PH207
Patrick McKeon
11339276
Amos Edelheit
What is the purpose of the ‘speech of the laws’, in Plato’s Crito? How is it related to Crito’s political opinions and preferences as expressed in this dialogue?
Introduction
In the following essay I will be discussing the purpose of the speech of laws in Plato’s Crito. I will also be discussing its relation to Crito’s political opinions and preferences as expressed in the dialogue. I will be focussing on the purpose of the speech of laws. In my discussion on their purpose I will be explaining the relevant sections of the dialogue before explaining the purpose of the law’s arguments in these sections.
The Effect of the Laws on the Escape of Socrates
In his attempt to convince Crito that
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Obedience to the Laws
The laws attempt to use Socrates’ own arguments to force him to obey. They remind Socrates that according to him it is necessary to keep one’s promises. In this way they attempt to corner Socrates with his implied agreement to abide by the laws of the state. This, however, is proven to be a wholly inadequate reason. Socrates’ line on the keeping of promises runs under the implication that the keeping of the promise is just. In this case it is not, and Socrates is free to break his implied promise to the state.4
Socrates then proceeds to have the laws ask a number of questions that appear increasingly comic and desperate. He has the laws adopt a style that is very self-consciously similar to his own manner of questioning in the dialogues. The laws attempt to lay claim to his birth as it was through the laws of the state that his parents met. All this serves the purpose of further developing the question of the justice of Socrates’ escape versus the injustice of his imprisonment. This section also brings the discussion back to the obligation of Socrates to follow the laws due to the hand they had in his upbringing. Here, however, the purpose is not simply obligation by association, but that he must follow the laws in the same way a slave is obliged to follow his master. It is not a matter of morality or damage to the
As a defender of civic virtue, the significance of obligation and authority of one’s representative government epitomizes the magnitude of respect that Socrates had for Athenian Jurisprudence, irrespective of the fact that he was prosecuted against. In the accounts of the Apology and Crito, there exists a plethora of evidence that demonstrate Socrates’s adherence of institutionalized authority. His loyalty of the Athenian State derives from his notion that the obligation to surrender to the law manifests a just society. One may ask, “how is it possible for a persecuted man to continue to profess allegiance to a polity that sought his trial and execution”? Though many would not have the capacity to sustain such integrity, Socrates had his reasons in
In the Crito, Socrates believes that breaking the laws of the city harms all of society. The consequences of escaping the city outweigh the benefits for it puts his family, his friends, and himself in danger. He believes in a personal morality that one must live a good and just life, and not just any life. If Socrates breaks the law then he would not be acting justly,
In the Dialogue Crito, Socrates employs his Elenchus to examine the notion of justice and one’s obligation to justice. In the setting of the dialogue, Socrates has been condemned to die, and Crito comes with both the hopes and the means for Socrates to escape from prison. When Socrates insists that they should examine whether he should escape or not, the central question turns into whether if it is unjust to disobey laws. Socrates’ ultimate answer is that it is unjust; he makes his argument by first showing that it’s wrong to revenge injustice, then arguing that he has made an agreement with the city’s law for its benefits, and finally reasoning that he
It is natural for most people to obey the law, because of the consequences that come with it. Socrates is stuck in prison, and his friend Crito came to bail him out. Instead of happily following Crito, Socrates interrogated his friend to why this was a good idea. The laws are there for a reason, and breaking them could not end well. Socrates does not believe in breaking the laws; he states several reasons why it is important to follow them.
In this paper I will argue that Socrates’ agreement at 50 a-b of the Crito that he can not harm his fellow citizens by breaking the law. Specially I will show that people can actually create a positive In this paper I will argue that Socrates’ agreement at 50 a-b of the Crito that he can not harm his fellow citizens by breaking the law. Specially I will show that people can actually create a positive reaction by breaking the law. I will explain that Socrates argument and show how depends on how what the unjust causes. Then I will argue that this assumption is to be questioned under the fact that citizens are not necessarily affected by the law breakers, and that by doing something unjust can be moral.
He also explains to Crito that the citizen is bound to the laws like a child is bound to a parent, and so to go against the laws would be like striking a parent. Rather than simply break the laws and escape, Socrates should try to persuade the laws to let him go. These laws present the citizen's duty to them in the form of a kind of social contract. By choosing to live in Athens, a citizen is endorsing the laws, and is willing to follower by them. Therefore, if he was to break from prison now, having so consistently validated the social contract, he would be making himself an outlaw who would not be welcome in any other civilized state for the rest of his life. Furthermore when he dies, he will be harshly judged in the underworld for behaving unjustly toward his city's laws. In this way, Socrates chooses not to attempt escape but he dies as a martyr, not for himself, but for his city and its system of justice.
In Crito, there is a conversation between Crito and Socrates. Crito is attempting to convince Socrates
The Crito and the Republic were both works of Plato. Plato’s works were divided into early, middle and late dialogues. The Crito falls into the category of the formal while the Republic falls into the category of the latter. In his early dialogues, Plato was influenced by Socratic philosophy but as he ages, he starts to develop his distinct and independent philosophy. Justice is the fundamental concept that will be discussed in this paper. The scope of discussion will mainly revolve around the Crito, the Apology and the Republic. In Socrates’ submission and acceptance of his sentence lies the implication that Socrates agrees with democracy as a political system. Plato, on the other hand,
In life, people are guided by moral beliefs and principles. Whether their beliefs are good or bad, their decisions are based on them. In Plato “The Crito”, Socrates emphasizes his moral beliefs and principles when he decides not to escape from prison. Although Socrates had the opportunity to escape his death sentence, he chose not to do so because he had a moral obligation to commit a sacrifice.
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
In his hypothetical argument with the law, the law states that his idea that because the courts wronged him, he should not now wrong them because the two parties are not equal. The Athenian government believes that is is bad to wrong your country because they have given him everything: his life, education and nurturing as they did with his ancestors. This argument tells Socrates, how the gods want him to care about his country more than his own family and though he does not fear death he does think of judgement from the gods.
Regarding Socrates view one should not obey the law just because it is the law. As I said before you have two choices, but one of them is the moral option. We say that it is moral, as it was taught to us this way, but one doesn’t really think about their own opinion in reference to it.
Explain and evaluate the reasons given by Plato in the Republic, to support the contention that justice is superior to, or more beneficial than, injustice?
In his third premise, Socrates argues that men must do what they believe to be right, and keep their agreements. Socrates argues that he is under an agreement with the state to abide by their laws, and that escaping would be breaking their agreement, thereby knowingly doing wrong. He concludes that if he were to escape he would be breaking agreements and purposely doing wrong, and therefore would not be living justly and honorably, and not be living a good life. For these reasons he decides that he can not escape jail.
In Plato’s Crito, Socrates talks about his obligations to follow the law. Although Socrates understands that the Athenian democracy has committed an unjust action by sentencing him to death, he is unwilling to escape with Crito. He understands that an injustice should not be answered with injustice, but there are times when one should question the law. In Socrates’ Defense and the Crito, Plato discusses when one ought to follow the law and when ought to not follow the law. One not only has the obligations to follow the law, but they are also obliged to break the law if it is unjust because it will then improve The Law.