Socrates as Contrarian

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The Crito
Socrates as Contrarian
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(No Transcript)
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Jacques-Louis David The Death of Socrates, 1787

• Scene is not authentic re-creation, but 18th
  century setting and purpose (manipulate crowds in
  pantomime festivals of French Revolutionary
  period)
• Composition echoes last supperis actually
  secular version (12 figures, cup) indicating that
  morality is possible outside of religion
• Socrates, bathed in light, dressed in white,
  receiving cup, is major focus to which eye is
  led. Character at foot of bed, also dressed in
  white, is secondary focus (Plato?)

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Prevailing opinion Self-Preservation is basic
human instinct motivating behavior (Rousseau,
Freud, Maslow)
Socrates "The most important thing is not life,
but the good life" (48b) "And is life worth
living for us with that part of us corrupted that
unjust action harms and just action benefits? Or
do we think that part of us, whatever it is, that
is concerned with justice and injustice, is
inferior to the body?" (47e) "For us, however,
since our argument leads to this, the only valid
consideration, as we were saying just now, is
whether we should be acting rightly in giving
money and gratitude to those who will lead me out
of here, and ourselves helping with the escape,
or whether in truth we shall do wrong in doing
all this. If it appears that we shall be acting
unjustly, then we have no need at all to take
into account whether we shall have to die if we
stay here and keep quiet, or suffer in another
way, rather than do wrong." (47 c,d)
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Prevailing opinion Majoritarian biases
Socrates "My good Crito, why should we care so
much for what the majority think? The most
reasonable people, to whom one should pay more
attention, will believe that things were done as
they were done." (44c) Example of athlete and
trainer (47b) "...should we follow the opinion
of the many and fear it, or that of the one, if
there is one who has knowledge of these things
and before whom we feel fear and shame more than
before all the others." (47 c/d)
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Prevailing opinion Relativism widely accepted
Socrates "We must therefore examine whether we
should act in this way or not, as not only now
but at all times I am the kind of man who listens
only to the argument that on reflection seems
best to me." (46b) Alternative
translations "Then we must examine whether we
ought to do it or not for my way is and always
has been to obey no one and nothing, except the
reasoning which seems to me best when I draw my
conclusions." "You know that this is not a new
idea of mine it has always been my nature never
to accept advice from any of my friends unless
reflection shows that it is the best course that
reason offers." Note The issue here is that
Socrates believes there is such a thing as a
persuasive argument!
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Prevailing opinion It's payback time,
retributive mentality, lex talionis
Socrates "So one must never do wrong. ...Nor
must one, when wronged, inflict wrong in return,
as the majority believe, since one must never do
wrong." (49 b/c). "One should never do wrong in
return, nor injure any man, whatever injury one
has suffered at his hands." (49 c)
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Prevailing opinion Laws as one-dimensionally
restrictive (Rousseau Haiti as place where men
not laws rule tyranny of majority
self-actualization)
Socrates "Do you deny that by this action you
intend to destroy us, the laws, and indeed the
whole city, as far as you are concerned?"
(50b--retranslated slightly) "Or do you think it
possible for a city not to be destroyed if the
verdicts of its courts have no force but are
nullified and set at naught by private
individuals?" (50 b) Laws arrange for marriage,
nurture of babies and education (50e) "We have
given you birth, nurtured you, educated you, we
have given you and all other citizens a share of
all the good things we could." (51d) "It is
clear that the city has been outstandingly more
congenial to you than to other Athenians, and so
have we, the laws, for what city can please
without laws?" (53a) "You will also strengthen
the conviction of the jury that they passed the
right sentence on you, for anyone who destroys
the laws could easily be thought to corrupt the
young and the ignorant. Or will you avoid cities
that are well governed and men who are
civilized?" (53c)
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Discussion Questions
Which of the reasons given by Crito would have
been most convincing to you? Which of the ones
provided by Socrates? By the laws? What are
some of the issues about an individual and
society that are raised by this dialogue? Draw a
horizontal line on a sheet of paper. Mark one
end "no doubt about it--go for it". Mark the
other "under no circumstances". Then fill in the
line with a series of situations in which, at one
end, you would have no difficulty in acting
against rules, and at the other end, situations
in which violation of rules would not be
permissible. The middle area would be filled by
in-between, difficult to decide situations. Some
examples of situations under 21 drinking of
alcohol in the dorms, refusing to serve in the
military, harboring fugitive slaves, lying on a
financial aid form, escaping from prison like
Jean Valjean in Les Miserables or the doctor in
The Fugitive. Would Socrates and Maslow agree on
what makes someone a "self-actualized"
individual? On the relative "prepotency" of
needs? Do you think that Rousseau and Socrates,
if they were charged with writing constitutions,
would construct their societies in similar ways?