Socrates Last Error Essay examples - 3184 Words

Socrates Last Error In the dialogue, Crito, Socrates justified his decision to accept his death penalty. His decision was praised as principled and just. However, such a view was one of the greatest myths in the history of philosophy. Contrary to the accepted ideas, I wish to show that Socrates’ argument was erroneous, the crucial error being his failure to distinguish between substantial and procedural justice. In fact, the whole of the Crito refers to some deeper problems of the philosophy of law and morality. 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†¦show more content†¦The argument can be summarized in the following way: 1. Lawbreaking is unjust, while observance of laws is just, because 2. Laws are just. 3. The laws of Athens are just, even if the legitimacy of laws in general can be questioned. 4. Judicial decisions made on the basis of those laws are just. 5. When finally pronounced, judicial decisions must be carried out. 6. Disrespect of judicial decisions produces the destruction of laws. Conclusion: Escape from prison is an unjust and therefore morally unacceptable act. The conclusion that Socrates drew from the premises is sound only if the premises themselves are true, and that is why their soundness must be examined first. ad 1. The first premise cannot be questioned, because its truth seems incontestable. However, this is true only insofar as the first premise is related to the second one. It is assumed that the second premise (Laws are just) is correct. Indeed, respect of unjust laws must be morally doubtful, which means that the claim for their observance must be based on some other, additional reasons, of which one of the most frequently quoted was that even the worst legal system is still better than no legal system at all. A statement like that seems to be based on the fear of anarchy which might be produced by disrespect of laws and legally based decisions. This, however, is also relevant for unjust decisions, which contributesShow MoreRelatedEssay on Socrates vs Thrasymachus1653 Words   |  7 PagesPlato’s Republic features a disagreement between Socrates and Thrasymachus about the nature of justice. The disaccord between their views of the subject is extremely pronounced, but there ar e certain underlying agreements which guide the course of the debate. One way to evaluate the validity of the arguments involved is to examine whether the assumptions at the root of the argument are in accord with this common ground. By my reading of the dialogue, Socrates’ reply to the first part of Thrasymachus’ definitionRead MoreEssay on Plato’s Crito: The Last Days of Socrates 1134 Words   |  5 Pages 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 peopleRead MoreEssay 11280 Words   |  6 PagesEssay 1 Carolyn Rudy 1. The nation is at war, and your number in the recently reinstated military draft has just come up. The problem is that, after serious reflection, you have concluded that the war is unjust. What advice might Socrates give you? Would you agree? What might you decide to do? Read the Introduction, Chapter 2 Crito and the Conclusion Chapter 40 Phaedo by Plato. Some people think war is justified because; it is in order to counter terrorism. 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Socrates then tries to refute the oracle by bringing a supposedlyRead MoreThe Philosophies Of The Philosopher Socrates1463 Words   |  6 PagesPHI150 21 March 2017 Socrates This paper will examine, in two parts, the worldviews of the philosopher Socrates. The first part will examine four of his worldviews using evidence from The Apology, The Crito, and The Phaedo, all written by Plato and depicting dialogues from Socrates. The first section of the paper will also use supplementary analysis from Socrates by George Rudebusch. The second section of this paper will be a critique of Socrate’s worldviews. Part 1: Socrates’ Worldview KnowledgeRead More Socrates versus Nelson Mandela Essay1723 Words   |  7 Pages As an Athenian philosopher, Socrates spent his life in constant pursuit of insight. He loved engaging in conversations that helped him derive philosophical views on a number of different issues. The birth of ideas through critical reasoning can be credited back to his method of teaching, which is now known as the Socratic Method. Although widely respected today, many of his teachings were found controversial in Athenian times. Socrates was placed on trial and put to death soon after becauseRead MoreAristotle s Views Of Poetry Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pagesand senses such as imitation, representation, fiction, and expression. On this note, Socrates used philosophical explorations to criticize the role of poetry in the world. Many poets engage in imitation and imagination in their poetic works, which limits the chances of poetry enhancing knowledge in the society. The branch points between poets and Socrates are imitation versus and imagination versus reason. Socrates was an influential Greek philosopher; however, he never wrote any book and his ideologies