1.5: The Ideal Citizen and the Ideal State
Read Crito, which is an account of Socrates' explanation for accepting the death sentence for his alleged crimes rather than confessing and taking a lesser sentence. He tells his friend Crito that, although he has been falsely convicted, he would rather accept the punishment because it will uphold the rule of law in Athens. He prefers to die rather than live outside of the law or in a fashion that would undermine the law. The form of Plato's account - a series of dialogues among friends - is important to Plato's thought.
1.5.1: Crito's Appeal for Socrates to Confess to False Crimes
Watch this lecture. As you watch, think about Crito's appeal to Socrates. Crito represents a Homeric, traditional type of citizen of his age. His appeal is a logical one viewed through the lens of the self, but Socrates is not swayed. He rejects the notion that a citizen must live out a public existence with displays of patriotism, nobility, and devotion to the state. Note that these actions are not the same as compliance with the law of the land.
In the last third of the lecture, notice how Smith makes the case that the juxtaposition of Socrates' exposed views in Crito and The Republic cannot be reconciled. Smith believes that Plato purposefully exposed his readers to Socrates' conflicting philosophies in an attempt to demonstrate that society must choose either one of the Socratic models, or neither - but not both. Pause as needed to take notes.
1.5.2: The Antagonism between Personal and Public Virtue
Read this article.
When Crito, Socrates' old friend, visits him in prison, Socrates has made peace with his imminent execution, while Crito has made arrangements to put Socrates safely in exile. Crito presents as many arguments as he can to persuade Socrates to escape. Answer these questions about their prison dialogue.