Question

3. In Apology, Socrates offers the horse-breeder analogy. How does this analogy go, and what is it supposed to demonstrate about the importance of living an examined life? What is one potential objection to the analogy?

Answer 1

In Apology, Socrates offers a horse breeder analogy to Meletus who is against him for corrupting the children of the state by placing his stupd ideas in them. To this he responds with the analogy saying that only horse trainers who are very specialized people have the skill and knowledge to have a positive impact on the horses but the rest of the normal people only have a negative impact. Through this he is trying to tell Meletus that only a few people can spread good and higher chance of everyone being able to do that as Meletus accused only him of sorruption but not the anyone else which Sacrates thought was completely foolish. He then goes on to say that if he is being accused of harming the society it would be foolish as that would mean he is harming himself as well ando man would harm himself. Therefore he would not intentionally do and hence must be taught the right thing.

The analogy is not accurate in its comparison of horses to humans. He has no logical reasoning or justification as to the fact that a horse breeder and someone handling humans would have to same level. He compares making horses healthy for races to ensuring children grow up doing the right thing which is a comparison which cannot be made. Hence the analogy can be objected.