POLI 231 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Henry David Thoreau, Essentially Contested Concept, Totalitarianism
1 Dec 2017
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Background: never actually wrote anything and refrained from public speaking, due to his view on language. Author can"t tailor his language for a certain audience. Just person is wiling to sacrifice his life for the truth and justice. To be pursued in the private life: socrates" philosophical life: search for truth and the life of virtue, has a complicated relationship with authority. His life entails challenging, interrogating, and questioning. Command of god > command of polis: doesn"t mean he blindly accepts religion, value of human life: examining it. Apology: main question: what should the athenians do, official accusation: corruption of youth, and spreading ideas of impiety or atheism, accused deceiving audience through language, truth: he does want to instill disbelief in the gods/laws/polis. Must acquire things through wisdom -> belief of many does not mean it is true: oracle"s statement of him being the wisest: socrates only accepts after examining him.
