Active The Trial and Death of Socrates- 4 Part Series

Description from Instructor, Maria Morales: The most famous trial in Western ancient philosophy and literature is the trial of Socrates of Athens in 399 B.C. After consulting the notorious Oracle at Delphi, Socrates decides to devote his life to proving that the Oracle is wrong: there has to be someone wiser than himself. His job is to walk around Athens asking people about their beliefs to determine whether they know what they claim to know, with no luck. Towards the end of his life, he is charged by the Greek authorities with corrupting the youth of Athens with his incessant questioning and with disobeying the city’s Parthenon gods. Socrates decides to defend himself at trial. In the first and second talks I will cover Socrates’s defense against the charges. In the third and fourth talks I will discuss what has come to be known as “The Socratic Method,” a mode of question and answer in the process of seeking true answers to life’s important questions. Fee $20. Due to space, walk ins are not accepted unless approved by Emily Starnes, LifeLong Learning Coordinator.

Classes take place in Conference Room 3A on May 5th, 7th, 12th, and 14th from 1:30 -2:30pm.