Socrates A Man Facing An Unjust Execution - 2248 Words

A man facing an unjust execution is presented with another option: escape from prison and flee to another providence. Most men would eagerly take this chance to prolong their lives and continue their journey on earth. Most men would do anything to get revenge for the wrong that has been done to them. However, most men are not like Socrates. Socrates did not plead his case by eliciting pity from the jury for an old man and his poor family. He did not beg for a different sentence that would allow him to live. Instead, he let the jury come to its own conclusion while acting with virtue and integrity. He held fast to his principles by remaining in prison to face his execution because that is how a good and just person would behave. Socrates’ decision not to escape in Crito is consistent with his principle that the good and just person never does harm to a large extent because accepting his verdict allows him to reinforce the sanctity of law and to set a prime example for his peers . Although the jury may be harming themselves by executing an innocent man, Socrates is causing less harm by accepting this fate because escaping would cause more damage by tarnishing the voice of the court and demonstrating a lack of integrity. In order to get Crito to understand this, Socrates says: â€Å"we ought not to repay injustice with injustice or to do harm to any man no matter what we may have suffered from him† (Plato 42). Clearly Socrates believes that revenge is not an act of a good or justShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Crito By Plato846 Words   |  4 Pages In â€Å"Crito† by Plato, Socrates faces a difficult dilemma. Socrates has been wrongfully charged of impiety and corrupting the children and is approached with an offer from his close friend Crito who says he will help Socrates escape and give him a nice place to live away from Athens where he can flee from a wrongful execution. Socrates should stay in prison and face his execution in order to prove he is innocent. Socrates wants to do no wrong at all and comes to the conclusion that escaping wouldRead MoreSocrates Vs Niccolo Machiavelli Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates and Niccolo Machiavelli are revered as some of the most influential thinkers of their respective times. Both of these thinkers developed their thoughts while Athens and Florence, their respective cities, faced political unrest. By questioning the people of Athens through their period of turmoil following a shift in government, Socrates was able to formulate opinions regarding how a government should operate and how people should rule. Centuries later during the Renaissance era, Machiavelli’sRead MoreSocrates And Boethius : Two Men That Have Left An Everlasting Footprint Essay1783 Words   |  8 PagesSocrates and Boethius – two men that have left an everlasting footprint in the world of philosophy. They seem to be simi lar in their experiences of injustice, but we learn how very different their outlooks are while they are facing imprisonment and execution. Little did they know, their experiences would forever change how philosophy would be conceived in the years ahead. As we know, Socrates chose to never write or have his ideas published. We learned of his outlook and ideas through the writingRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1976 Words   |  8 Pagesduring times of war and turmoil, both Socrates and Machiavelli use philosophy to evaluate people and politics. After seeing corruption, fragmentation and death, both philosophers developed different views. Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince includes strong stances on morality and religion. Socrates would be likely to agree on the general ideas that Machiavelli believes a Prince should have but he would differ mainly in how they should be executed. I believe that Socrates would agree with Machiavelli thatRead More Plato’s Influence on Western Civilization Essay3085 Words   |  13 Pagesto socialization developed an ideal image of our current day country, long before our country existed. In ancient Greece, a great philosopher named Plato founded one of the most famous schools in all of h istory. Plato was a student of an enlightened man and a teacher of many others. Plato’s contribution to our existing government is given little credit, yet thanks to him we function as one of the most sophisticated societies in the entire history and the world. Plato, whose real name was AristoclesRead MoreBroken Family3761 Words   |  16 PagesSocrates Philosopher Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, Wikipedia â€Å"Personal background† Born: 469 BC, Athens, Greece Died:399 BC, Athens, Greece Full name: Socrates Nationality: Greek Era: Ancient philosophy Region: Western philosophy School: Classical Greek Main interests: Epistemology, ethics Notable idea: SocraticMethod,Read MorePolitical Philosophy and Plato Essay9254 Words   |  38 Pages SOCRATES Socrates 469 BC–399 BC, was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Many would claim that Platos dialogues are the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. Through his portrayalRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesevery morning. Group #3: William Chen, 31-year-old male of Chinese descent, married (Harriet), two young children from his first marriage. Enjoys tennis and is quite good at it. A rising star in the company, he is highly respected by his peers as a â€Å"man of action† and a good friend. Group #4: Leo Jones, 36-year-old white male, married (Janet) with an infant daughter. Recently returned from paternity leave. Has traveled extensively on projects, since he INTRODUCTION 33 speaks three languages