Plato’s Crito

Setting for the work?Crito is one of Plato’s earliest dialogues (written ca 395 BCE)It is set in Socrates’ prison in Athens, close to the AgoraMain characters: Socrates (469-399 BCE) and CritoWho is Crito?Crito is one of Socrates’ friends; he is very wealthy; he is visiting Socrates in prisonWhy is Socrates in prison?He has been condemned to death and is awaiting execution.Why has he been condemned?He was found guilty of: 1) corrupting the youth; 2) impiety (not believing in Athens’ gods at the same time as he has invented new gods); and 3) “studying things in the sky and below the earth”

What is Crito trying to convince Socrates to do?

• In the Apology, Socrates asserted his innocence but was found guilty by the jurors and condemned to death

• Socrates and Crito both believe this verdict was unjust

• Socrates is now in prison awaiting the return of a ship from the sacred island of Delos after which time he will die

• Crito is trying to convince Socrates to escape

What are some of Crito’s arguments in favor of Socrates’ escape?

• 1) It is very likely that Socrates can succeed if he should try to escape; a. the guards can be easily bribed; b. Athenian authorities would probably not be too upset about Socrates’ escape provided that he were no longer in Athens

• 2) Crito had friends in Thessaly that could look after Socrates should he go there

• 3) Crito would lose an excellent friend if Socrates were to die

• 4) Socrates’ friends would appear in a bad light in the eyes of many people if Socrates did not attempt to escape since they would think that Socrates’ friends could have helped Socrates escape but did not

• 5) Socrates needs to stay alive in order to help raise his children

• 6) Socrates was wronged by the city of Athens and is under no obligation to accept his penalty and thereby collaborate in injustice

How does Socrates respond to Crito’s arguments?• 1) Socrates says first that he and

Crito should not be concerned with the opinion of a majority of people

• 2) The opinion of the many is not powerful as it cannot do the greatest harm (i.e., make one foolish) because it cannot do the greatest good (i.e., make one wise)

• 3) There are situations where one would clearly prefer the opinion of an expert (e.g., physical training) rather than of a multitude

Additional arguments by Socrates

• Socrates then says that one must never do wrong

• This applies even in cases like his own where one has been wronged by others

• You should not return a wrong for a wrong (or return evil for evil)

• You would harm not only others but also yourself

• Socrates accepts that this view may be held by only a few but that does not matter to him

Socrates and Crito then discuss some related matters

• Socrates argues the importance of fulfilling one’s just agreements with others

• Question: what just agreements is Socrates referring to?

• Socrates’ acceptance of the punishment rendered at his trial

• Socrates also seems to suggest that having been raised in Athens and having lived there for so long, he has to abide by its laws and decisions

The Speech of The Laws•The Laws are almost another character in this dialogue•If Socrates were to escape from prison, Socrates would destroy the laws and the city since the city is destroyed if the verdicts of its courts can not be applied

In this dialogue Plato presents an early form of the social contract• What is the Social Contract?

• It is an agreement between an individual and the nation/state in which one lives

• It is typically tacit (i.e., unspoken, implied, assumed) but need not be

• What are the obligations of the individual toward the state?

• What are the obligations of the state toward the individual?

The Parent argument made by Socrates

• 1) The State is Socrates’ parent

• 2) Everyone ought to obey his or her parents

• 3) If Socrates were to escape, it would be as if he were disobeying his parents

• Therefore, Socrates should not escape

Socrates therefore tells Crito that he will not escape• Even Crito’s argument about not

abandoning his children has no force for Socrates since Socrates knows that Crito and his other friends will look after them

Socrates also says that he will accept his punishment

•He will eventually drink a cup of hemlock (poison) given to him by his jailer and die