Socrates asks how he can be accused of putting himself and his knowledge above others, of putting his version of reality above that of the city's, when in fact the basis of his philosophy is that he knows nothing and knows that he knows nothing. Socrates "apology" for philosophy, actually a powerful and humble defence of philosophy, offers a self-portrait based not on impiety or pride or false gods or corruption or teaching lies for pay, but rather on a vigilant attention to and exposure of shoddy thinking and false wisdom and knowledge. Socrates responds by arguing that the charges are false, that they were brought against him by people with ulterior motives having nothing to do with the search for truth or the good of Athens or its people, and that instead of being punished for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens, he should be treated as a hero. It is also charged against Socrates that he "corrupts the youth and who does not believe in the gods of the state, but has other new divinities of his own" (74). makes the worse appear the better cause and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others" (65). It is charged that Socrates is an "evil-doer who. Socrates, in Plato's Apology, summarizes the charges against himself.
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