A Short Note On Socrates's Apology

Fantastic, enriching reading or rereading as the case may be: The Apology in The Trial And Death Of Socrates.

 A way of characterizing it is to see it turning on the paradox of wisdom, intellectual power and philosophic self knowledge (hence, strong self confidence) springing from utter intellectual humility, claims to know very little and modesty.

The application of that paradox throughout the Apology yields another: the stripping away of pretense to brilliant knowledge by those proclaiming it and exposing their fatuity, their knowing nothing, that they are the opposite of what they claim to be.

All this Socrates does by his relentless questioning based on first principles and then following the path created by the answers logic and right reasoning compel. So the wisdom that proceeds from "ignorance" exposes the ignorance that masquerades as "wisdom."

The power of the Apology issuing out of Socrates's quiet strength through modesty is palpable. Too, it measures the moral deficiency of those who accuse Socrates and who finally judge him, condemning him to death.