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Why Shouldn T Socrates Have To Escape

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In Crito Socrates in locked up in jail awaiting his death after being convicted and tried. While he is in jail a friend, Crito, visits him worried about Socrates and his impending doom. He wants to help Socrates escape. Crito at first want to help Socrates for his image. He fears the majority and what they can say about him favoring money over friends. Crito then continues to say that Socrates should not fear the implications his escape can have on his friends. Then he goes on exclaiming that letting himself die for nothing is unjust, Socrates would be betraying his sons and what he is doing by staying is not only evil but also shameful. Socrates does not believe so. Socrates exclaims that “whether we should act in this way or not, as not …show more content…

Socrates believes that they should first ponder his beliefs and principles and if and when they come up with a decision, then that decision must be accepted in all cases. For Socrates it is never justified to break the law, no matter …show more content…

51). Socrates states that in his escape he would have to commit injustices, whether it be by bribing the prison guard, or by implicating his friends in his actions. Therefore if Socrates would have to commit any injustice to escape, he believes he is better off staying put. Committing acts of injustice would corrupt his life. “…one must never in any way do wrong willingly, or one do wrong one way and not in another? Is to do wrong never good or admirable… (pg. 52). Socrates first establishes that doing any wrong must always be wrong, meaning that whatever the circumstance, a wrong must always be wrong. "...neither to do wrong nor to return a wrong is ever correct, nor is doing harm in return for harm done” (pg. 52). There are never a way when a wrong can be accepted as a right because of circumstances, but is instead a moral absolute. For example, stealing is wrong even if you are stealing as to not go hungry. It is never right or justified to harm because you have been harmed. Therefore Socrates escape is not justified because he was wronged by the

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