Midterm-Intro to PHL
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Question One
Should Socrates have accepted Crito’s offer of escape? Focus on the pros and cons in the Crito. Explain Socrates’ reasons and why you believe he was either right or wrong in his views.
Response
Introduction
In this paper, I seek to answer whether Socrates should have accepted Crito’s offer to escape. I focus on the pros and cons given on the Crito, elucidating Socrates reasons and why I believe he was either right or wrong in his views. Socrates and Crito’s discourse occurred in Socrates’ prison cell, where he awaited his execution. Crito has planned to smuggle him out of prison to the safety of banishment. Socrates does not believe that an individual should save his life at any cost. He maintains that it is not life but a good life that is to be treasured above everything else. His reasons for not escaping is that he speaks on behalf of the laws and claims that he ought to obey, even though obeying means he will be executed, and even though he was unfairly sentenced in the first place. According to him, without the laws, he would not even exist. He argues that to arm the state would be a greater crime compared to harming one’s parents (Melchert, 2007). On the other hand, Crito’s arguments in favor of his escape are that Socrates would be supporting the wrongdoing of his enemies by not escaping in sticking to their wishes. Crito asserts that Socrates would be acting unjustly by remaining in prison. According to Crito, denying to run away, Socrates treats himself as his opponents want to treat him, and that is offending himself.
Whether Socrates could have Accepted to Escape or not
Socrates’s case on whether he should escape from prison or not is a puzzling instance that most individuals attempt to solve. Crito believes that it would be right for Socrates to escape since he has been confined unfairly. Conversely, Socrates does not come to an agreement with him whereby he argues that one is obliged to give in to the punishment enacted on him even though he might be an unfairly one (Wood, 2019). In my opinion, it was right for Socrates not to escape from prison even though he was sentenced unfairly. Despite the pros and cons given by Crito, Socrates was right. It is significant to recognize that our thoughts are our principle and universe and sharper of our soul and if it breaks by ourselves, it is similar was as we murder ourselves. Socrates had his own beliefs and principles that he had to act on them. Escaping from prison would disconnect him from his self. In this instance, the laws are ordering him to die; he is obliged to obey the order and die. I admire his courage, integrity, and commitment to reason in acting on his principles.
Crito’s cons of Socrates not escaping was that he was innocent, and injustice was being committed to him. Crito went to an extent to bribe the guards for Socrates to escape. Socrates uses the Socratic Method and moral reasoning for not escaping. According to him, by escaping, he would be violating his moral principles. Socrates was just right for not escaping because according to the Socratic Method, which is deontologist, it was not right to escape (Melchert, 2007). The procedural justice justifies this action that it was a correct and ethical decision. Socrates makes a paternalistic statement that because the laws allowed his mother to marry his father, consequently laws are as significant as his parents, and he respects it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that Socrates was right for not escaping. Being a spiritual leader, his belief was one of the major factors that impacted him not to escape. He did not fear death. The rightness of his beliefs and principles was more important than being free. The sentence said by him admires, “there is hope in death and that I will enter into it with no fear.” In answer to the question of whether he was right or wrong for not escaping, Socrates was right for not escaping.
Reference
Wood, P. (2019). Books, Articles, and Items of Academic Interest. Academic Questions, 32(3), 446-460.
Melchert, N. (2007). The great conversation: A historical introduction to philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press.
