Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Assignments
We will not hold our regularly scheduled class meeting on Thursday, November 3rd.
Read Shakespeare's Richard the III and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus before class on Tuesday, November 8th.
15. Send me an e-mail in which your share some of your thoughts about the experience you had playing The Age of Athens. Your responses will help ECU faculty and administration determine whether such games should be incorporated into the curriculum here. Due before class on Tuesday, November 8th.
Read Shakespeare's Richard the III and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus before class on Tuesday, November 8th.
15. Send me an e-mail in which your share some of your thoughts about the experience you had playing The Age of Athens. Your responses will help ECU faculty and administration determine whether such games should be incorporated into the curriculum here. Due before class on Tuesday, November 8th.
Punish Socrates, But Don't Exile Him or Put Him to Death
Colt (an Indeterminate) writes:
People of Athens, were here today to determine whether or not Socrates is guilty of being too arrogant. Socrates way of practicing philosophy and just down right talking to other people is offensive and rude. He points out every inadequacy of their opinions and beliefs, even telling us that we are no better than slaves. Socrates will continue to drive us to the brink of shame and humiliation if we do not put an end to it immediately. He utilizes false claims to enrage his fellow Athenian. Socrates claims are often based on the condition that one should engage in philosophy and acquire knowledge. He also gives false misleading’s to the people of Athens which is not what we need to keep the God’s satisfied. He asserts that without his assistance his fellow people will not attain their greatest aspirations. Socrates once told Lysis that on the day that a boy attains the kind of good sense that Socrates claims is necessary, not only will his father, his neighbor, and the Athenians turn over their affairs to him but so will the Persian King. Sounds like a God to me. If that was not enough he mentions to Alcibiades that all of Alcibiades’ great designs cannot be accomplished without Socrates help. “So great is the power which I believe myself to have over you and your concerns” he tells Alcibiades. Now I am not here today to say that we should put Socrates to death, after all he is one of the greatest and brightest Athenians ever. With help, Socrates would have the ability to help steer our country in the right direction and get us back on our feet. Maybe we force him to do community service or teach the middle aged people of Athens that way they are not too young or too old to be manipulated to do things that will upset the God’s or the other citizens of Athens. I know some of you think that Socrates must be exiled or even put to death for his wrongdoings, but there is no way that we can totally do away with one of the smartest people from our country. As the Herald at the beginning of the very first assembly I warned everyone “Do not try to mislead the people of Athens, if you do you will not only be misleading your friends and family, you will be offending the God’s”. So with that I ask you to punish Socrates, but don’t exile him or put him to death, after all we did just pardon the Thirty Tyrants after they murdered our friends and family. From what i can tell, Socrates just knows too much for his own good.
People of Athens, were here today to determine whether or not Socrates is guilty of being too arrogant. Socrates way of practicing philosophy and just down right talking to other people is offensive and rude. He points out every inadequacy of their opinions and beliefs, even telling us that we are no better than slaves. Socrates will continue to drive us to the brink of shame and humiliation if we do not put an end to it immediately. He utilizes false claims to enrage his fellow Athenian. Socrates claims are often based on the condition that one should engage in philosophy and acquire knowledge. He also gives false misleading’s to the people of Athens which is not what we need to keep the God’s satisfied. He asserts that without his assistance his fellow people will not attain their greatest aspirations. Socrates once told Lysis that on the day that a boy attains the kind of good sense that Socrates claims is necessary, not only will his father, his neighbor, and the Athenians turn over their affairs to him but so will the Persian King. Sounds like a God to me. If that was not enough he mentions to Alcibiades that all of Alcibiades’ great designs cannot be accomplished without Socrates help. “So great is the power which I believe myself to have over you and your concerns” he tells Alcibiades. Now I am not here today to say that we should put Socrates to death, after all he is one of the greatest and brightest Athenians ever. With help, Socrates would have the ability to help steer our country in the right direction and get us back on our feet. Maybe we force him to do community service or teach the middle aged people of Athens that way they are not too young or too old to be manipulated to do things that will upset the God’s or the other citizens of Athens. I know some of you think that Socrates must be exiled or even put to death for his wrongdoings, but there is no way that we can totally do away with one of the smartest people from our country. As the Herald at the beginning of the very first assembly I warned everyone “Do not try to mislead the people of Athens, if you do you will not only be misleading your friends and family, you will be offending the God’s”. So with that I ask you to punish Socrates, but don’t exile him or put him to death, after all we did just pardon the Thirty Tyrants after they murdered our friends and family. From what i can tell, Socrates just knows too much for his own good.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Socrates Is Not Corrupting the Youth
Dave (a Socratic) writes:
My fellow Athenian jurors, I have come here to discuss Socrates’ trial. I am a student of Socrates. I have paid what I can to become wise such as Socrates has been teaching in his class. It has been brought to my attention that Socrates is being charged with “corrupting the younger generation, and making false gods or making up gods.” I sat in many classes and never heard once of a false god. In fact he always seemed to reply, by Zeus or another one of our gods. This charge is totally false and should be dropped without further ado. Meletus is the primary accuser and we need to look at his past. He may have had a bad semester and was failing Socrates’ school. This has led to false accusations buy Meletus and the other two.
