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Why was the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates sentenced to death?
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Greek philosophy
Herm of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, from a Greek original, second half of the 4th century bce; in the Capitoline Museums, Rome.
Socrates was sentenced to death in 399 BCE by an Athenian jury on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth. He was widely disliked for embarrassing prominent citizens by exposing their ignorance and for his outspoken criticism of Athenian democracy. While Socrates argued he was acting under divine guidance and that an unexamined life was not worth living, his unconventional religious views and association with figures who opposed democracy likely contributed to his conviction. He famously chose to accept his death sentence rather than renounce his philosophical mission or attempt to escape, believing it would be wrong to disobey the laws of Athens.1234