Whose arguments do you PERSONALLY side with, Crito's or Socrates'? Support your answer. REMEMBER: a GOOD blog makes direct references to the text.
9 Comments
Amy Sticha
9/30/2010 12:16:59 am
Personally, I prefer Crito's, for one major reason. When Socrates personifies the Lasw, he gives it the role of his parents, and states that a son's duty to a father outstrips a father's duty to his son, meaning that he would sooner obey the Law than escape and live to raise his children. I quite disagree. Child and parent both owe a great deal to each other, but if it really comes down to it, I think a father's duty to his child is greater: it is to my mind a more pressing duty to protect and guide the future than to honor the past. If you can manage both, that's great, but it's no good expounding on the greatness of your ancestors while the world around you steers a course for disaster. Socrates should have stayed to see his children, and the future of Athens, grown to maturity.
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Melissa Looby
10/3/2010 08:57:00 am
I also agree with Crito. Socrates has proved to the courts that he is mostly innocent, but his reverance for the law and respect for the city of Athens is too great to escape. Crito pleads that Socrates escape to not only rear his children, but to also rear future philosophers into the path of truth. Socrates' stubborness and loyalty (although admirable) are not the best attributes in this situation.He has a chance to continue to change the world and he throws it away. As Amy said so eloquently, it is "a more pressing duty to protect and guide the future than to honor the past". I agree with that statement wholeheartedly.
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Katie Sprague
10/4/2010 12:17:40 am
Personally, I agree with Socrates arguments and respect his decision to face death in order to give the people of Athens the challenge of self-examination. Socrates dedicated his life to philosophy, so it makes sense that his death would make such a dramatic point. If Socrates were to go along with Crito, who's point is also valid, almost all of his life's work would be obsolete. The fact that he is a self-appointed martyr makes his beliefs in justice and in the clarification of knowledge that much more meaningful. He believes that he has a duty to Apollo, and does not fear death because "that would be presuming to know what happens after death."
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Ava Henning
10/4/2010 12:27:22 am
I guess I would have to say that Crito is my favorite, not that I really liked either one. Socrates just seems so wound up in himself that he is unable to see the big picture. He belives so much that he was chosen by the gods to be a great philosopher and he thinks that it is his destiny to die for his beliefs. He believes that in his death the people of Athens will all reexamine themselves and change their way of thinking. This seems rather unlikely to me. If he truely wanted to change Athens he would have raised his children and taught his philosophy to the rest of Athens. Crito is able to see the big picture and tells Socrates that in order to help others it is sometimes necessary to break the laws to accomplish what you want.
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Lexi Fees
10/4/2010 12:37:49 am
After reading Plato's Apology, I was very impressed with Socrates' choice to remain true to his beliefs even though his life was on the line. However, after reading the Crito and Crito's specific arguments, I have to say that I agree with Crito – giving up his beliefs is nothing compared to what Socrates would lose if he chose to stay and defend them. Crito argues that if Socrates were to stay in prison, he would be abandoning his sons and leaving them without a father. That is the primary reason why I agree with Crito's argument. There is no excuse to leave one's family behind. Secondly, Crito tries to explain that by remaining imprisoned Socrates is aiding his enemies in wronging him unjustly. If Socrates claims that he respects the law enough to end his life, then he would wake up and realize that he is ultimately contradicting the justice of the law by helping his enemies to falsely accuse him. At length, I have a hard time ignoring all of the losses Socrates would experience by choosing to stay in prison to defend his beliefs and uphold the law. It just seems like common sense that he would choose to escape.
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Lauren Errichiello
10/4/2010 01:20:19 am
Crito and Socrates both have compelling arguments within Plato's Crito. Although Socrates does present persuasive arguments as to why he should remain in prison, I personally feel that Crito's arguments are more powerful. One of Crito’s main arguments states that Socrates would be abandoning his sons and leaving them to grow up without a father. It is kind of ironic because Socrates, a man who wholeheartedly believes in living justly, abandons his sons without a second thought. This is not a very just act and proves that he does not follow the Law of Athens completely; he wrongs the Law of Athens when he leaves his sons fatherless. Socrates had no excuse to abandon his sons, and thus should have used any means to stay with them, including escaping from prison. Another argument Crito presents states that Socrates would be acting unjustly if he remained in prison; by refusing to escape, he is ultimately helping his enemies. Socrates claims that the Law is all powerful and that he would be harming the Laws if he escaped, but he is just contradicting himself; he lets his enemies falsely accuse him of inaccurate charges, which is breaking the justice of the Law. So all in all, Socrates should have listened to Crito’s arguments and escaped from prison. As Melissa stated, Socrates should have escaped to “rear future philosophers into the path of truth.”
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Maggie DeGrand
10/4/2010 10:54:53 am
As much as I agree with Crito- that the philosopher should not leave his family and stoop to the unjust conviction of death- I am forced to side with Socrates. If every man could commit a crime, or threaten the state in some way, and rationalize his reason for escape, he would undoubtedly escape if he had adequate assistance. The argument is easily made that all laws are fallible because they are created by the ultimately flawed humans. However, to disregard these flawed laws would be dangerous for any society, as society is based upon rules and codes of conduct. If every man was given the opportunity to escape, this lawless behavior would create chaos in the society, thus tearing apart the Law that Socrates lived by his entire life, the one thing he feels an obligation to.
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Frank Cusimano
10/4/2010 12:00:28 pm
I believe that the most compelling arguments were uttered from the lips of Socrates. He believes that what he has done is right, he understands the consequences and that the law was just. Regardless, he maintains his beliefs and upholds them even when the loss of his life is eminent. Although Crito states that if he dies he will leave his sons without a father,I feel that it shows how determined he is to prove his point. Perhaps by sticking to his beliefs, he is being a better father than if he were to give in.
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10/5/2010 12:20:43 am
I go with Socrates because he totally sticks to what he believes to be right till the very end. He does not collapse under the pressure of death or accusation. He truly believes that what he's done is right and makes it evident that he will not give in.
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