what are the 8 reasons in critos argument for socrates to escape?
As the time approaches for Socrates execution, one of his quondam and wealthy friends, Crito, has fabricated arraignments for Socrates� escape. Nonetheless Socrates refuses to leave without a expert reason. Crito tries to persuade him with several arguments. Socrates in turns refutes each argument and then tells or rather his questions tell Crito why escaping is wrong.
Crito states his reputation would be ruined if he did not aid Socrates escape. Secondly Socrates would be turning his back on his children if he stayed and died. Lastly, he claims that they did Socrates a wrong, and he did not take to obey their verdict. Socrates questions each statement with Crito, in guild to see if they are rational and correct reasons for him to leave. Crito states that his reputation is on the line. That information technology is expected of him, existence wealthy and an onetime friend of Socrates. People would await down on him, thinking he valued money over friends.
�For if you die I shall non merely lose a friend who can never be replaced, but in that location is another evil: people who practise not know y'all and me will believe that I might accept saved you if I had been willing to give money, but that I did not care. At present, tin can there be a worse disgrace than this- that I should be idea to value money more than the life of a friend? For the many will non be persuaded that I wanted you to escape, and that yous refused.[1]�
Socrates informs Crito the flaws in this argument past asking a series of questions which Crito answers either yeah or no. With these questions Socrates shows Crito even though the opinion of the many thing can affect one, their opinion does not necessarily make them correct. They should non worry nigh the opinion of many, only worry about the opinion of the wise and the good. It is their opinion that matter, they will know and understand why Socrates must stay in prison and die.
�The good are to be regarded, and non the bad?�And the opinions of the wise are good, and the opinions of the unwise are evil?�Very good; and is not this truthful, Crito, of other things which we demand not separately enumerate? In the matter of just and unjust, fair and foul, good and evil, which are the subjects of our present consultation, ought nosotros to follow the opinion of the many and to fear them; or the opinion of the one man who has agreement, and whom nosotros ought to fear and reverence more than all the rest of the earth: and whom deserting we shall destroy and injure that principle in u.s. which may be assumed to be improved by justice and deteriorated by injustice; is there not such a principle?�And so, my friend, we must not regard what the many say of the states: but what he, the one homo who has agreement of just and unjust, will say, and what the truth will say. And therefore you begin in error when you suggest that nosotros should regard the opinion of the many most just and unjust, practiced and evil, honorable and dishonorable... The other considerations which yous mention, of money and loss of graphic symbol, and the duty of educating children, are, I fearfulness, only the doctrines of the multitude, who would exist every bit ready to call people to life, if they were able, as they are to put them to death- and with as trivial reason.[2]�
With this reasoning Socrates dismisses near of Crito�due south arguments. That loss of reputation, abandoning his children, are all how things seem to the many, and their stance are of no outcome. He brings up that he does his children no good by escape. If he were alive and escape he would deprive his children of Athenian citizenship, education and fashion of life. He would also be setting a bad example for his children. Past him escaping and breaking the laws, he is showing and educational activity his children through example, that if worse comes to worse, do what you tin to live. Not to stand up for ideals, and what�due south right equally he has always taught. He cannot and would not be able to teach and raise his children to exist virtuous.
�For he who is a corrupter of the laws is more than than likely to be corrupter of the young and foolish portion of mankind�Say that yous wish to live for the sake of your children, that you may bring them up and educate them- volition yous take them into Thessaly and deprive them of Athenian citizenship? Is that the benefit which you would confer upon them?[3]�
Socrates so reveals why he cannot and volition not leave, and escape his punishment. He does this outset by examining Crito�s argument that the jury did him wrong, therefore he did not accept to obey them. He talks about how wronging a wrong however does not make a right. Even though the jury did him incorrect, if he left he would be doing the laws a wrong. At this bespeak, he develops a couple of ideas. He shall especially commit no wrongs. Personification of the laws. And how him leaving would be wronging the law.
