In Crito, Plato recounts the last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’ pupil, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide whether escaping would be “just” and “morally justified.” Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered “unjust” and “morally unjustified.” Socrates then decides to accept his fate and proceeded with his execution.
Socrates was a man who was in pursuit of the truth (Durant). In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or a commitment of silence as a penalty, he chooses death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. “...people who do not know you and me will believe that I might have saved you if I had been willing to give money, but that I did not care.” -Crito (Wolff 37). Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. “Now you, Crito, are not going to die to-morrow-...-and therefore you are disinterested and not liable to be deceived by the circumstances in which you are placed.” -Socrates (Wolff 40). In the arguments that Socrates makes, he emphasizes that what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. “The truth alone deserves to be the basis for decisions about human action, so the only proper approach is to engage in the sort of careful moral reasoning by means of which one may hope to reveal it” (Wolff 43). According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. “...if you go forth, returning evil for evil, and injury for injury,...we shall be angry with you ...
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... state of Athens, constitutes disobedience against the state. He argues that obeying the state is a requirement right up until death. He says that by not obeying the state that he was raised in, it's like not obeying his parents that raised him.
Socrates was a man who stuck to his commitment to truth, morality and philosophy over life. He had a great commitment to his state, therefore by disobeying it, he would be committing suicide in a sense. If Socrates had disobeyed his state, he would never be allowed to enter it again, nor would any other allow him to live peacefully. His arguments throughout the whole dialogue were very strong. Socrates looked out for his state, while Crito’s arguments were based on himself and how others would view him. Socrates’ conclusion to stay in the prison may have cost him his life, but his act saved the morality and truth of Athens.
Works Cited
Wolff, Robert Paul. “Ten Great Works of Philosophy”. New York: Penguin Group, 1969.
Durant, William. “The Story of Philosophy”. New York: Washington Square Press Publications, 1961.
Volume I, Ninth Edition. “Civilization: Past & Present”. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 2000.
Socrates was a one of the first philosophers and teachers known to Western philosophy. He lived in Athens Greece from 470 – 399 B.C. and is studied to this day because of his insights and understanding of the way people should live. Towards the end of his life, Socrates was accused of a myriad of crimes including criminal meddling and the corruption of the minds of the young. Eventually, Socrates was found guilty of his crimes and shortly after he was condemned to death. During the time of his incarceration, he was visited by a friend known as Crito to discuss the matter of his death in addition to the proposal of escape from prison. Crito initially believed that it would be in Socrates best interest to escape prison and live in exile instead of facing death. Socrates, however, had a different view on escape and chose not to flee. Instead, he faced his sentence and explained his reasoning to be what he believed was right. Escaping could have been feasible for a few different reasons including instances such as his children and the people that he taught. For the type of teacher that he was, his reasons for not escaping are understandable and respectable, and he believed that escaping was wrong. Since he believed it wrong, it was good that Socrates chose not to escape. Escaping would essentially nullify his teaching of morals and honor and his reasons for living.
Socrates lived in a political system. In order for someone to survive in a political system, it is helpful to obey the laws of the system, or city. Did Socrates follow these laws? According to the facts, no. He was indeed put to death because he broke them. But when looking at Crito, I wonder if he even intended or noticed the laws he broke to deserve him death. In Crito, Socrates follows the laws and does not escape, as recommended. If he was such a criminal to deserve death, why didn't he escape? Socrates viewed the laws with his own reference. It is obvious that he does not see any law being broken such as corrupting the youth. If he did see this crime take place I think he would not of defended himself. Socrates was a proud man, even though he did not sho...
As Socrates awaits his upcoming execution; he is visited before dawn by a close old friend Crito. Crito has made arrangements to help Socrates escape from prison. Socrates is grateful to his old friend for his willing to help aide him in the escape. However, Socrates is quite willing to await his execution. Crito tries to change Socrates mind about escaping by presenting him with several arguments. The first is that if Socrates choices to stay, his death will reflect poorly on Crito. The people will think that Crito did nothing to save his friend. If Socrates is worried about the risk or the financial cost to Crito; it’s an expense that he is willing to pay, and that he made arrangements for Socrates to live a life of exile in a pleasant manner. The next argument that Crito pleads to Socrates is that, if he stays, he would be helping his enemies in their injustices, and in turn would make Socrates act in an unjustly manner himself. Also, that Socrates would be abandoning his sons and leave them without a father.
...tion is wrong, however Socrates reasons to Crito why he must comply with injustice given to him. “But, my dear Crito, why should we care so much about public opinion? Reasonable men, of whose opinion it is worth our while to think, will believe that we acted as we really did” (Plato 53). Socrates understands that what he did to receive execution was unjustly represented. However Socrates tries to explain to Crito the need to comply with his sentence for he does not care what society’s opinions are, as long as those who actually know what occurred understand that Socrates did nothing wrong. Those few people that know Socrates is not guilty of his crime is the compensation that Socrates lives with. As Crito goes into a more detailed argument about how Socrates needs to rebel against the higher power, Socrates patiently disputes back the reasons behind his compliance.
Socrates argues in the Crito that he shouldn't escape his death sentence because it isn't just. Crito is distressed by Socrates reasoning and wishes to convince him to escape since Crito and friends can provide the ransom the warden demands. If not for himself, Socrates should escape for the sake of his friends, sons, and those who benefit from his teaching. Socrates and Crito's argument proceeds from this point.
