PHIL 115 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Mens Rea, Meletus
21 Oct 2016
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Intro: answer who socrates earlier accusers are + thesis. Unknown gossips of jurors, and the playwright of aristophanes. Socrates was brought before a jury of around 500 athenians on charges of not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, of inventing new deities, and of corrupting the youth of athens. He is seen as a threat to the city/state. In athens, impiety is like an attack to the state. Thesis: therefore, socrates has difficulty addressing their accusations because the minds of the earlier accusers have already been so manifested by lies and gossip that he finds it almost impossible to persuade such a group. Difficult to respond to the first accusers because. : accusations made from unknown gossips. Accusations made from second hand information, lies, and popular knowledge. There was opinion repeated and distorted and magnified and mixed up with entertainment; so responding to them is like fighting ghosts or shadows: playwright of aristophanes.
