In 399 BCE, Socrates was put on trial for the crimes of impiety and corrupting the youth: charges brought mainly because of his habit of questioning prominent citizens and publicly exposing their ignorance about the very virtues they claimed to embrace and exemplify. Plato's 'Apology' presents the speech Socrates gave in his defense, wherein he made the famous statement about 'the unexamined life.' Intended for students relatively new to philosophy, this class will recount Socrates' story of his quest for wisdom, place it in the context of Athenian culture and politics of the time, and examine Plato's key role in shaping later interpretations of Socrates' ideas. Time permitting, the class will introduce students to some of Plato's theories concerning the nature of virtue and knowledge.