Transcript Philosophy 219

Philosophy 219
Plato: “Apology” and “Crito”
Plato (428-347 BC)
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From an old aristocratic family in Athens. Father:
Ariston; brothers: Glaucon and Adiemantus. All of
these individuals appear in Plato’s dialogues.
As a young man, Plato was greatly interested in
philosophy and politics. He was a friend and
companion of Socrates. After the death of Socrates,
he fled Athens.
Upon returning to Athens around 385 BCE, he
founded his school, the Academy, which many
people call the first university. It lasted until 529
ACE. He taught at the academy, with a few
interruptions, until his death.
Plato’s Work
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Plato’s philosophical project is available to
us primarily through a series of dialogues.
The dialogues pose us a particular problem
of interpretation. They are very tightly
constructed dramatic presentations of
various philosophical issues. Though the
philosophical content is at the heart of
these dialogues, it is not a simple matter to
separate the dramatic elements from the
philosophical. Actually, we might not even
want to, as Plato himself seems to suggest
that the dramatic form is important to the
content.
Socrates (470-399 BC)
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Came from a middle class
background. Usually described as a
robust, though unattractive man.
Born at the time of the peak of
Athenian power and was an adult at
the time of the Peloponnesian war, in
which he served with distinction.
Socrates’ Work
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He left no writings and it is therefore difficult to
discern his actual philosophical positions.
There are a few characteristics of what Socrates
was all about upon which there is general
agreement.
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Socrates was primarily concerned with ethical matters.
Socrates searched for universal definitions— “What is X?”
Socrates’ method was the elenchus. A thesis is extracted from
an interlocutor, further beliefs are elicited, these beliefs are
shown to be inconsistent with the original thesis.
Socrates’ used irony (the use of a word to express
something other than the literal meaning )as a
rhetorical strategy. Irony provided the
opportunities for: humor, mockery and posing
riddles (and perhaps suggesting conclusions).
The Trial of Socrates
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In 399 BCE. Socrates was brought to trial on the
indictment of a young man, Meletus. This was likely
done at the urging of two other men, Anytus, a
politician that was a favorite target of Socrates’
irony, and Lycon, a sophist.
The indictment reads:
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Meletus, son of Miletus, of the deme of Pithus, indicts
Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, of the deme of
Alopiccae, on his oath, to the following effect. Socrates
is guilty of not worshipping the gods of the state, but
of introducing new and unfamiliar religious practices
and, further, of corrupting the young. The prosecutor
demands the death penalty.
Socrates was eventually found guilty by a small
margin. He was sentenced to death by a wider
margin.
Plato’s Apology (outline)
I-Defense
(17a-35e)
1. Prologue
a)Preface
b)Setting forth the accusations
2. Who is Socrates?
a)The refutation of the old accusations
b)Human Wisdom
c)Prodding of the god
3. Meletus in the elenchus
4. Socrates and the Polis
a)the philosopher and death
b)the gadfly
c)the philosopher and politics
d)the philosopher and the youth
e)victory at any cost?
II-The Plea
III-The Exhortation
(17a-19a)
(17a-18a)
(18a-19a)
(19b-24b)
(19b-20c)
(20c-20e)
(20e-24b)
(24b-28b)
(28b-35e)
(28b-30b)
(30b-31c)
(31c-33b)
(33b-34b)
(34b-35e)
(35e-38c)
(38c-42a)
Plato’s Crito
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The Crito is set in the days following Socrates’
trial. Usually he would have been executed quite
quickly, but his sentence happened to coincide
with an important religious holiday, so there was
a long delay, during which time Socrates was
frequently visited by friends.
The dialogue represents one such visit, by Crito,
a lifelong friend of Socrates, though not a
philosopher.
Crito in Outline
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Socrates awakes in the early morning and sees
his longtime friend Crito sitting by his bed.
S's impending execution
The Laws as persons (pp50a ff):
S gives reasons why he should not escape:
a)
b)
first, you must persuade or obey your country for the
same and stronger reasons as you persuade or
obey your parents:
Lastly, the consequences are dire;
Escape, Socrates!
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Crito urges him to escape; he gives various
reasons (44c - 46b).
S answers him:
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He warns 1st against eagerness to help as a substitute for
thinking reasonably (46b), and states his guiding principle
of following reason (46b-c);
He and Crito decide that harms can be to the body or to the
'soul', and compare them as to how harmful they are; they
decide what the 'good life' is - what brings happiness, or
fulfillment, and who can bring such good life about for each
of us;
S and C agree that being just and being 'good' (fulfilled) are
the same, and use this to find out if it is just for S to escape
death at the hands of the Athenians.
The Laws As Persons
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Crito confesses he doesn't understand,and so
to teach him, Socrates gives his great analogy
- the Laws as persons (pp50a ff):
1)
2)
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To go against the laws is to attempt to destroy them
(50d); and they have given you everything, so the
attempt is even more serious.
So "you must either [i.] persuade it [your country] [ii.]
or do whatever it commands. . .” (28).
It is “sinful [impious would be a better translation] to
use violence against . . . your fatherland” (51b-c).
I Can’t Escape
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You must persuade or obey your country for the same and
stronger reasons as you persuade or obey your parents:
1.
2.
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As a child they gave us 'succor' - food, shelter, all your
knowledge, as an adult, we've used their services voluntarily;
Further, it would be breaking a voluntary 'agreement' with the
City/laws, and it's unreasonable to do this now that its judgments
are going against me.
Lastly, the consequences are dire;
1.
Referring to the discussion about bodily v spiritual harms, for in
gaining bodily comforts of exile and no death S will harm others
and himself:
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others b/c they will be in danger or exile etc also;
b)
S b/c you will be seen as unjust for you are unjust in obeying
the laws just when it goes your way.
Is it the Same Politics?
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Do we get the same account of the
relation between the individual and the
polis in the Crito that we got in the
Apology?
What are the similarities?
What are the differences?