Plato records the defense speech given by Socrates at his trial, where he stands accused of corrupting the youth and impiety. Rather than begging for mercy, Socrates offers a spirited justification of his philosophical life, arguing that he is a "gadfly" sent to sting the state into awareness. He famously declares that "the unexamined life is not worth living," choosing death over silence. It is a...
Plato - Apology
Apology
Plato
188
Description
Plato records the defense speech given by Socrates at his trial, where he stands accused of corrupting the youth and impiety. Rather than begging for mercy, Socrates offers a spirited justification of his philosophical life, arguing that he is a "gadfly" sent to sting the state into awareness. He famously declares that "the unexamined life is not worth living," choosing death over silence. It is a foundational text of Western philosophy, portraying the dignity of a thinker facing unjust persecution.