Arguments That Persuade Socrates to Accept His Sentence
Introduction
In this paper I will evaluate the argument that persuades Socrates to stay in prison and accept his death sentence and Crito’s argument on why Socrates should escape from the prison. First I will examine the strength and weakness of Crito’s argument. In this paper I will argue that Socrates had the stronger argument. This dialogue is in the prison cell between Socrates and Crito, where he is awaiting execution. Crito who has made arrangement to assist Socrates escape out of prison to safety, visits him in the dawn. He persuades Socrates with several arguments to escape. However, Socrates is willing to await his execution. If he is executed, his death will paste a bad image on his friend as people will think they never attempted to save his life. His friends are willing to incur the cost for the escape and have arranged a pleasure life for him after the escape.
Crito’s argument
Crito’s raised argument why Socrates should escape from prison. He present three arguments where the first two arguments are weak. Crito argues that if he does not escape, he will hurt Crito by losing a friend after the death and people will think Crito was not willing to spend his money to secure the release of Socrates if he decide to remain in prison. Crito claims that it is bad to do something that will hurt a friend. This argument is shallow becauseCrito only considers the effects of Socrates action on him. Crito could rather have raised a stronger argument on the negative and positive effects for everyone affected if he decide to stay in prison andif he escapes. The issues which Crito considers harmful are really not harmful.
Secondly, Crito argues that if Socrates is worried that by escaping he will hurt his friends and will get in trouble for assisting his escape. However, his fear is unfolded. It is cheaper to pay off prison guards and any other person who will be involved in the escape and secondly his friends were willing to assist his escape from the prison. Therefore the risk as much as is thought. Fear is not a primary issue restricting Socrates from escaping. Whileis was easy and cheap to pay off, Socrates considers the issue of morals. The Crito’s response has no effect on the ease of paying off and he is not aware of the main reason for Socrates not escaping from the prison.
Thirdly, Crito argues that Socrates has to escape as he has responsibility as a father to his children. He argues that it is the role of Socrates to bring up his children well and to ensure they get an education, and he will not be in a position of monitoring them when he dies. In this argument Crito touches on important issues that Socrates should put into consideration and point out that pursuing goodness for the sake of the children is want every man want to see and care. Crito argues that it is easy for Socrates to stay in prison, but is takes guts to escape. He advises him to be brave and escape for the sake of his children. Crito is concerned with the fate of Socrates children if he is going to be executed. Crito assumes that his children will not be attended to after the death of their father. Socrates point out there are numerous assumption and argues that Crito overlook on the possibility of his friends willing to bring up his children.If Socrates escape to Thessaly he would be considered as a foreigner thus he will not be in the best position to raise them. Socrates would ask his friend to look after his children if he escapes from the prison. Socrates is not convinced to escape from the prison and avoid execution since his friends would look after his children (DeFilippo, 2008, p. 86).
Socrates arguments
Socrates responds to the argument of Crito. He argues that the opinion of the majority is not important. He also considers the consequences of the escape that will result in the Athens city and whether escaping from prison is unjust action that will hurt his soul. He argues that the opinion of the experts is more important than the opinion of the majority. He compares his situation with that of someone in training. That person pays attention to his trainer and does not consider the opinion of the general public. Socrates decides to follow the right way. He is not influenced by the opinion of the majority and argues that what is important is not living but living a good life and following the opinion of the majority means sacrificing important thing in life.
Socrates argues thatthe important thing is not to live but to live a good life. This argument is his most fundamental principle. Also considers the issue of paying off the guards and escaping on a moral basis. He also addresses the consequences in the Athens city and argues that if he escapes the city and the law will be destroyed. Athens city could not remain intact without laws and the legal judgment will lose itsforce.
Socrates thought that he could be harming the conditions of his soul, in additional to the city by escaping from the prison. He first thought that his soul will be harmed because he believed that hurting the city would also hurt is soul. Causing harm to others would also hurt is soul. Apparently he had agreed to abide to the laws of Athens as he had lived under it for seventy years, never attempted to persuade the city to change the laws and had raised children under those laws. Rather than escaping from the prison and breaking the laws attempt to persuade the law to free him. If he breaks the laws he could be making himself an outlaw despite having consistent validation of the social contract(Rudebusch, 2009, p. 125).
Conclusion
Notably, from the above argumentsCrito argument is very narrow and is based on numerous assumptions. Crito has presented two pressing arguments first if Socrates decides to stay in prison he will allow his enemy to wrong him unjustly, therefore acting unjustly on himself. The second argument is that he will leave his children without a father if he is executed. However, Socrates disapproves the strongest claim by Crito on the responsibility ofchildren to compel his escape from the prison. The fundamental principle of living a good life and not only living. The second argument is on the agreement to abide by the state laws is a compelling argument. Socrates has the rights to decide to remain in prison.
Reference
DeFilippo, J. G. (2008). Justice and Obedience in the Crito. Ancient Philosophy, 11(2), 249- 263.
Rudebusch, G. (2009). Socrates. Chichester, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell.