�Or are we to residue assured, in spite of the opinion of the many, and in spite of consequences whether better or worse, of the truth of what was then said, that injustice is e'er an evil and dishonor to him who acts unjustly?�Then we must practice no wrong? Nor when injured injure in return, as the many imagine; for we must injure no 1 at all?� And what of doing evil in return for evil, which is the morality of the many-is that just or non? For doing evil to another is the same as injuring him?...But if this is true, what is the application? In leaving the prison against the will of the Athenians, do I wrong any? or rather practice I not wrong those whom I ought to the lowest degree to incorrect? Do I not desert the principles which were acknowledged by us to be just? What do y'all say?[4]�
The Greeks have personified many abstract concepts and ideas. Socrates does this with the laws. He states that the laws are similar a parent. They raise and brought him upwards like a parent. They take done this through many of the various services the country provide to the people. The laws (country) are like a parent with their services because like a parent they nurtured Socrates. They provide him with public education, public entertainment, public protection (military), etc. Everything they did/provide is in benefit for Socrates. He would be dishonoring them if he turned his dorsum on them and his word. He owes the laws (state) like he owes his parents for raising him, to listen and obey them.
�In the start place did we not bring you lot into existence? Your father married your female parent by our aid and begat you. Say whether yous have whatever objection to urge against those of us who regulate marriage?���Or against those of us who regulate the system of nurture and teaching of children in which y'all were trained? Were not the laws, who have the charge of this, right in commanding your father to train y'all in music and gymnastic?�[v]�
He has not only sworn to follow the laws, and accept any verdict and penalization that the courtroom prescribe him, but there is an implicit agreement he has made with the laws. The fact that he took in and used government services from children to nowadays. That he has lived and not left the city in his seventy years of life, except in armed services services. That he has grown and raised his children here. This shows he is happy and satisfied with Athens. If he had found them to be unjust or if he had displeasures with the city he could accept left anytime he wished. The fact he has non, further binds him to his implicit contract with the laws. Equally a result he has implicitly agreed to obey the laws.
�For, after having brought you into the world, and nurtured and educated you lot, and given you and every other denizen a share in every proficient that we had to give, we further proclaim and requite the correct to every Athenian, that if he does not like usa when he has come of age and has seen the ways of the city, and fabricated our associate, he may become where he pleases and take his goods with him; and none of united states laws will forbid him or interfere with him. Any of you who does not like us and the metropolis, and who wants to go to a colony or to whatsoever other urban center, may become where he likes, and take his appurtenances with him. Merely he who has feel of the fashion in which we lodge justice and administrate the Country, and yet remains, has entered into an unsaid contract that he will practise as we command him��There is articulate proof,� they will say, �Socrates, that we and the city were non displeasing to you lot. Of all Athenians you take been the most constant resident in the urban center, which, as you never leave, you may be supposed to love�Nor had yous any curiosity to know other States or their laws: your affections did not become beyond us and our Country; we were your especial favorites, and you acquiesced in our government of you; and this is the State in which y'all begat your children, which is a proof of your satisfaction�And first of all answer this very question: Are we right in saying that you lot agreed to be governed according to u.s.a. in act, and not in give-and-take simply? Is that true or not?��So will they not say: �Y'all, Socrates, are breaking the covenants and agreements which you lot made with usa at your leisure, non in any haste or under whatsoever compulsion or deception, but having had seventy years to call up of them, during which fourth dimension yous were at freedom to get out the city, if nosotros were not to your mind, or if our covenants appeared to you to be unfair.�[6]�
He cannot rationalize what he could say to the law. That the argument that the jury did him wrong, therefore he tin disregard them. It is with the laws he has implicitly consent to obey equally well every bit swearing earlier the gods to obey. He of all people should non be harming and dishonoring the law. He has claimed to teach and prove people how to alive a adept, to be virtuous. How can he face anyone or himself if he were to violate everything he stood for. His life would be meaningless and forfeit should he get out with Crito, due to the way of life he lived and what he believed in. He believed he is here to teach people nearly virtue and how to be expert. He is commanded by the gods to exist here. To be humble and show those who would think they know wisdom, that they actually practice not. Hither to badger and prod the state forgets itself and becomes wicked Socrates is there to remind the state. He is to be the gadfly of the state and people. Hither to constantly remind people to be virtuous. That is how he views the purpose and aim of his life. For when the oracles divine that none are wiser then Socrates. He knows he knows nothing, therefore he cannot be wise. However after questioning those who claim to know something, he finds out they really know nothing. So this makes him the wiser, for knowing he knows goose egg, over those who remember they know something only actually don�t know annihilation.
