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Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, Crito
Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher who is credited with laying the fundamentals of modern Western philosophy. He is best known for his method of getting answers. He would ask you a question and once you answered it he would turn around and ask you another question. This form of thinking is called Dialogues. This method was not liked by the City of Athens, they felt that he was creating his own army and possibly weakening their government. This is what landed him in trial and ultimately led to his death in 399 BC.
(2)The charges that were brought against Socrates were two. They accused him of corrupting the minds of the young and not believing in the gods of the state (impiety) but his own inventions.
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I believe Socrates was not guilty of the charges. Everyone has their own way of thinking and you cannot force anyone to think the same way. I believe Socrates came out rather rude and confident in his way of thinking and that did not sit well with the jurors. He was slowly building his own group and some may have felt threatened. Socrates was sentenced to death for teaching the youth to not fear the gods. Steinberger sticks to his belief that Socrates was well aware of what he was doing and knew exactly the effect it would have on his young followers. (Steinberger 27) (3)During the aftermath of Socrates trial Crito has mixed feelings about Socrates’ death penalty sentence.
He tries to persuade Socrates to escape jail and flee the wrongful sentencing that he has been charged with. Crito brings up several points as to why he should escape. If Socrates does not try to escape Crito feels he will lose a good friend when he dies and people will view him as a bad friend and he will get a bad reputation. If Socrates does not try to escape he will not be able to see his son’s achievements and he and he will be betraying them. Crito believes that it is not fair (unjust) to not fight for your life, he wants Socrates to try and save himself from the injustice the people have come to. This is where it gets tricky and where the debate begins. If Socrates does nothing to free/ save himself then he is agreeing with the unjust people. But if he escapes jail then he is going against the Laws of the city of Athens and that in Socrates eyes is unjust. Socrates would rather have one person get hurt (himself) than to turn around and do something that would hurt many people. Socrates responds to his points with the way he thinks/feels. Socrates is about being just and living a moral life. If he escapes jail he feels the laws and city of Athens would be destroyed, therefore, by destroying the city and its laws it would cause the citizens of Athens harm, harming the citizens of Athens would be unjust, by being unjust it would harm his soul. Socrates
prefers to live until his death than to live with a ruined soul for the rest of his life.
Crito on the other hand believes civil disobedience is sometimes morally legitimate in certain cases. He states “Your present situation itself shows clearly that the majority can do not just minor harms but very worst things to someone who’s been slandered in front of them” (pg.79) Crito tries to reason with Socrates by telling him how by abiding to these “just” laws is what got him in prison in the first place, and how he is going to be unjustly prosecuted because of it. He goes on by trying to persuade him that by escaping prison it wouldn’t classify as civil disobedience since he wouldn’t be harming anyone. If he stayed in prison it would seem as cowardness and seem irresponsible. Since Socrates has a responsibility towards his family
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.
"Do we say that one must never in any way do wrong willingly, or must one do wrong in one way and not in another?"3 Socrates tries to help people understand that mistakes are human nature, however to do wrongful things on purpose should not be tolerated. Crito agrees with Socrates statement, "So one must never do wrong."4 Crito believes in what Socrates is expressing, yet he wants Socrates to perform an unreasonable action and escape from prison. A big thing for Socrates is trust and being loyal to his family and city. "When one has come to an agreement that is just with someone, should one fulfill it or cheat on it?" Crito believes one should fulfill it. Which Socrates then states "If we leave here without the city's permission, are we harming people whom we should least do harm to? Are we sticking to a just agreement, or not?" Socrates thinks that if you commit to something you need to be a man of your word and follow through. If you make an agreement with someone, you should keep your word to the fullest extent. Socrates thinks he needs to adhere to the agreement of being in prison. He believes he shouldn’t leave unless someone tells him otherwise and to the just thing by upholding the decision. Again, Socrates doesn’t want to offend anyone or show disrespect, which shows his strong desire to always to the right
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...
Socrates was wise men, who question everything, he was found to be the wise man in Athens by the oracle. Although he was consider of being the wises man alive in those days, Socrates never consider himself wise, therefore he question everything in order to learned more. Socrates lived a poor life, he used to go to the markets and preach in Athens he never harm anyone, or disobey any of the laws in Athens, yet he was found guilty of all charges and sentence to die.
