Socratic Method

       The Socratic Method is a way of interrogating by means of sequential questioning that makes the recipient start to rethink everything that they were previously believing. The Socratic Method is turning someone's viewpoint upside down, while walking rhetorical circles around them. The Socratic Method is also looking at an argument from both angles, addressing all issues, and working through them one at a time. Socrates was a master at turning the tables on someone, and an example of this is when Meletus accused Socrates of corrupting the youth, but all other citizens are a good influence. Socrates takes this, and brings in an analogy of a horse: asking if all mankind improves them, but one human corrupts them. He then shows how Meletus is showing off his ignorance, and folly logic, all while done in seamless speech. he got to this point by probing questions into the mind of Meletus, asking him to define what he is accusing Socrates of, until the point when Meletus would start to doubt himself. Socrates also addresses issues in a very organized fashion. He starts by addressing the accusation that has been underlying for years, all the slander brought against him, and moves on to answer issues in a chronological order, shooting them down one at a time. This leaves the "interrogatee" having their predetermined judgments shattered,  and finding themselves beeing shown a fool in front of everyone.

The Libation Bearers

       There are a few propositions that guide the moral reasoning of Agamemnon's avengers. The first is that the chorus urges Orestes and Electra to avenge their father. They say, "Justice thunders, hungry for retribution, 'stroke for bloody stroke be paid. The one who acts must suffer." This makes them want to avenge their father. Also, the chorus clouds their judgement by saying, "It is the law: when the blood of slaughter wets the ground it wants more blood." Clytemnestra defends her actions however, by saying that fate had its part in the murder she committed. She was trying to shift blame from herself

Allegory of the Cave

       We can see Plato's view of the structure reality through his Allegory of the Cave. In his allegory, the main characters are looking at shadows of replicas of true beings. We can infer from this that Plato believes that what we as common people perceive about reality is really just many layers of falsity. He believes that we have grown accustomed to seeing ghosts of reality, and that we can see the truth by ascending into the realm of the mind. After becoming accustomed to this level, we can see the truth in its true form. This allows him to reconcile the arguments of Parmenides and Heraclitus. The premise for the argument of Parmenides is that reality is ultimately permanent and characterized by unity. Heraclitus' argument is that reality is defined by change and multiplicity. He reconciles these two seemingly opposing views because his view has both changing reality and constant reality. Plato's view says that there are many levels of reality that we can reach- the original being looking at shadows on the wall, then escalating to looking at the fire that makes the shadows, and so forth. All of these levels are a reality to us, and we must be accustomed to each as we go up or down in the levels because they all change how we see. However, there is one ultimate reality that branches off into all the other perceived realities. This reconciles the views Parmenides and Heraclitus.

Choral leader and Aegisthus

       The dialogue between the Leader and Aegisthus starts out with Aegithsus talking to himself; saying how justice has finally come, and he has killed the king. The Leader then confronts him about this, to which he does not pay attention, saying, "I'll make you dance, I'll bring you all to heel." The men of Aegisthus and the Leader draw swords and are ready to duel. Aegisthus says he is not afraid of death, and the Leader says, "It's death you want and death you'll have- we'll make that word your last." Clytemnestra intervenes however, then Aeigisthus says he will stalk the Leader the rest of his days. Aegisthus seems to be a corrupt and not an honorable leader. He says, "But I will use his riches, stop at nothing to civilize his people."  The Leader says that his wish is, "Orestes- If he still sees the light of day, bring him home, good Fates, home to kill this pair at last." This will be fulfilled by the spirit bringing him home.