�I reflected that if I could only observe a homo wiser than myself, then I might get to the god with a refutation in my mitt. I should say to him, �Here is a human who is wiser than I am; but you said that I was the wisest.��And then I go my style, obedient to the god, and brand inquisition into the wisdom of anyone, whether citizen or stranger, who appears to be wise; and if he is not wise, then in vindication of the oracle I show him that he is not wise; and this occupation quite absorbs me, and I have no time to give either to any public affair of involvement or to any business concern of my ain, but I am in utter poverty by reason of my devotion to the god� am a sort of gadfly, given to the country past the God; and the state is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has given the land and all twenty-four hour period long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you.[7]�
From this Socrates gathers the gods wish for him to use his wisdom and virtuous and thus show other. This is how Socrates viewed his life. He claims in court that �For this fear of death is indeed the pretence of wisdom, and not existent wisdom, being the appearance of knowing the unknown; since no one knows whether death, which they in their fright apprehend to be the greatest evil, may not exist the greatest good.[8]� Therefore if he leaves with Crito it shows that he fears expiry, and in so fearing death he gives up all claims to beingness wise. If he leaves with Crito, anybody himself included would non listen to anything he could say. He could no longer claim that he is trying make people virtuous and amend, when he himself is living in exile of the police force. If he every tried to teach, he�d be considered a hypocrite. In order to be the gadfly of the state, he must not commit whatever wrong. He feels if he cannot teach, his life is not worth living, because he has disobeyed a direct command from the gods. Everywhere he goes he be suspected of corrupting the youth and breaking the laws. This would exist the life he would pb, which is no life in his eyes.
�Thebes or Megara, both of which are well-governed cities, volition come to them as an enemy, Socrates, and their government volition be against you, and all patriotic citizens will cast an evil eye upon you as a subverter of the laws, and yous will confirm in the minds of the judges the justice of their own condemnation of y'all. For he who is a corrupter of the laws is more than likely to exist corrupter of the young and foolish portion of mankind. Will yous then flee from well-ordered cities and virtuous men? and is beingness worth having on these terms? Or will you go to them without shame, and talk to them, Socrates? And what will you lot say to them? What you say here about virtue and justice and institutions and laws being the best things amidst men? Would that be decent of you lot? Surely not. merely will in that location be no 1 to remind you lot that in your erstwhile age you violated the most sacred laws from a miserable desire of a footling more than life? �you will alive, but how?- as the flatterer of all men, and the servant of all men; and doing what?- eating and drinking in Thessaly, having gone abroad in order that you may get a dinner. And where will be your fine sentiments near justice and virtue then?[ix]�
This all shows to prove that if he leaves with Crito, he is proving the jury correct. He was institute guilty of two charges, of atheism, and corrupting the youth. If he leaves he would be establish guilty of those charges. He swore earlier the gods that he would have and follow any verdict that the court shall requite. If he flees, then he is breaking his adjuration to the gods, and to the laws, thus indicting that he does not accolade and feel that an adjuration to the gods hateful much, therefore disbelief in them. The example he sets by fleeing from his judgment is a terrible example for the youth. He breaks his oath and goes dorsum on his give-and-take twice. He has even said in courtroom that exile is a fate worse and so decease for him. The youth can claim, that Socrates, a well respected wise man, ditched his death sentence when push came to shove. And then they too can follow arrange, for if it is ok for Socrates to exercise such, it is ok for them, thus being corrupted. �Moreover, yous might, if you had liked, have fixed the penalty at adjournment in the course of the trial-the State which refuses to let you become now would accept let you go then. But you pretended that you preferred death to exile, and that you were not grieved at death.[10]� And then therefore in order to evidence his innocence he must remain in jail and die. This thus becomes an example of Socratic irony. Socratic irony is claiming to know nothing almost the matter, in order to depict a conclusion of the matter. Socrates staying to die in club to prove he is innocent is an example of this. Although it is not exactly parallel, it still can be said to be Socratic irony due to the nature of information technology. Considering he is forced to do the opposite of something in order to show the truth of information technology. In guild for him to prove his innocence, that he does believe in the gods and is setting a good example he must stay and die in prison. He shows he believes in the gods by following and keeping his oath. He sets a good example by showing that he is willing to obey the laws no matter the upshot.
[2] Ibid
[three] Ibid
[four] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[eight] Ibid
[9] Crito
[10] Ibid
Web Surfer'due south Caveat: These are class notes, intended to comment on readings and dilate course give-and-take. They should be read as such. They are not intended for publication or general distribution.
Source: https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Student_Paper_Socrates_prison.htm
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