The Consequences of Socrates' Conducts on Crito - Case Study Example

Socrates Argument in Crito’s Reasons for Escape Socrates accepts the condemnation gladly hence attracting criticism from his friend Crito. Crito gave Socrates several reasons why he should not accept the execution in Athens, but Socrates believes it is irresponsible for him to live in exile hence he opted to accept his fate and live in prison (Holbo & Waring, 19). Even though Crito smuggled Socrates from prison and take him into exile Socrates may encounter similar consequences in land of exile. Crito argues that if Socrates refuses to escape the execution by Athens this will impact Crito and other Socrates friends negatively. In the first instance, Crito will lose a good friend in case something terrible happens to Socrates and result to his death in prison (Holbo & Waring, 23). Also, this will imply that Crito valued money more than his friend, and that is why he could not pay a small bribe to save Socrates. It would be hard for anyone to believe that Socrates accepted the execution freely. Crito’s way of thinking was unreasonable because he only viewed the consequences of Socrates conducts on his friends. He assumed that when a friend is in danger it is a must for others to get him or her out of trouble. However, Crito did not assess the consequences of helping Socrates to escape or the reason why Socrates was so willing to go into prison. It is possible that Socrates had committed a crime that he believed justified to go into prison. Also, Crito did not consider the fate that could befall Socrates if he fled the execution and decide to live in exile. He could probably meet his death in exile and cause Crito feel guilty of his friend’s death (Holbo & Waring, 28). This could plunge Crito into the same trouble he was trying to avoid by smuggling Socrates from prison. Crito’s argument that Socrates was behaving unfairly is reasonable because Socrates conducts during the trial were against his principles. Socrates had refused to abandon his teachings because he believed that was against his norms since no one can stop doing what they believe is good (Holbo & Waring, 39). In his teachings, Socrates linked wisdom with goodness and evil with lack of knowledge. For these reasons, Socrates strived to assist people to understand and abandon their ignorance so that they could live better lives. However, during his trial Socrates adamantly failed to defend himself or escape from prison hence risking the fate of his sons as Crito argued (Holbo & Waring, 43). The same ignorance that Socrates thought was making people suffer is what made him accept to go into prison without taking into consideration the future of his children. According to Socrates a person should pay attention to the counsel of prudent who have insight of the situation as they really are. However, Crito’s response to this view was that attitude is a commanding and precarious and the substantiation of this proposition are the execution of the Socrates that affirms that the community has boundless competence to cause any mischief (Holbo & Waring, 52). However, Socrates has a different view that it is disgraceful to think that the community has potential for doing all evils because if this was the matter then it would be wise to say that the same community has unrestrained power for doing good. Socrates believes that the community cannot revolutionize the nature of the human mind, but they are able to accomplish everything by fate. The argument by Crito that Socrates is being wronged when he is taken to prison can be disputed by Socrates’ believe that the community has no absolute power in doing good or evil because all what people are able to achieve happens by fate. Therefore, it is possible that Socrates was executed by chance and not because anyone had wronged him. Crito informs Socrates that he should not decline to escape for fear of indulging his friends into trouble. He clarifies to Socrates that he and Socrates acquaintances are ready to bear any risk and raising the amount of money required as bribe will be an issue since there are many affluent people who can manage to raise money. Even though Socrates friends were able and ready to pay the guards and have Socrates out of prison, Socrates may have refused his friend’s offer for a different reason. For example, Socrates emphasized on the issue of justice in his teachings and he may have considered bribe as immoral (Holbo & Waring, 64). If this was the case then Socrates was right in declining his friends request to pay a bribe so that Socrates could escape to Thessaly. Crito believed that it was unjust for Socrates to accept execution, yet it was so easy for them to rescue him. This is because by remaining in prison Socrates would be treating his friends as though they were his enemies and as if they committed the same evil similar to the one committed by his enemies. Socrates should give his friends an opportunity to assist him in time of trouble in order to separate themselves from his enemies who did him evil. Crito’s argument is valid because Socrates could be acting ignorantly by allowing his enemies to ruin him (Holbo & Waring, 73). He should not let wrongdoers prevail in their evil plans and yet he has a way out. Crito was acting fairly because he had no evil intentions of revenging against their enemies, but only to take Socrates into exile where his enemies could not harm him. The other reason why Crito thinks that Socrates should run away from prison was because his being in jail would isolate Socrates from his children thus denying them an opportunity for better background and education (Holbo & Waring, 95). Without paternal care, Socrates’ children would be brought up in a poor background and be offered inadequate education as if they were orphans. Therefore, it was senseless for a devoted person of Socrates caliber who has always strived for the excellence of his family to abandon his children by accepting to stay in prison. However, since Crito is promising Socrates that there are many people ready and willing to receive and protect Socrates in Thessaly, Crito’s argument that Socrates children will live inferior life is illogical because the people willing to take care of Socrates should also take care of his children (Holbo & Waring, 109). In addition, Socrates does not have a guarantee for quality life in exile and no assurance that his children will have a better upbringing and education when Socrates goes into exile. Therefore, Socrates may accept execution since he is not assured of a better life in exile than in prison. Crito tells Socrates that he should not be afraid of going into exile because many of Crito’s friends in different places such Thessaly would be pleased to offer him protection and keep him. The Socrates reasoning of fairness may have forced him to decline going into exile. He believed that a person should live a better life and probably by going into exile would hinder him from living a better life. For someone living in a foreign land the quality of life is compromised because the inhabitants will look down on the refugee. According to Crito acceptance of execution portrayed negatively on both Socrates and his friends. It may create a notion that they were all cowards and helpless people who could not do anything to get themselves out of predicament (Holbo & Waring, 159). This is because Socrates had never shown any effort to get himself out the predicament all along. He started by attending the court willingly; then defend himself impetuously and fruitlessly and finally he wanted to decline his friend’s assistance to run away from prison and go into exile. Crito requested Socrates to accept his plan to snatch him out of prison immediately at the fall of dusk because further delays would be detrimental to the rescue effort by Socrates friends (Holbo & Waring, 193). Probably Socrates had intentions were to face the reality as it were hence he was unwilling to leave prison. To Socrates escaping is an act of cowardice and against his principles. In conclusion, the Socrates responses to Crito’s reasons why Socrates should escape prison reflects the wisdom because if does what his friends have suggested for him the outcome would depict reverse consequences. Works Cited Holbo, John & Waring, Belle. Reason and Persuasion: Three Dialogues by Plato. Prentice Hall. (2010): 18-211. Read More