Now let’s look at the next charge, corrupting the younger generation. Is teaching the young children the difference in just and unjust wrong? Socrates’ taught the difference in how cities become just, and cities that have been unjust. Is that wrong or corrupting? Anytus a middle-class politican is charging Socrates’ ideas corrupting. Is this because he told Anytus’ son to stop doing servile jobs? I believe it is a teacher’s job to show a student what a serville job is compared to a high political job is. Is this corrupting the youth? I say no! I think Anytus who caused the Athenians to lose the war in Pylos, is trying to get payback from Socrates. Everyone in Athens knew that Alcibiades was a student of Socrates and left the Athens army to go to the Spartans. With this student leaving the Athenian army and seeking refuse in the Spartan army everyone is assuming Socrates taught him that. I am here to tell you, that is not how Socrates teaches his students. These are very harsh charges for a very wise man to try and prove his innocence.
Give Socrates a Second Chance
Allison (an Oligarch) writes:
Good afternoon Athenians. Today, we are being asked to determine the fate of Socrates, a fellow citizen. Some here today want Socrates to be brought to trial. They believe he is guilty of hubris. They claim that he is corrupting the minds of the Athenian youth and has failed to recognize the gods of the state.
Well, we Athenians are an understanding people. Three assemblies ago, did we not pardon those who assisted the Thirty Tyrants? The same Thirty Tyrants who abused their political power and executed over a thousand of our Athenian citizens and exiled thousands more. These crimes simply cannot be compared. The Thirty Tyrants killed our people and their actions forced us to flee our homes in fear. We pardoned those Tyrants with the hopes of bringing restoration to our city and seeing a brighter future. We gave them a second chance. Socrates is not a bully or a tormentor; he is only a teacher and a man of knowledge. I am only asking that we show Socrates the same mercy that we have shown others.
In a previous assembly, the security of us Athenian men had been questioned. It was asked of us, were we so insecure in ourselves that we will not allow our slaves to vote for fear that they take over? Well, we voted. Our slaves now have the right to vote and have a voice in our Athenian democracy. I will ask you the same question. Are we so insecure in ourselves that we must convict and execute a single Athenian citizen for using his voice and simply speaking his mind? Do we want to be part of a democracy in which our voices can be silenced? If we bring Socrates to trial and find him guilty, we will be answering yes.
Well, we Athenians are an understanding people. Three assemblies ago, did we not pardon those who assisted the Thirty Tyrants? The same Thirty Tyrants who abused their political power and executed over a thousand of our Athenian citizens and exiled thousands more. These crimes simply cannot be compared. The Thirty Tyrants killed our people and their actions forced us to flee our homes in fear. We pardoned those Tyrants with the hopes of bringing restoration to our city and seeing a brighter future. We gave them a second chance. Socrates is not a bully or a tormentor; he is only a teacher and a man of knowledge. I am only asking that we show Socrates the same mercy that we have shown others.
In a previous assembly, the security of us Athenian men had been questioned. It was asked of us, were we so insecure in ourselves that we will not allow our slaves to vote for fear that they take over? Well, we voted. Our slaves now have the right to vote and have a voice in our Athenian democracy. I will ask you the same question. Are we so insecure in ourselves that we must convict and execute a single Athenian citizen for using his voice and simply speaking his mind? Do we want to be part of a democracy in which our voices can be silenced? If we bring Socrates to trial and find him guilty, we will be answering yes.
Socrates Should Be Executed
James S. (a Radical Democrat) writes:
Good day my fellow Athenians. I come to you today to determine what the fate of Socrates will be. Socrates is guilty of numerous charges such as corrupting the young, believing in Gods other than the people of Athens believe in, and hybris. I believe he is guilty of all charges and I know you do too. With that being said he should be convicted of being hubris, and executed for the pain and suffering he has brought to our city.
Yes he fought by our side in the Peloponnesian War, but what type of Athenian turns his back on Athens at our most critical point? Even if he didn’t agree with our democracy he should have stood by Athens instead of supporting the thirty tyrants and their oligarchy plan. “That my friends, is betrayal. “
Do you want that around our children? And speaking of our children, Socrates is corrupting our young and will continue to corrupt them if we allow this madness. He is telling our young several myths, which aren’t the Athenian way. Our children are the future of Athens. If we look over this the future of our city will not be good. Socrates is poisoning the mind of our young and leading them down the path that he has chosen.
