After reading this very interesting story on how Socrates died, I understood it more so than I did when I read it back in high school. Socrates was a very wise man that stood firmly on what he believed in and he proved it with his exceptional argumentative skills as well as seeking truths through a series of questions, hence the Socratic dialogue. He was condemned for his wisdom and believing in what others didn't. He was accused of not believing in the gods recognized by the State and for the corruption of the Athenian youth with his teachings, simply because he spent his time discussing piety, justice, and virtue within his community. Even after being found guilty and sentenced to death, he gave a good argument, and accepted his fate. He never showed fear of death, instead he embraced it with the belief that death was a blessing. Unlike his friends, he drank the poison that would end his life calmly and prayed that his departure into another world be happy and he urged his friends to do the same.
I admire him for giving such an extensive apology in such an intellectual manner. It seems very unfair to be condemned for forming your own opinion and having your own set of beliefs. How could he have corrupted the Athenian youth? Did they not have a mind of their own? If they believed in the teachings of Socrates, why weren't they condemned as well? Sounds more like the Athenians who condemned him felt threatened by his beliefs and way of thinking. This day in age our world is full of a vast variety of people who have different set of beliefs, cultures, point of views, and practices. If those same ways existed today as the ones during the life of Socrates, the human race would become extinct.
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