FREE ESSAY ON WHY SOCRATES SHOULD BE FOUND GUILTY?

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 would have risen. A perfect example in modern times of this situation was
the decision George Bush made in the Gulf War. He did not overthrow Saddam he just simply
went home and Bush's 
popularity decreased. The majority of people believed that bush should have finished the
job. Same with Socrates, he simply went home instead of joining the exiles to overthrow
the Thirty. 
By Socrates having some relation with Alcibiades, Critias, and Charmides it showed that
Socrates was against Democracy. Socrates was a traitor of the people and of Democracy. He
was charged for corrupting the young against the cause of Democracy. Anytus was his
accuser of this accusation. Anytus had a perfect example using Acibiades, Critias,
Charmides. If again, Socrates helped to overthrow the Thirty these charges would have
never had gone to trial. Since these three men (Critias, Charmides, Alcibiades) took over
Athens and took away Democracy, the people would fear that  Socrates' teachings might
inspire the newer generations of willful and violent youth in another attempt to
overthrow Democracy (Philosophical Significance Pg. 62). I agree with this statement,
Because Socrates influenced these men to not follow Democracy through his teachings. To
me, Socrates was responsible for the overthrow of Athens and Anytus accused him rightly.

The Poet Meletus also prosecuted Socrates in his trial. He prosecuted Socrates as
questioning what is above and below. In another sense Socrates was questioning the Gods.
Meletus calls Socrates and atheist in which he does 
not believe in any God. Gods such as Zeus, Chronos, Uranius were worshipped by many
people in Athens. Socrates not only questioned their existence but also there
accomplishments. There was even a play written about Socrates named The Clouds. It was
written by the poet Aristophones who pictured Socrates as a philosopher who taught a
common man named Strepsiades that there was no Zeus and that the real Gods were chaos,
respiration, and air( Stone pg. 200). The people of Athens thought that the play was
hilarious as they laughed at Socrates. The play ends with the common man Strepsiades
setting Socrates' thinkery on fire as he launches a mob against Socrates and his
students. Strepsiades states during the attack Strike, smite them, spare them not, for
many reasons. But most because they have blasphemed the Gods (Stone 200). This play was
showing the Athenians that he was an atheist and did not believe in any God. 
During the trial of Socrates, There was an exchange between Meletus and Socrates that
showed that the play was right and which sealed Socrates' belief of the Gods. Socrates
says to Meletus Are you saying that I do not honor or believe in the Gods Athens believes
in but I honor other Gods or that I do not myself believe in Gods at all and that I teach
this unbelief to other people? Meletus replies  That is what I say that you do not
believe in Gods at All (Stone pg. 243). 
The reason for this accusation is caused by Socrates questioning people in Athens about
their Gods. When people cannot answer certain questions about their God and cannot answer
they get angry or offended. This is what Socrates did to the people of Athens. He
questioned their Gods. Socrates later in the court states to Meletus you amaze me
Meletus! Do I not even believe that the sun or the moon are Gods, as the rest of mankind
do(Gill, Radar pg. 18). Meletus says in response to Socrates No, by Zeus judges, since he
says that the sun is a stone and the moon earth(Gill, Radar pg. 18). Socrates showed and
told the court that he disagrees with the almighty Zeus by stating that the sun and moon
are Gods. While Zeus believers say that the sun is a stone and the moon earth. Therefore
Socrates is an atheist. Socrates also shows that he studies his own religion and does not
follow Zeus. This hurts Socrates' reputation and popularity towards religious citizens of
Athens. It is like a public official saying publicly that he does not believe in God. It
hurts his popularity and reputation. Although being an atheist is not illegal in Athens,
it shows you are different from most Athenians. 
The final charge on Socrates was prosecuted by a man name Lycon who charges Socrates of
making the good argument bad and bad arguments good. It 
is like two anti abortion people talking about why it should not be legal. Here come
Socrates who was listening to the conversation and starts to ask questions 
why they believe this. Then he questions their answer. Socrates made a good argument bad.
The issues were not abortion in Athens though. The issues were mainly about issues in
government or welfare of the people. Socrates was like a little terrorist running around
the city's square full of people asking them questions in their beliefs or argument
toward an issue. You would start getting a sense of dislike toward someone who question's
you, then counter question's you. Although Socrates was a brave warrior and fought for
Athens in the Sparta wars, it does not mean anything to people who disliked him. Such as
Albert Einstein who made the atomic bomb for the U. S during World War II, He was later
called a communist. Same way with Socrates in Athens. The man was a nuisance to the
Athenians and their government and could never be trusted by the government. 
Hitler disposed people who had the power to influence other people. Hitler did no want
any coup or riot against his government nor did the Athenians. They had to dispose
Socrates because he could influence the young to overthrow Athens such as the Thirty. He
did not believe in the same Gods as the Athenians did. He questioned too many people to
the point where they 
would get angry at him. But, most importantly he was a threat to the Democracy of Athens.
Socrates was not well liked by most Athenians because of the negative views of the Gods,
that the play The Clouds showed. The play was like a form of negative advertising toward
Socrates which damaged his reputation. His decision to postpone the trial of the Generals
hurt his popularity. But, I think they mainly disliked him because he spent most of his
time in the market and public places in Athens, engaging in conversation and argument
with anyone that would succumb their attention to him and be interrogated by him. I
believe Socrates should have been executed because he was different then the rest and he
was warned to get out and he did not want to leave. He wasn't for Democracy and preached
anti Democracy philosophy. He said a philosopher is much like a gadfly flying around the
city ( Gill, Radar pg.22). That he was sent to attack it (Gill, Radar pg. 22). He was
like a gadfly, flying around the city bothering people. I don't think he was missed in
Athens, because he was a nuisance, just like a gadfly.