Socrates Vs Crito Analysis

In this reading Plato tells the story of Socrates and his trial which ultimately lead to his death sentence. Socrates was a 70 year old man at peace with his own mortality yet willing to face his accusers with an almost definite possibility of death to maintain his own integrity and beliefs and morality. He fully understood from the beginning of his trial what the sentence handed down would be yet on a level of honor and courage not seen in abundance in modern society he maintained his stance and delivered a compelling and convincing argument. He openly stated that he knew his actions had offended Meletus and

Socrates motives for not escaping could also be understood by his principles. His principle says, “And a good life is equivalent to a just and honorable one.”(1). Socrates believes and lives by doing well to himself and other people. Even though staying in prison would cause him physical damage, he is willing to sacrifice his body in order to save his soul. Because of his belief in living an honorable life, Socrates reasons to stay in prison rather than escaping.

In The Crito by Socrates, both Crito and Socrates present arguments, one that Socrates should escape prison, and one that he should not. Crito’s argument contains logic fallacies that undermine his argument and make it weak. Therefore, Socrates argument that he should remain in prison and face his death is valid and strong, and is better than Crito’s.

In order to give a little hindsight, I will discuss the dialogues between Socrates and Crito in Plato’s “The Crito”; the scene beings with Crito waking up Socrates’ in his jail cell and questioning how he seemed so calm and peaceful when the time for his execution was approaching at a rapid pace. Socrates, as calm as ever, replies that he is willing to die if it is the will of God. Crito begins to try to convince Socrates to escape from his cell by using different reasoning’s. Crito explains that if he rejected the idea of escaping and was executed, he would lose a loving and loyal friend and he would have to live with the fault of failing to save his life. On a more ethical level, Crito present more compelling cases: firstly, if he had stayed, he would helping his enemies in wronging him unjustly, and would then be acting unjustly himself; and second, that he

In Plato’s Crito Socrates argues that it would be wrong for him to escape from prison. Speaking to his friend Cirto, Socrates explains that escaping from prison would go against many of his beliefs. Socrates believes in seeking the truth, not repaying a wrong with another wrong, and obeying the laws of the state. He also states that escaping from prison would ruin his reputation and is in best interest for everyone. Crito brings up many arguments to Socrates trying to convince him to escape. Crito tries to appeal to Socrates in many different ways and bombards him with many arguments. Every argument that Crito brings up to Socrates, he answers with carful thinking and analysis. Crito appeals to Socrates emotions by stating that his friends and family will be lost without him. He

Lastly, If Socrates does not flee; he would be aiding his enemies in wronging him, thus also being unjust himself. “Nor can I think that you are justified, Socrates, in betraying your won life when you might be saved; this is playing into the hands of your enemies and destroyers;” (Crito: 45c) But then, some of the points that Socrates made clear are the questions who are the enemies? and “whether we shall do rightly either in escaping or in suffering others to aid in our escape and paying them in money and thanks, or whether we shan not do

Socrates adjusts these theories to the option to escape from his captors and abandon their conclusion on his future. Crito begins to understand Socrates view in his suggestion. "the only valid consideration is whether we should be acting rightly in giving with the escape, or whether in truth we shall do wrong in doing all this." (49c) Socrates concludes that if he followed Crito's advice he would be committing several dishonest actions against his own society that were

To this question, first Socrates says that he should not revenge injustice. Because doing injustice is bad in any circumstances (Crito 49b), to return injustice just because of having injustice done onto himself would bad also (Crito 49c). Therefore Socrates should not commit injustice just to get even with Athens. Injustice is bad because it harms, and disobedience to the law would harm the city (Crito 50b); so it seems that to disobey the law would be an injustice. But why should Socrates obey the law of the city? Socrates reasons that since the city has done him great benefactions, such as giving birth to his life, taking care of his physical upbringing and his education, and granting him long years of benefits from the legal system (Crito 50e - 51c), Socrates owns the state a strong duty of gratitude just as a child would own to his father. One of those duties is to obey the state (like how a child obeys his parents), which always has included the possibility of death such as in times of war (Crito 51b). Socrates should obey the city because he has made an agreement to do so. This agreement is the social contract that he has implicitly accepted and lived under for 70 years. This contract is legitimate because Socrates had a thorough understanding of the legal system (Crito 51e - 52a), he did not leave the city when he was given the fair chance all his life (Crito 51 c-e), and that he

The dialogue is set in the prison cell of Socrates, where he calmly waits for his execution. Before dawn, he is visited by Crito, an old and loyal friend of his. There, Crito lets him know that he has bribed the guards and made arrangements to smuggle Socrates out of prison and into safety. However, Socrates seems rather unmoved, and insists that he must stay in anticipation for his own execution. Crito presents an onslaught of arguments as to why Socrates must escape.1 Then Socrates rebuttals2, refusing Crito’s pleas from him to save himself and escape the prison. Next, Socrates brings in the voice of the Law of Athens, citing that it speaks to him, saying that it would be unjust for him to leave his cell. Since the laws exist as one collective

Socrates got a death sentence in Athens because he tamper with the youth and did not believe in the Gods. As a caring friend Crito comes to him while he is waiting his punishment. Crito tries to persuade to escape to another country, Socrates does not want to do

In the Crito, Socrates is charged with corrupting the youth by broadcasting these stinging questions that forced people to think. Athens, which at this time recently lost in battle, was seeking to eliminate anyone who they perceived as unfavorable by their gods in order to win back the compassion of their divine beings. Therefore, Socrates was put on trial for his impiety and was sentenced to a choice of exile or death. Refusing to be shamefully removed from his home state, Socrates selects death over exile and awaits death by hemlock. A bit of time after Socrates’ sentencing, Crito, his confidant, informs him that his death is near and attempts to convince him to escape. Crito tells

The music has crescendoed and the tensions have heightened. The curtain opens on a prison cell, about a month after the trial, and the scene is set for Crito. Plato’s Crito is a dialogue between Socrates and his good friend, Crito. Socrates has been wrongfully condemned to death , and Crito describes the debate over whether Socrates should remain in prison or attempt to escape and avoid undeserved conviction. Crito urgently implores that Socrates is not morally obligated to obey unjust laws, while Socrates is fiercely determined to remain in prison.

He knows that if he escaped, it would be a crime. I find it ironic that he would argue his trial, but not argue his punishment from the trial he argued. The bottom line with Socrates and laws is that he probably did not live by them very closely. It is my belief that Socrates was a good person with good morals. He probably saw laws for the weak minded, and he was certain he was not weak minded. The question of whether he would abide by these laws is that he would and he did. He died for them.

Socrates would rather be punished or die before he breaks the laws that were set forth by his state, and this he says later in the same passage, “I should run any risk on the side of law and justice rather than join you. (Cahn pg. 38 Apology b10-c2).”

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