Socrates

[dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution="1280" screen_wide_spacer_size="40" screen_normal_resolution="1024" screen_tablet_resolution="800" screen_mobile_resolution="480" screen_normal_spacer_size="30" screen_tablet_spacer_size="30" screen_mobile_spacer_size="20"]The philosopher Socrates was sentenced to death in the city-state of Athens on February 15, 399 B.C. His famous defense speech is not a court transcript, but was written down a few years later by Plato, who was present during the trial. The charges were that the 70-year-old did not believe in the state’s gods, attempted to introduce new demonic powers, and corrupted the youth. What had he actually done?

Xenophon, a contemporary of Socrates, wrote: “Socrates was always to be seen out and about. Early in the morning he would go to the colonnades and the athletic grounds, and when the marketplace was full of people, he was there; for the rest of the day he stayed where he could meet the most people. For the most part, he went about his business and talked, and there was ample opportunity for those who wished to listen.”

He pretended to be ignorant, asked questions, and let his conversation partner answer, which led to new questions. He never wrote anything himself—at least, nothing has survived. But his student Plato did write. He embraced Socrates’ ideal of the living conversation as a prerequisite for the student to learn something of true value, and put it into writing in dramatic texts called dialogues —philosophy and literature at the same time, with arguments, counterarguments, digressions, and mythological devices. The main characters could be legendary kings, mythological figures, or contemporary celebrities, and he used Socrates as a sort of mouthpiece, someone who often offered sensible, well-considered, yet frequently surprising and paradoxical words of wisdom. Regarding Eros, love, Socrates says that he is “a barefoot, homeless, resourceful, and wise vagrant.”

So what are these demonic forces that the prosecuting authorities perceived as blasphemy? In the Apology, the demon (daimon) boils down to Socrates’ inner voice—his intuition—which allowed him to instinctively sense what was right without always having consciously worked it out for himself, and to act in accordance with this voice. And as for “corrupting the youth”: In a politically turbulent era, the authorities were eager to crack down on the political opposition, and some of the opposition figures belonged to the circle around Socrates.

Using what is now called “the Socratic method”—asking probing questions with self-evident answers—he forced his interlocutors to realize that many of their opinions were prejudices. Engagement was to be personal and self-critical, and come from within. Knowledge is all well and good, but one must acquire it through one’s own reasoning and never accept anything simply because others accept it. “One does not escape Socrates until one has taken stock of one’s entire life,” said a statesman.

The regime in Athens tolerated Socrates’ critical activities just as little as the Saudi Arabian regime tolerated Jamal Khashoggi’s journalism in 2018. By a vote of 280 to 220, he is found guilty. In keeping with tradition, he is offered the chance to suggest his own punishment. Socrates then provokes the court by proposing that they treat him to a banquet in his honor at the city hall. Consequently, he is sentenced to death by an even larger majority than the one that found him guilty. A few days later, he drinks the cup of poison.

At one point in his defense speech, Socrates makes a rare, direct statement that could be perceived as a threat to all forms of complacent conventional wisdom:

“My dear friend, you who are an Athenian—this great city so renowned for its intellectual culture and power—are you not ashamed that you constantly strive to acquire as much money, status, and honor as possible, yet care not at all for the insight and truth that ennoble the soul? Do you not give this a single thought?”

A few days later, history’s first democracy executed its greatest thinker.

Socrates, the subtle, truth-loving, and dignified man who calmly faced death, became greater than both his own life and Plato’s—he became a foundational narrative in Western culture.  That story is about trusting one’s conscience and sense of justice more than the established order of the day, and having the courage to face the consequences even if it costs one’s life. Socrates invented philosophical ethics and civil disobedience. Following in his footsteps are the stories of Jesus and the martyrs, of dissidents, scientists, innovators, and rebel leaders who died for their beliefs and thereby moved the world forward.

Thus, Socrates’ Apology has become a historical gem that fills us with humble admiration. But his appeal to prioritize the soul and human dignity over money and honor—how would that resonate in our time? How would he have responded to corruption, the climate crisis, war, the silencing of critical media, the culture of greed, and the refugee crisis?

Maybe it's best not to dwell on that too much.

Written by: Terje Nordby[ult_buttons btn_title="READ MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE" btn_link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fkilden2020.wpengine.com%2Fperformance%2Fsocrates-defense-speech%2F||target:%20_blank|» btn_title_color=»#ffffff» btn_bg_color=»#7a3434″ btn_bg_color_hover="#5e5e5e" btn_title_color_hover="#ffffff" btn_icon_pos="ubtn-sep-icon-at-left"]