Week 4: Daily #1 (with Socrates)

Question: Do you think Socrates got what he deserved? Why didn't he accept exile?

Socrates did not get what he deserved because as the one of the greatest Greek philosophers of all time, he deserved better than this. Socrates’ way of understanding people was probably the best form of philosophy in the days of Ancient Greece. Socrates did not care about his appearance in the city; he was only interested in the mind and ways of thinking. Socrates revolutionized the way of thinking in the ancient world. Socrates also taught some of the smartest students in all of Greece with Plato and Xenophon. With all of these outstanding achievements, the people of Athens should have been proud with a man like him. Instead, they charged him with crimes that he never even thought he would break. Crimes that were charged to Socrates included questioning the democracy in Athens and questioning the principles in Athens. Socrates was just stating his opinion about this type of government the flaws in Athens, which is why a democracy was installed in Athens; so people could have their own opinions on things. Then Socrates was found guilty of these charges in his trial and he was forced to drink the hemlock poison, where he eventually lost feeling in his body and died. This was not how I though Socrates’ life should have ended at all. He should have been honored by Athens, not executed. I think he did not except exile because he wanted to stand up for himself and not let the people of Athens ostracize him away. Socrates thought he was better than living in exile. He knew if anything, he should at least be liked in society. Exile was not a choice for Socrates and he knew this wouldn’t help his case at all. Socrates deserved a great deal of respect and he was better than dying from poison.