The first is that if Socrates chooses to stay, his death will reflect poorly on Crito. 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 unjust manner himself. Also, that Socrates would abandon his sons and leave them without a father.
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.
Socrates, in his conviction from the Athenian jury, was both innocent and guilty as charged. In Plato’s Five Dialogues, accounts of events ranging from just prior to Socrates’ entry into the courthouse up until his mouthful of hemlock, both points are represented. Socrates’ in dealing with moral law was not guilty of the crimes he was accused of by Meletus. Socrates was only guilty as charged because his peers had concluded him as such. The laws didn’t find Socrates guilty; Socrates was guilty because his jurors enforced the laws. The law couldn’t enforce itself. Socrates was accused of corrupting Athens’ youth, not believing in the gods of the city and creating his own gods. In the Euthyphro, Socrates defends himself against the blasphemous charges outside the courthouse to a priest Euthyphro. Socrates looks to the priest to tell him what exactly is pious so that he may educate himself as to why he would be perceived as impious. Found in the Apology, another of Plato’s Five Dialogues, Socrates aims to defend his principles to the five hundred and one person jury. Finally, the Crito, an account of Socrates’ final discussion with his good friend Crito, Socrates is offered an opportunity to escape the prison and his death sentence. As is known, Socrates rejected the suggestion. It is in the Euthyphro and the Apology that it can be deduced that Socrates is not guilty as charged, he had done nothing wrong and he properly defended himself. However, in the Crito, it is shown that Socrates is guilty only in the interpretation and enforcement of Athens’ laws through the court system and its jurors. Socrates’ accusations of being blasphemous are also seen as being treasonous.
When I think of a philosopher, I think of something that gets people to ask questions and think. This is exactly what Socrates did for the people of Athens. He is accused of doing wrong when he is just trying to help advance society. Another thing that makes him a great philosopher is the fact that he sticks to his morals throughout. He has the ability to escape prison, but he knows that would go against all of his teachings.
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
The dialogue "Crito" recounts Socrates' last days, immediately before his execution. As the text reveals, his friend Crito proposes to Socrates that he escape from prison. In a dialogue with Crito, Socrates considers the proposal, trying to establish whether an act like that would be just and morally justified. Eventually, he came to argue that by rejecting his sentence and by trying to escape from prison he would commit unjust and morally unjustified acts. Therefore, he decided to accept his death penalty and execution. Because of his decision, he became one of the cult figures in the history of philosophy, a man of intact moral integrity who had made his final decision according to the very same principles that guided his entire life. He was praised as a grand rationalist who had acted rationally and justly—a view which, I believe, represents one of the greatest myths in the history of philosophy.
The charges against Socrates were brought upon him by a man names Meletus. Meletus was a young man that Socrates did not know very well. These charges brought on by Meletus caused the indictment of Socrates. One of the charges in the affidavit written by Meletus against Socrates is that he is "corrupting the youth." Another charge that is brought upon Socrates is that of he is making up new Gods and disregarding the old Gods the Athenians believe in. These were the charges brought on Socrates.
Andy Adams, a writer for The Literature Network states, “Socrates concentrates on three certain statements throughout this dialogue. The first is that one ought to live rightly, the second is one ought to never do wrong, and the last one is one ought to keep agreements” (Adams, 2016). While Crito attempts to give “just” arguments, he fails in doing so because of the reasoning he uses. Socrates’ arguments all revolve around doing what is good and just, which ultimately led to the decision of not escaping his execution. Although Socrates was killed, he was killed as a wise and just
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
In the reading given we have been presented a setting of the ancient philosopher Socrates and a close friend Crito having a dialogue in the prison were Socrates was awaiting execution. Crito is a close friend to Socrates and has come to the prison to convince him to escape to save his life. The beginning of the dialogue is basically Socrates and Crito going back and forth on why he should escape, Crito gives three main reasons why Socrates should escape. First Crito says that Socrates is one of his true friends someone who can never be replaced, second Crito also says that if he allowed Socrates to die then many people would accuse him of being a failure as a friend, lastly Crito says that Socrates would be irresponsible if he left his kids