So This Is Where Obi Wan Kenobi Gets It From!

Do you think Socrates is a man who is willing to die for his personal and philosophical beliefs, or do you consider him to be 'playing' the martyr figure in the extreme sense? The former has connotations of personal conviction whereas the martyr-figure, in this instance, to quote a nearby dictionary (Apple's), is "a person who displays or exaggerates their discomfort or distress in order to obtain sympathy or admiration." Can we separate the two?

      Although it is difficult to decipher whether Socrates is an extreme martyr, or not, I believe Socrates is a man willing to die for his personal and philosophical beliefs and is not milking the martyr role. However, I want to be clear that I do not believe he is seeking out his death. Socrates believes that “wherever a man’s station is, whether he has chosen it of his own will, or whether he has been placed by his commander, there it is his duty to remain and face the danger without thinking of death or of any other except disgrace” (34). This shows how Socrates station and path selected by the gods has leaded him here, to court, and he is going to continue his way of being with his beliefs even with the setback of the wrongful accusations.

      In court, Socrates informs the jury about his process and cross-examining people who consider themselves wise. His results found that neither his subject nor he knew anything worth knowing, but his subject thinks he has knowledge when he really does not and Socrates does not think he has any; thus, Socrates is clearly wiser than his subject for not believing he has something when he does not. Socrates later compares his results with views on death, he says “for death my friends, is only to think of ourselves wise without really being wise, for it is to think that we know what we do not know;”(35) people do not know if death is the greatest thing for a person, but instead fear it as if it’s the worst evil. This shows ignorance thinking that we know what we do not know.

      Socrates goes on to say he does not “care a straw for death,” but does care “very much about not doing anything unjust or impious” (39).Socrates’ defense is that he never did anything unjust, but it is the anger of those he proved to have little wisdom that has brought him to court. Socrates does believe in the gods and refutes all his accusations and actually flips it on Meletus accusing him of charges. Socrates knows if he is to be convicted it is due to prejudice and resentment, but he continues defending himself and trying to convince the court of the truth. He is not looking for the court’s sympathy during his trial. This is clear since he informs them that even if he is to be acquitted he will not stop his process, he clearly states “I will not change my way of life; no, not if I have to die for it many times” (36). By stating this I feel he is able to receive some admiration, thus his votes which are closer together than imagined.

      In the end, Socrates reminds me of Obi Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, in the sense of how calm and collective he is during his trial. However, Socrates ‘jedi mind trick’ is his use of language and asking questions to prove his point. Both of the wise men finish their lives defending their beliefs and educating their followers. This leaves the wise men gone, but their followers carrying on their messages. In all, I believe Socrates was ready and willing to die for his personal (justice) and philosophical (wisdom) beliefs.