Analysis of Socrates Defense in The Apology and Search...

Socrates Defense in the Apology and Search for the Truth about Piety in Euthyphro In Platos Dialogues, there is the singly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of some information or truth but who knows that he is ignorant, and the doubly ignorant person, the individual who is ignorant of his own ignorance. Socrates, in the Apology, maintains that he is singly ignorant when he states that the only thing he is that he knows nothing. The singly ignorant person is in a far better position to learn than the doubly ignorant person, because the singly ignorant person admits of his ignorance and can, if he desires, take the necessary steps to remove that ignorance. This is what Socrates does in his dialoguing, a.k.a. teaching. He is attempting to remove his own ignorance, and in some cases (such as in Euthyphro) move the doubly ignorant person to a state of single ignorance. This paper will show in context the meaning of Socrates ignorance in the Apology and how it relates to his search for the truth about piety in Euthyphro. Charged with promoting atheism and corruption among the young people of Athens, Socrates is brought before the court in the Apology. It is during his testimony that he asserts his ignorance, yet the context in which he does so helps to shed light on the profound meaning of his assertion. Socrates asserts that the only reason he ever began teaching was in order to refute the god of Delphi, (21c) who had stated that no man was wiser thanShow MoreRelatedBiography of Socrates, An Annotated Bibliography1581 Words   |  6 Pages DYLAN. â€Å"Socrates Human Wisdom.† Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review 52.1 (2013): 61-79. Humanities International Complete. Print. Dylan, the senior lecturer of the Department of Philosophy at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and author of several articles provides the argument that a satisfactory interpretation of human wisdom can be given in terms of â€Å"philosophia†.He confirms his analysis by its resolution of some enduring difficulties in the interpretation of Apology and alsoRead More Justice for All Ages Essay example4920 Words   |  20 Pageswhere to begin. Socrates1 spoke of justice in relation to the gods, Plato in relation to an individual’s duty in society, and Achilles, in a somewhat indirect way, in relation to honor and loyalty. All three of these men had very convincing arguments about the true nature of justice, but it is impossible to say now, or most likely ever, whether any of them actually got it right. The current goal is to synthesize their ideas with those of Aristophanes, Euripides2, and even Richard Kraut, representingRead MoreSocrates and Properties Essay 3228 Words   |  13 Pages Socrates and Properties By Characterizing himself –Socrates- as both ignorant and wise, he presents us with one of the most striking paradoxes. Like so many of the other philosophers, is provocative in that its apparent self-contradiction hides an important idea for us readers to discover. Though out this text Socrates ignorance results from his belief that he has no knowledge of moral idea, or moral properties, such as justice, virtue, piety, and beauty. He asserts that, if only he knew the