PHL105Y Introduction to Philosophy Monday, October 16, 2006

1
PHL105Y Introduction to Philosophy Monday,
October 16, 2006

• For Wednesdays class, read to page 57 of the
  Plato book ( finish the Crito) ALSO re-read
  Apology 32a-e.
• Tutorials continue this Friday. For this week,
  answer one of the following two questions, in
  about 200-250 words (about one typed
  double-spaced page) hand in the hard copy to
  your TA at the beginning of Fridays tutorial.
• In the speech Socrates imagines the laws of
  Athens would give if they could speak, it is said
  that the laws only propose things rather than
  giving savage commands to do what the laws
  order. (52a) What is meant by this contrast
  between proposals and savage commands?
• Speaking from the perspective of the laws,
  Socrates discusses at 53a-e the question of
  whether he should go into exile,. What is the
  problem with going to a well-governed city like
  Thebes? What is the problem with going to a
  lawless place like Thessaly?

2
The Apology
3
The heart of the Apology

• it is the greatest good for a man to discuss
  virtue every day and those other things about
  which you hear me conversing and testing myself
  and others, for the unexamined life is not worth
  living for men (38a)

4
Socrates addresses his adversaries

• To his accusers, Socrates says, you did this in
  the belief that you would avoid giving an account
  of your life, but I maintain that quite the
  opposite will happen to you. There will be more
  people to test you . To escape such tests is
  neither possible nor good, but it is best and
  easiest not to discredit others but to prepare
  oneself to be as good as possible. (39d)

5
Socrates addresses his supporters

• To his supporters, Socrates emphasizes that he
  has no regrets concerning his defense, and adds
• You too must be of good hope as regards death,
  gentlemen of the jury, and keep this one truth in
  mind, that a good man cannot be harmed either in
  life or in death . (41cd)
• Why are the good impervious to harm?

6

• Thinking only about what Socrates says about
  morality and duty in the Apology, what attitude
  would you expect him to have towards the morality
  of obeying the law?
• Would you expect him to argue that morality
  demands that the law must always be obeyed? Or
  that some laws must be obeyed and others
  ignored? Or that lawbreaking is sometimes
  morally right?

7
The Crito
8
The setting

• Socrates has been in prison awaiting execution
  for almost a month although Athenian death
  sentences were ordinarily carried out swiftly,
  the ritual ship to Delos sailed the day before
  Socrates trial, and no executions can take place
  until it returns.
• The boat has been spotted off a nearby point of
  land and is expected back in port shortly.
• The sun is not yet up Socrates friend Crito has
  apparently bribed the jailor to allow an early
  visit.

9
What reasons does Crito give for Socrates to
escape?
10
What reasons does Crito give for Socrates to
escape?

• Crito will lose a friend.
• Critos reputation will suffer hell be thought
  cheap.
• The necessary bribes arent even all that
  expensive.
• If Socrates is worried about the cost to his
  friends, strangers are willing to pay.
• Socrates can stay with Critos friends in
  Thessaly.
• By dying, Socrates will comply with the wishes of
  his enemies.
• Socrates should take care of his sons.
• The reputation of all of Socrates friends will
  suffer they will be thought cowardly and
  unmanly.

11
Socrates response

• My dear Crito, your eagerness is worth much if it
  should have some right aim if not, then the
  greater your keenness the more difficult it is to
  deal with. We must therefore examine whether we
  should act in this way or not (46b)
• Socrates then wonders whether the principles and
  arguments that formerly seemed right to him will
  continue to do so in his present situation.

