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Socrates Arguments In Crito's Apology

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Socrates Arguments In Crito's Apology
After the false accusations in the Apology, Socrates is imprisoned for being wrongly tried and condemned to death, later on he is greeted by Crito his friend who visits in the cell with him. Crito tries to convince him through compelling, but at times selfish arguments. Socrates responds against these arguments with selfless reasons to explain the bigger issue of his own principles. Firstly, Crito argues minor and major points of logic on why it is right to escape, but Socrates does not escape based on his obedience to divine command. Secondly, Socrates reasons that he does himself justice by obeying the law at hand and dying will do him more good than harm because he has lived his whole life according to what is just and good and betraying his sensible reasons would only convict him of not doing what he stood for. In the end, Socrates will not go against the laws that govern the state not for the sake of obeying itself, but he knows …show more content…
Even in prison, awaiting death he never faults to unjust deeds. However, Crito still debates that the opinion of many is not to be disregarded entirely since they can put people to death. Crito, later, argues one should strive to preserve their own life. Socrates disagrees. He refutes that a good life should be held more valuable than anything else and that a good life is equal to one that is honorable. Socrates acknowledges all that Crito has said and responds to him, “your zeal is invaluable, if a right one; but if wrong, the greater the zeal the greater the danger.” Socrates states the only person whose opinion is valued is the one who understand justice. Socrates does not want to act on an emotional front but rather a reasonable and principled one. With all the arguments presented to Socrates, it would seem he should have taken Critos advice and escaped the prison and death, but since Socrates acts with reason, he questions whether it is unjust for Socrates to

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