Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Apology - 1451 Words

In this paper I will be discussing the four charges brought against Socrates in Plato’s essay The Apology# and why exactly each of these charges is completely fictitious. The four charges brought against Socrates were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he was corrupting the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). Each of these four charges is false for varying reasons and I will be addressing each explanation on why each charge is a complete sham, after discussing each charge. The first charge made against Socrates was that he argued the physical over the metaphysical (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). This charge says that he believed in reason and†¦show more content†¦53-55). The statement in their affidavit is that, â€Å"†¦he does not believe in the gods of the state. He has other new divinities of his own† (Plato, p. 53). The â€Å"new divinities† refers to So crates strong belief in the oracle at Delphi, whom he credits with acknowledging him as the wisest man (Plato, p. 52). This accusation is extremely ridiculous as well. Socrates accusers, in particular Melatus, are completely contradicting themselves as Socrates states,† For he certainly does appear to me to contradict himself in the indictment as much as if he said that Socrates is guilty of not believing in the gods, and yet of believing them- but this surely is a piece of nonsense† (Plato, p.55). He also further refutes this argument by glorifying the oracle as a God. This causes Socrates to fulfill the oracles prophesy by admitting he knows nothing (Singer lecture, 9-15-11). When Socrates first heard the oracles prophesy he questioned it at first because he did no believe he was the wisest man. But in the end he accepted it by stating, â€Å"†¦ he is a god, and cannot lie; that would be against his nature† (Plato, p. 52). He goes on to prove his devotion t o the gods, in particular the oracle by refusing to stop fulfilling the oracles prophesy. He states, â€Å"†¦ obedient to the gods, and seek wisdom of anyone, whether citizen or stranger, who appears to be wise. If he is not wise, then in support of the oracle I show him he is not wise† (Plato, p.53). He even provesShow MoreRelatedApology On The Book Apology1308 Words   |  6 PagesThe book Apology begins with Socrates making a short speech in which he defends his innocence. He was on trial because of the two â€Å"Later† charges against him. Corrupting the youth and disbelief in Athenian gods were among the charges. Before he began his speech, he made it clear to the judges that he is not familiar with the court system and also that it’s his first time in court so that he will be speaking in his â€Å"usual manner†. His accusers warned the judges that he has a great persuasive powerRead MoreThe Apology Of Plato Apology983 Words   |  4 PagesAt the beginning of The Apology, Socrates is directly speaking to the jury in Athens. In the beginning of the apology Socrates speaks of accusations that have been made against him throughout his life. There seems to be two different kinds of accusations. The first being biases accusations that have been made on throughout his past and the other being recent accusations. Socrates explains he was accused of being, â€Å" a wise man, a student of all things in the sky and below the earth, who makes theRead MoreApology, By Plato s Apology1298 Words   |  6 Pagesknowing you know nothing.† In â€Å"Apology,† written by Plato, this ethical belief makes a bold appearance demonstrating that true ignorance only revolves around those who think that they know everything. In â€Å"Apology,† Socrates learns that the wisest men are those who do not think of themselves of wise, and rather make an approach of going beyond an authentic method of inquiry and helping others seek their personal philosophies which may result in conflict. In Plato’s â€Å"Apology,† Socrates demonstrates thatRead MorePlatos Apology1219 Words   |  5 PagesPlato’s Apology, is by far one of the most logical yet critical thinking text that I have ever read. Plato describes Socrates, the accused atheist and corrupter of youth in ancient Athens, as a true beacon of ethics and morality. The method that Plato uses to depict Socrates on trial gives us a look back on how the trial of a man who encourages one of sound mind to ask questions even to those who are deemed wise in the eyes of others. Despite facing odds that are stacked highly against him, and thisRead More Apology Essay520 Words   |  3 Pages I am not so certain if Socrates approach to his defense is particularly the brightest one, and it certainly is not an apology as the title has named it, but, there is a certain wisdom in the simple, plain structured arguments he presents. One of the first thi ngs he mentions, is for the jury to pardon him, in the case that he should slip into his accustomed way of speaking, just as they would pardon a foreigner for speaking in his accustomed manner. This appears to me to be a wise idea, as it isRead MoreApologies Are The New Teachers971 Words   |  4 PagesApologies Are the New Teachers (Three things Learned from Plato’s Apology) There are many writers, authors, and speakers in this world that are considered among the greats, but perhaps the greatest two of western speculation are Plato and Socrates. These two hand in hand had a huge influence on American Literature and others as well. Perhaps one of the most remarkable writings of Plato, since Socrates never once himself wrote anything down, is his writing of Apology. The writings of Apology showedRead More Platos Apology Essay1086 Words   |  5 PagesPlatos Apology Plato’s Apology is the story of the trial of Socrates, the charges brought against him and his maintaining of his own innocence throughout the process. At the onset of the trial, Socrates appears to challenging the charges, which included corrupting the youth, challenging belief in the gods that were accepted and reveled by the State, and introducing a new religious focus, but also belittles his own significance and suggesting that he will not attempt to disprove thatRead More Platos Apology Essay794 Words   |  4 PagesPlato’s Apology In the retelling of his trial by his associate, Plato, entitled â€Å"The Apology†; Socrates claims in his defense that he only wishes to do good for the polis. I believe that Socrates was innocent of the accusations that were made against him, but he possessed contempt for the court and displayed that in his conceitedness and these actions led to his death. In his defense, Socrates claims over and again that he is innocent and is not at all wise, â€Å"†¦for I know that I haveRead MorePlatos The Apology Essay1530 Words   |  7 Pageswas – such was the effect of them; and yet they have hardly spoken a word of truth.† – Plato â€Å"The Apology† In â€Å"The Apology,† Socrates represents himself in his own trial. He boldly questions the morality of the people of court. In this report, I will be analyzing portions of â€Å"The Apology† in order to reveal the intellectuality of this text within this time frame. I will only discuss bits of â€Å"The Apologyâ€Å" on account that it is a lengthy piece. However, before discussing the speech it is important toRead MoreThe Apology Plato Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesMelinda Leager PHIL 201-03/04/08 Instructor: Dr. Dennis L. Burke September 7, 2012 Response Paper â€Å"The Apology† by Plato In this reading Plato tells the story of Socrates and his trial which ultimately lead to his death sentence. Socrates was a 70 year old man at peace with his own mortality yet willing to face his accusers with an almost definite possibility of death to maintain his own integrity and beliefs and morality. He fully understood from the beginning of his trial what the sentence