A recurring theme in Crito is the definition of justice. Near the beginning of the dialogue, Crito states that Socrates needs to exit because “People who do not know you or me very well will think that I could have saved you if I were willing to spend money, but I did not care to do so” (44c). It is through that quote that the invalidity of public opinion is first addressed. Crito believes Socrates should escape, because the public opinion of Crito if he leaves without Socrates will be that Crito is cheap. Socrates approaches this
When Socrates was sentenced to death, his friend Crito offers to help him escape, but he refuse to escape. He explains to Crito that if he were to escape he would be running away his whole life. He would stay at Athens and comply with the sentence as set by Athens law and die for his cause. Another reason that he gave Crito for not escaping was that he was already death alive and that he was too old to be running away .
Socrates was not guilty as charged; he had done nothing wrong, as seen in the Apology. Not even a priest could tell Socrates what he had done wrong religiously, Euthyphro wasn’t even able to give Socrates a precise definition of piety. It is then questioned by Crito why Socrates would remain to face a penalty for a crime he did not commit. In the Crito, it is explained why, although innocent, Socrates must accept the penalties his peers have set upon him. It is his peers that will interpret and enforce the laws, not the law which will enforce it. Even if the enforcers don’t deserve attention and respect because they have no real knowledge to the situation, Socrates had put himself under their judgment by going to the trial. Therefore, Socrates must respect the decisions made by the masses because the decisions are made to represent the laws, which demand each citizen’s respect.
Throughout the reading of Crito, it is quite evident that Socrates has fully accepted the execution and is not afraid of death. While Crito argues that Socrates cannot give in to death so easily and is worried about what opinions may be had at the expense of Socrates going straight to the execution; Socrates reminds Crito that the opinions of others should not matter. Crito is quick to point out that they have many friends that can help Socrates out and take him in. Crito is worried that people will form opinions of him regarding him caring more for his money than his friend.
According to Crito, there are three major reasons as to why Socrates should escape from the prison. Notably, Crito offers lame self centered excuses for Socrates escape. Indeed, two of the reasons do not stand ground whereas the third concentrates on the victim’s responsibility to his offspring. Crito begins by proposing Socrates escape because failing to do so will doubly hurt him. Firstly, Crito enjoys a warm and cordial friendship with Socrates. Therefore, his execution would distraught and melancholy him. On the other hand, Crito says that the execution of Socrates will harm his reputation. People will tantalize, taunt and jeer him for valuing his monies more than the life of his friend. This is because Crito can bribe Socrates way out of prison. According to Crito, the population will be prejudicial to him un...
For these two articles that we read in Crito and Apology by Plato, we could know Socrates is an enduring person with imagination, because he presents us with a mass of contradictions: Most eloquent men, yet he never wrote a word; ugliest yet most profoundly attractive; ignorant yet wise; wrongfully convicted, yet unwilling to avoid his unjust execution. Behind these conundrums is a contradiction less often explored: Socrates is at once the most Athenian, most local, citizenly, and patriotic of philosophers; and yet the most self-regarding of Athenians. Exploring that contradiction, between Socrates the loyal Athenian citizen and Socrates the philosophical critic of Athenian society, will help to position Plato's Socrates in an Athenian legal and historical context; it allows us to reunite Socrates the literary character and Athens the democratic city that tried and executed him. Moreover, those help us to understand Plato¡¦s presentation of the strange legal and ethical drama.
In Plato’s “Crito”, Socrates, who is convicted of spreading false beliefs to the youth in Athens is in an argument with his friend, Crito. Crito tries to convince Socrates of the reality of his sentence and that it would only make sense for him to escape. He gives many reasons of why escaping is necessary and moral. Crito states,
Socrates begins the passage by simply asking Crito why he thinks opinions matter. Throughout the passage, Crito and Socrates each give reasons to back up their argument. Crito starts off by explaining to Socrates that by letting himself stay in jail, he is letting people believe that he does not care about his friends or family. Crito also goes on to say, throughout the passage, that accepting his own death is wrong and is technically breaking the law to do so. Socrates replies that everyone has an opinion, but not everybody’s opinion is just. It is not about the opinion but whether or not the opinion is a justified opinion (Socrates, The Crito). Later in the discussion, Socrates goes on to explain to Crito that most of the time when we follow the majority we are not following what we find true to ourselves, which then leads us to a less fulfilling life. Toward the end of the dialogue, Crito accepts what his friend, Socrates, is
...uments are completely different. Crito wants Socrates to escape because he doesn’t deserve to die because he did nothing wrong. Socrates argues back that if he escapes he will be breaking the law. Which is the thing that he is trying to uphold. Socrates believes that escaping will go against all the things he has been arguing and teaching the youth.
...ns. Why would he do this if he did not see the laws of Athens as just? In order to fulfill the agreement he has made with Athenian law, Socrates must accept the punishment he is given, though he feels that his being punished is Athens wronging him. It would be wrong, by his view, to escape from prison, though he would not be pursued, because he would be breaking his agreement to obey Athenian law. Since he and Crito previously agreed that one must never do wrong, he simply must stay in jail until his death. This is merely one example of the way in which Socrates uses a method of logical dialogue in order to make his point. He appears to be unmatched in his skills of deduction and consistently demonstrates his love of knowledge and truth. Socrates exemplifies all that is philosophy, both as a student and a teacher, because of his constant, active pursuit of wisdom.