Editorial
Views on Trial
Views of Trial
Some people claim the trial to be unwarranted, while others are glad to see Socrates punished. One opinion is that Socrates deserved his punishment, he should not have taught what he taught. He even praised Sparta, the archrival of Athens, on several occasions. One of his purported offences to the city was his position of a moral and social critic. Socrates did not hold up a status quo and did not accept what had developed to be perceived as immoral, questioning the collective notion of "might makes right". Plato refers to Socrates as gadfly of the state, insofar as he irritated some people with considerations of justice and the pursuit of goodness. His attempts to improve the Athenian's since of justice may have been the cause of his execution. Another point of view is from those who supported Socrates. They claim Socrates was a great teacher and a great man. When his friend Chaerephon asked the oracle at Delphi if anyone was wiser; the Oracle responded that no one was wiser than Socrates. He refuted this claim however, saying was not wise,band tested it against many other ' wise men', but found himself to be wiser at each turn. Knowing his own ignorance made him humble and wiser than all men. He would teach people to question everything, including themselves. Making the Athenians he publicly questioned look foolish made himself look smarter, and for good reason. He questioning and ideals made him a great philosopher, Dutch would ultimately lead to his undeserving death for merely opposing the ideals of the new government.