12
On reputation

• Socrates asks whether we should value all the
  opinions of men, or only some
• Crito agrees that we should value the good
  opinions and not the bad ones

13
On reputation

• Socrates asks whether we should value all the
  opinions of men, or only some
• Crito agrees that we should value the good
  opinions and not the bad ones
• The good opinions are those of the wise

14
On reputation

• Socrates explores an analogy with physical
  training just as an athlete must listen to his
  coach, and not to the mob, for the greatest
  benefit of his body, so the person concerned with
  his soul should not listen to the many, but
  only to the moral expert

15
On reputation

• Socrates explores an analogy with physical
  training just as an athlete must listen to his
  coach, and not to the mob, for the greatest
  benefit of his body, so the person concerned with
  his soul should not listen to the many, but
  only to the moral expert (if there is one) 47cd

16
How the opinion of the manymight count

• But, someone might say, the many are able to
  put us to death. (48a)

17
How the opinion of the manymight count

• But, someone might say, the many are able to
  put us to death. (48a)
• How much would this consideration matter to
  Socrates?

18

• the most important thing is not life, but the
  good life. (48b)

19
The challenge

• Socrates now restricts himself to the question of
  whether escaping would be the right thing to do
  (setting aside questions of reputation, or how
  this choice might appear to others).

20
The starting point

• Socrates and Crito agree that wrongdoing is never
  morally permitted, even when one has been wronged
  (and they claim to differ from the majority on
  this point).
• The question now becomes if Socrates escapes,
  will he be engaged in wrongdoing (even against
  those who have wronged him)?

21
Agreements and wrongdoing

• Socrates If one has come to an agreement that
  is just with someone, should one fulfill it or
  cheat on it? (49e)

22
Agreements and wrongdoing

• Socrates If one has come to an agreement that
  is just with someone, should one fulfill it or
  cheat on it? (49e)
• Is obedience to the laws a kind of agreement?
• In the present case, is it a just agreement?

23
What the laws and the state would say

• Socrates imagines the laws and the state
  confronting him about any plans to escape. He
  suggests that the laws would complain that by
  escaping he would intend to destroy us, the
  laws, and indeed the whole city, as far as you
  are concerned (50ab)

24
A way out?

• Socrates asks Crito whether it would be
  appropriate to respond by pointing out that
  Socrates has been wronged by the city, that the
  decision of the jury was a mistake.

25
A way out?

• Socrates asks Crito whether it would be
  appropriate to respond by pointing out that
  Socrates has been wronged by the city, that the
  decision of the jury was a mistake.
• Why wont this work as a way to justify breaking
  the law by escaping?

26
Socrates relationship with the state

• Speaking from the perspective of the laws and the
  state, Socrates describes his relationship with
  them.
• Socrates was born into a marriage sanctioned by
  the state, and raised and educated under the
  protection of laws concerning education and the
  welfare of children, laws he does not criticize.

27
Socrates relationship with the state

• Given their part in his upbringing, the laws deny
  that Socrates is on an equal footing with them,
  and free to reject their dictates (just as a
  child is not on an equal footing with a parent,
  or a servant with a master).
• There is no right to retaliation against the
  laws the laws and state deserve respect .

28
Persuade or obey

• Given that the state is to be respected, you
  must either persuade it or obey its orders (51b)
• Why the choice there?

29
Challenging a law

• Athens is governed by a democratic Assembly (the
  quorum 6000 citizens)
• The Council of 500 sets the agenda for the
  Assembly, but doesnt have legislative power
  (council positions are divided among the 10
  tribes, and assigned by lottery)
• If you think a new law is unconstitutional, you
  can bring a graphe paranomon against the person
  proposing it.

30
Breaking the law

• From the perspective of the laws and state,
  Socrates claims that it is impious to commit
  violence against the state.
• Crito agrees.

31
Remaining and agreeing

• Socrates describes the laws as reminding him that
  the laws leave every Athenian citizen free to
  depart there are no barriers to taking ones
  property and leaving.
• Those who choose to remain, and see how the laws
  work, then agree to be bound by these laws.

32
Agreement and the laws

• The laws admit they can make mistakes (and if
  they do wrong, the citizen can try to persuade
  the laws to do better).
• The laws say, we only propose things, we do not
  issue savage commands to do whatever we order we
  give two alternatives, either to persuade us or
  to do what we say. (52a)

33
Socrates in particular

• Socrates emphasizes that he has never chosen to
  leave Athens (outside of military service) he
  has had children in Athens and been one of the
  most consistent residents of the city.
• Why does this matter?