Friday, December 13, 2019

The Story and Spread of Hinduism Free Essays

Hinduism has a continuous history which extends back to over two thousand years. Hinduism consists of a colossal number of branches. However, the majority of the Hindus belong to the branches of religion whose belief and practices are majorly focused on either of their gods. We will write a custom essay sample on The Story and Spread of Hinduism or any similar topic only for you Order Now These gods are worshipped at various times and their faith compelled them to believe that their prayers are answered through belief. They also observe numerous sacred days, holidays and festivals. The festivals are primarily celebrated by different sects of people and the event determines the nature of the celebration. This research paper discusses the authorship of the festival known as Diwali, the festival of the lights. Origin The origin of the festival is traced in the Indian subcontinent. The festival days and the rituals of Diwali vary among Hindus. The variance is based on the region of India. Basically, the celebrations always fall eighteen days after the Dussehra, and in many parts of India, the preparation of the festivals commences before the actual day. These celebrations fall eighteen days after the Dussehra. The day is observed in almost all parts of the country and western, central, eastern and the northern Indian communities observe the main Diwali on no moon day, which is the darkest night of the traditional month. Some Indian communities mark the last day of celebration as the Bhai Dooj, a special dedication to bond between sister and brother. Other communities, however, mark the day as Vishwakarma Puja. They do this by maintaining their workspace equipment and they offer special prayers to the gods. Celebration Diwali, also known as Deepavali is prevalently known as the â€Å"festival of lights† is a five-day celebration which basically starts on Dhanteras. It is celebrated on the thirteenth lunar, the day of Krishna, which according to the Hindu calendar; it is the month of Ashwin. The celebration ends on Bhaubeej. Before Diwali, people clean, renovate do a lot of decorations in their houses, homes, and offices. On the evening before the day, people dress in their new and best outfits. They then light up the lamps and candles in and out of their homes. They then participate in the family prayers. The prayers are carried out through the goddess of prosperity. In so doing, the families invite their friends where they celebrate by sharing meals together. They also exchange gifts between the family members and close friends who were invited. During this period, children are put down and taught ancient stories, legends concerning the battles which took place between the good and the evil. On the other hand, youths and adults alike help with the preparation and lighting of the fireworks. In fact, Diwali celebrations mark a major shopping period in India. Significance Ideally, there is significant variation in regional practices and rituals. Often, prayers are usually offered before one or more deities, depending on the region. The prayers are carried out through the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi. The stories told to the young children also vary from region to region. S they are important in the sense that they all point to the joy and the celebration of Diwali. They act as a reminder of the importance of knowledge, and improvement. The myths also help then young ones in knowing and seeking the right path for them to follow. Basically, the Diwali celebrations signify the inner light that comes over the spiritual darkness of knowledge over ignorance and light that is brought about through the wrong done. It is a festive rewording of the Hindu belief that the good at the end of the day triumphs over the evil. Through this celebration, everyone is cleansed and gets reenergized to face the life thereafter. The significance of this festival today in our life is that we should remove all sorts of the darkness of ignorance and the hatred from our hearts and be filled with the knowledge of light and love. We should take care of other people irrespective of race, social status and gender. The celebration also reminds us to take good care of the wealth that we have in life, developmental strength in order to get rid of the evil thoughts and become better people in the society and also to have the courage of building the existing relationships as well as forming a new friendship. Conclusion The celebration is reflected in our lives today. Wearing new clothes, distributing sweets and giving gifts to everyone is an ultimate expression of joy and love for one another. Lights that are lit at night bring a lot of cheer to the atmosphere, which is a sign of the removal of evil in our lives. As a human, we should try at all levels to live a life that pleases God and remove all aspects of darkness in our lives. We should live as children of one God who is the creator of everyone. God protect and love us always, and so we should. How to cite The Story and Spread of Hinduism, Papers