Socrates is all about his self and his beliefs and not Athenian beliefs. He doesn’t even attend our assemblies which are very important for our city. Athena is frowning down on us because we allowed this and she will continue if we don’t convict him of these charges and execute him.
Only banishing Socrates from Athens gives him a chance to side with our enemies and for him to completely turn against us. It would allow him to go join our enemy and use our tactics and battle strategies against us. We must do what is just and vote Socrates to not only be convicted, but executed for corruption of our young, not believing in Gods in whom the city believes in, and hybris. Most importantly, lets carryout this punishment because of him disrespecting Athena. Let’s not let his slick and smooth way of talking get him out of doing what is just, what is right, and what is the Athenian!!!
Yes he fought by our side in the Peloponnesian War, but what type of Athenian turns his back on Athens at our most critical point? Even if he didn’t agree with our democracy he should have stood by Athens instead of supporting the thirty tyrants and their oligarchy plan. “That my friends, is betrayal. “
Do you want that around our children? And speaking of our children, Socrates is corrupting our young and will continue to corrupt them if we allow this madness. He is telling our young several myths, which aren’t the Athenian way. Our children are the future of Athens. If we look over this the future of our city will not be good. Socrates is poisoning the mind of our young and leading them down the path that he has chosen.
Socrates is all about his self and his beliefs and not Athenian beliefs. He doesn’t even attend our assemblies which are very important for our city. Athena is frowning down on us because we allowed this and she will continue if we don’t convict him of these charges and execute him.
Only banishing Socrates from Athens gives him a chance to side with our enemies and for him to completely turn against us. It would allow him to go join our enemy and use our tactics and battle strategies against us. We must do what is just and vote Socrates to not only be convicted, but executed for corruption of our young, not believing in Gods in whom the city believes in, and hybris. Most importantly, lets carryout this punishment because of him disrespecting Athena. Let’s not let his slick and smooth way of talking get him out of doing what is just, what is right, and what is the Athenian!!!
Socrates Needs to be Punished
Josiah (an Indeterminant) writes:
Good day Athenians. Or is it really a good day? The question of what to do with a man’s life whenever he has committed a crime is never an easy decision. So I ask that the assembly thinks carefully about your next moves. Yes, Socrates has committed a terrible crime and does need to be punished for his actions, but does he deserve to die for his actions? Some say yes, some say no. For those of you here today who believe Socrates should pay the ultimate price for his actions need to first take a step back and analyze yourself. Think about the bad things that you have done in your life and ask yourself: should I die for my actions? Yes, Socrates is very full of himself and quite pompous all of the time, but who does not think of themselves in high regard at one point or another? First let us look at the things that Socrates has done for Athens; first and foremost Socrates has been a defender of Athens and come to her aid when she needed him most in fighting to keep Athens free from those who want to see her destroyed. Second, think of what he has brought to the table in the question of democracy? He does ask the questions that make us think twice if what we are doing is for the betterment of our great society. Socrates has brought so much to the table for Athens that it would be shameful of us to sentence him to death. Now I am not saying that Socrates should not be punished for his actions, because he most definitely should. So my question to this assembly is if Socrates be found guilty of this crime then please choose something other than the death penalty. I believe this because is it really our decision of what becomes of a man? Please take my words and think hard Athenians.
Good day Athenians. Or is it really a good day? The question of what to do with a man’s life whenever he has committed a crime is never an easy decision. So I ask that the assembly thinks carefully about your next moves. Yes, Socrates has committed a terrible crime and does need to be punished for his actions, but does he deserve to die for his actions? Some say yes, some say no. For those of you here today who believe Socrates should pay the ultimate price for his actions need to first take a step back and analyze yourself. Think about the bad things that you have done in your life and ask yourself: should I die for my actions? Yes, Socrates is very full of himself and quite pompous all of the time, but who does not think of themselves in high regard at one point or another? First let us look at the things that Socrates has done for Athens; first and foremost Socrates has been a defender of Athens and come to her aid when she needed him most in fighting to keep Athens free from those who want to see her destroyed. Second, think of what he has brought to the table in the question of democracy? He does ask the questions that make us think twice if what we are doing is for the betterment of our great society. Socrates has brought so much to the table for Athens that it would be shameful of us to sentence him to death. Now I am not saying that Socrates should not be punished for his actions, because he most definitely should. So my question to this assembly is if Socrates be found guilty of this crime then please choose something other than the death penalty. I believe this because is it really our decision of what becomes of a man? Please take my words and think hard Athenians.
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