who looked for knowledge as a main target, (as if it has an intrinsic value), were less intelligent then the common people. "Man whose reputation for wisdom stood highest were nearly the most lacking in it, while others who were looked down on as common people
1) Socrates did not write "Apology". Socrates did not actually write anything, It was his friend Plato that wrote and documented Socrates's speeches and dialogs.
The "Apology" supposes to be an accurate account by Plato of Socrates's trial before the Athenian jury in 399BCE. The trial began with the prosecutors presenting their case against Socrates before the Athenian jury. In this trial Meletus, the prosecutor, argued that Socrates was guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens and committing acts of impiety.
The "Apology" contain three speeches, defense, penalty, and after the trial. The second speech of Apology deals with Socrates penalty, Socrates respond to the given penalty by proposing an alternative one, and the jury had to choose between the two. The penalty that was suggested by Meletus was the death penalty. Socrates suggested that he, with the help of his wealthy friends, would pay a fine. He will also be treated as an Olympic hero. From Socrates suggestions we understand that he is actually mucking the jury by suggesting ideas that obviously won't be accepted.
One of the most important terms in the Apology is the term "Excellence". This term is an alternative term for the Greek term "Arete". Arete means the Aim, target the path of life. What you are supposed to do. By "pursuit of excellence" Socrates means that a parson should look for his place in society and in life. Finding his/her excellence will bring him/her health, wealth and happiness. Pursuing wealth and happiness thinking that those will lead one to his/her excellence is wrong.
Socrates gives an example of people that are in pursuit of wisdom. He says that in his investigation he found that the people, who looked for knowledge as a main target, (as if it has an intrinsic value), were less intelligent then the common people. "Man whose reputation for wisdom stood highest were nearly the most lacking in it, while others who were looked down on as common people