QuestionsforApologyPart1

NOTE1:AlltranslationsofPlatoswritingsaredividedintonumberedsections(e.g.,
24ad),whichyouwillfindinthemargins.Wewillusethesetofindourplaceinthe
text.
NOTE2:Iwillnotalwaysgiveyouhomeworklikethistodo,butIthoughtthat
becausethisisourfirstreadingandbecauseitissomewhatcomplex,Iwouldgiveyou
somestudyquestionsandnotestoguideyourreading.Trytoanswerthesequestions,but
dontworryaboutgettingthemexactlyright.Focusontheideastheyraiseandonany
otherideasinthetextthatstrikeyouasinteresting.
Instructions:Readfromthebeginningtosection30aandtypeyouranswerstothe
followingquestions.Onthenextpage,IhaveincludedthekindsofnotesItakewhen
readingaphilosophytext.Usetheseaswelltothinkabouttheapologythedefense
thatSocratesgives.
1. WhatthreecrimesisSocrateschargedwith?Listthemandsummarizewhythese
wereconsideredsodangerousoroffensive.

2. 2021HowdoesSocratesunderstandwisdom?Whatisthedifferencebetween
humanwisdomanddivinewisdom,onhisview?
3. 23aeWhydoesSocratessaythatinexposingpeoplesignoranceheisassisting
thegod?Howwouldthishelpthegods?
AndhowwouldSocratessayhiseffortsarealsohelpinghumanbeings,thepeople
ofAthens?Heclearlythinksheishelpingthembutinwhatspecificsense?
4. 2829.SocratescompareshimselftothegreatheroesoftheTrojanwarHektor
etc.whodidnotshrinkawayfromdeathwhenfightingfortheircountry.What
doesSocratessayheisfightingandfacingdeathfor?

AdamsonsNotesforPlatosApology17a30a
MuchofwhatSocratessayscomesoutthroughdistinctionsordifferences.Inorderto
makehisownpointsandpositionsclearer,hecontraststhemwithothers.
17acMyaccusersalmostpersuadedme,theyweresoeloquent;butnothingtheysaid
wastrue.Eloquencevstruth.Clevernessvsplaintruth
17bIamanorator,butnotbytheirstandards.Theirstandardsvs.mystandards
18aPleaseaskyourselvesonlywhetherwhatIsayisjustornot.Forasjudges,you
shouldbeprimarilyconcernedwithjustice,no?Judgingbybiasvs.Judgingbyjustice
19aIamdefendingmyselfagainstsomewhoarenothereandsomewhoare.
19cIamchargedwithmakingtheweakargumentthestronger.Strongargumentsvs.
weakarguments
19eIamnotconcernedwiththequestionofcosmology,physics,etc.Material
knowledgevs.ethicalknowledge.
NordoIchargepeoplemoneyformyteachings.Feeforteachingvs.freedialogue
Ifwegotoanexpertinthetrainingofourhorses,whodowegotointhetrainingofour
children?HorsesvsChildren.Whoaretheexpertsinthetrainingofpeople?Expertise
vs.Ignorance
20aIpossessacertainwisdombutonlyhumanwisdom.Humanwisdomvs.divine
wisdom
21aThetriptotheoracleatDelphiwhenhewasyoung.Nooneiswiserthan
Socrates.Buthowcanthisbe?WhatdoIknow?
Testthepolitician.Hethinksheiswise,butheisnotandhethinksheis.
21dI,ontheotherhand,amprofoundlyawareofmyignorance.Inthatsense,atleast,I
amwiserthanhe.Selfdelusionvs.selfknowledgeevenaboutonesignorance
22bThepoets,whocreatebeautifulworksofarttheydonotknowwhattheyhave
done,howtheydidit,andwhatitmeans.Almostanyoneelsecouldhaveexplainedtheir
workbetter.Doingvs.knowing
23aHumanwisdomisworthverylittle.WhenIcriticizepeoplesbeliefs,Iamonly
helpingthegod.

ThecrossexaminationofMeletos:
S:Youchargemewithharmingtheyouth.Whoknowshowtobenefitthem?
M:Thesejudges,thewitnesses,andthecitizens.
S:SoIamtheonlyonwhocorruptsthem?
M:Yes!
S:Whatabouthorses?Doeseveryoneknowhowtohelpthem,oronlyafew?
M:Onlythefew,theexperts.
S:Isntitthesameforallanimals?(Andthusforchildren?)Noteveryonecanbean
expertinthis.
S:AmIharmingthemintentionallyornot?
M:Intentionally.
25dS:SoIamtryingtoharmmyfriends,tomakethemworse?WhywouldIdothis,
sinceitcouldonlyharmmyself?
Or,ifIamignorant,pleaseteachme!
27aS:AndyousayIcorrupttheyoungbyteachingthemaboutotherspiritsandgods,
butthatIdenythatthesunandmoonaregods.
Butcanonebelieveinhumanmatterswithoutbelievinginhumans?
Equestrianmatterswithoutbelievinginhorses?
Fluteplayerswithoutflutes
Spiritualmatterswithoutspirits
Divinematterswithoutdivinities
Childrenofthegodswithoutgods
IfIspeakofgodlythings,suchasspirits,howcanIalsodenythegods?

Whatareotherkeymomentsinthetextyouhaveidentified?