Ignorance is a Disease

I have a problem with the people of Athens. No, wait. I have a problem with ignorance and extreme dogma. Basically, I have a problem with the pig-headed officials of Athens. Socrates was a respected philosopher and the hateful Athenians put him away, for good. This highly respected individual was sentenced to death because of his philosophical activities. Actually he was sentenced because he was accused of corrupting the youth and for not believing in the same things the officials believe. Because of extreme dogma and ignorance by the court he was placed on trial and he lost. I am talking about Socrates and his trial at king-archon's court.

My overall claim about this topic:

As an Athenian man-child curious about the world and on the verge to becoming a man, I couldn't help myself but to follow the phenomenal philosopher and see what I could learn from him. I've attended most of his spontaneous teachings until his trial. Over the course of these 'teachings' I can't help but ask myself, in the end who corrupts Athens more, Socrates or the people he converses with and who actually benefits from Athens more? Obviously the answer to the first question would be Socrates because he was placed on trial in the first place for corrupting the youth of Athens. Well, I say it's the pig-headed people (or those against Socrates) who corrupt Athens more, because ignorance is contagious and dangerous like a disease, and I say some of Athens has caught that disease. To answer the second question, I would say that the people benefit from Athens as well because Socrates was nothing more than a blessing to the people of Athens. They could have been the smartest (or wisest) people on the face of the Earth. The people should benefit from the city anyway because they live there. I will explain how ignorance is dangerous in almost any case and further explain the trial of Socrates, that I so happened to witness.

How I will support this claim:

I will give more detail about the trial that Socrates had to go through and I will also give more detail about Euthyphro and their conversation about the meaning of piety. You can call me a passerby taking a rest on the steps of the court but I was actually following Socrates, again. I will also give my own personal input and share my point of view on their conversation. I will also try to understand what Socrates means when he talks about some of the things he says in his trial and how much of a 'smartass', if you will, he was. I always thought that attitude was humorous.

How I believe this claim is relevant:

There is a disease out there called ignorance. Wisdom is the only cure. Athens fell victim to the dreadful disease and the vaccine, Socrates, was here to help. But Athens' body, all who was against Socrates, rejected him. Socrates did die, but I say he was murdered. He was murdered by ignorance. I write this to help put a stop to the disease. My words won't be as mind-blowingly philosophical as Socrates or any other philosopher but I hope to reach the attention to someone who knows what I'm talking about.

Body

I guess I'll start with the day of the trial. I heard that the trial was going to start at high noon. I hurried to finish my chores so I could go see the trial. I ran to the court house and that's when I saw Socrates making his way up the steps with another individual. I wasn't sure who he was until I got closer. They stopped and talked as I walked up the steps and sat down near them, pretending to be out of breath from running. I wanted to know what they were talking about. It seems as though Socrates was asking this man about the word piety. Socrates asked if (the individual's name is Euthyphro) Euthyphro knows about it. Euthyphro spoke as if he did. Socrates believes that this would help him with his case. Euthyphro was a prosecutor of the court. He was prosecuting his own father for murder. My mouth went agape but I caught myself. He must know something about piety.

After while of conversing and several different definitions of the word piety Euthyphro got frustrated and gave up trying to figure out what piety is because Socrates found the flaw of each definition. If Euthyphro don't know the definition how will he know how to successfully go through his trial, I mean will he know if he's doing the right thing? Also I believe everyone has the ability to learn. But everyone doesn't have the will. Socrates willingly wanted to learn from Euthyphro and see if he can get the definition of piety but Socrates kept finding a flaw. Is it possible Socrates can not learn from others? But that surely is beside the point.

I went inside to see if I can find a closer seat to the front of the court room. I sat next to a man named Plato. Socrates was defending his own case. He says that those how are against him have been persuaded by those who accused them and they are no where to be found now. He talks about how his friend Chaerephon went to Delphi to ask the oracle "is any wiser than Socrates?" The oracle replied "there is none wiser than he." I believe it but Socrates didn't. He believed that there was no one wiser than him. He knew the oracle speaks in riddles so he tried to figure out what the oracle meant by that. He journeyed out to find who was wiser and could not find anyone. He did found out that people are wise about something no one else is knowledgeable about. Everyone is wise in their own way.

I have no idea if that counts but if that is true I have something to show. I am already wise in my own way. I know about the art of fielding that maybe a blacksmith does not know how to do or knows nothing about it. I am greater on a different level, but I am lower on an entirely different level. This is what set us a part from each other; this is how we are individuals. Is this is what the oracle is trying to tell us? Socrates saw that we are wiser than each other but no one else knew that. Is this what the oracle meant by Socrates being the wisest because he knows that is not wise?

Socrates goes on to defend himself by asking Meletus, one of the accusers, question with obvious answers. He tries to prove the point that he does not see himself at fault. In fact he wants to know what he did wrong so he can right it instead of being punished. That WAS a little unfair that Socrates did not get something on the lines of a warning. Socrates then goes on to say things to prove his innocence. He even suggests to the people of the court that for a punishment he receives free meals at the Prytaneum. I couldn't help myself but laugh. I was almost pushed to agree to that. But the officials were not laughing. The jury sentenced him to death and Socrates looked and spoke as though he was relieved of a burden. He almost seemed satisfied with the decision. However, I was heart broken to feel that he was at peace with this. Socrates said he was a man who was actually afraid of what happens after death so he avoided doing wicked things. But that was then and now he is curious. I'm a tad too young to be thinking about such things for I have the rest of my life ahead of me.

I come to classify some things. I see the people who are all for Socrates dying for the "crime of spreading some wisdom to children" as the man Socrates spoke to before their trial, Euthyphro, and Socrates and anyone else on his side is Socrates. Euthyphro are the ones who believe they are right in/at everything while Socrates are the ones who are rational people who believe there is something for every individual and they can get it from other individuals. Euthyphro people try to do right according to themselves while Socrates people try to do right according to others. Athens can benefit from Socrates because wisdom is sought through one's self but mostly others. If Athens was full of Euthyphros the growth, individually and as a whole, of the society will be extremely slow. There would actually be no progress.

Closing

I close by saying don't be like Euthyphro who is out to control and has taken over. If we all followed Euthyphro every step we make will be a mistake. We really wouldn't know anything because we can't learn. Questions will cease to exist and if there are no questions in the world then there won't be any answers and answers are what makes us grow. That is why we should be more like Socrates who actually continues to learn, not only from him but from others as well because you are only wise when you know you don't know. That means you are able to learn. That means you are able to ask questions. That means you can grow. Socrates was unable to win his trial even though he was wiser than the people of the court. Those ignorant 'Euthyphros' were not wise but they were not stupid. They were stubborn and saw Socrates' wisdom as a threat to society. I hope to stop this disease called ignorance when I set out to tell the story to individuals who are willing to listen. I just pray that I do not end up like him.