Plato - Crito

[LilAznAccommodator]

Dear Readers,

My Teacher wants us to write an essay, Prompt:
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Even though Socrates disagrees with the findings of the court, he willinly subordinates his own values and beliefs to what he believes is the greater good of society. Are his arguments relevant today? Using contemporary comparisons, explain your position.
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And I was wondering if my 3 points(Paragraphs) are valid to use in composing my Final Essay (Due next Wed.)

-Belief (A person can beleive in something and say they would die for it but when the time comes they back down. On the other hand there are those that will die for what they believe in beleiving it is for the greater of mankind (Joining Army/etc. to fight for freedom)

-Majority (A small portion of the population agrees ipon something it is majority that usually wins (Voting).)

-Retaliation (The majority seek for revenge or payback if anything bad is done towards them, but this leads to only badder outcomes)

^Those are the points I want to make, and I stand that the things that Socrates says still are relevant today just to a different degree^

Do they sound okay? Becuase if they do then I can start typing up a Rough Draft and then having maybe someone proofread it for me, thanks.

[DanB]

Majority (A small portion of the population agrees ipon something it is majority that usually wins (Voting).)

Its not if a small portion agrees on it, its if the biggest portion agrees on it. Hence majority & minority.

[MagicNakor]

-Retaliation (The majority seek for revenge or payback if anything bad is done towards them, but this leads to only badder outcomes)

This would be the minority.

[LilAznAccommodator]

@DanB: My point on that is, similiar to how a small portion(Minority) of a population may want something but it is the majority that will always win (And use Voting as the example), Although a minority may want a certain candidate to win, the majority will win in the end.

@MagicNakor: Meh, happent o have another suggestion instead of Retaliation? Or could I rephrase it? Like, The Majority have intentions on returning the evil for another evil but the minority actualyl do something about it...

Thanks for the Input.

[Biggles]

Socrates was given the option of exile or execution. He considered life outside civilisation worse than death and therefore chose to abide by the court decision and drink the hemlock, despite the entreaties of his friends to simply leave.

As I recall, the court would rather he had chosen exile and in staying and accepting execution he did in fact make his point rather well. He upheld the principles of the society he believed in and at the same time shamed those who brought him down, albeit it at the cost of his own life. It would be wrong to view Socrates actions as completely passive or defeatist.

In the case of the court it was a classic case of "beware of what you wish for as you just might get it"

Presumably you have had to read Plato's "Last days of Socrates" in order to complete this essay?

[Agrajag]

@DanB: My point on that is, similiar to how a small portion(Minority) of a population may want something but it is the majority that will always win (And use Voting as the example), Although a minority may want a certain candidate to win, the majority will win in the end.

You're assuming a democratic system there. One person one vote at that.

You're also assuming a referendum for every decision which is made.

[LilAznAccommodator]

@Biggles: Nope only read 'Crito' and that is all I am knowledgable of, so I don't know anything of 'Last Days Of Socrates'

@Agrajag: Hmmm I probably am, but according to my prompt would I be able to use that as a Point that Socrates meaning of how the minority (Wise Ones) don't get their way whereas the majority (dumb ones) do? Or should I completely scratch the Voting example and replace with another point? (If so, what should it be?)

I am really bleh when it comes to these academic things ><

[Biggles]

The Last days comprises of Euthyphro, The Apology, Crito and Phaedo. It provides a more coherent overall picture.

[Agrajag]

@Biggles: Nope only read 'Crito' and that is all I am knowledgable of, so I don't know anything of 'Last Days Of Socrates'

@Agrajag: Hmmm I probably am, but according to my prompt would I be able to use that as a Point that Socrates meaning of how the minority (Wise Ones) don't get their way whereas the majority (dumb ones) do? Or should I completely scratch the Voting example and replace with another point? (If so, what should it be?)

I am really bleh when it comes to these academic things ><

You could juxtapose wisdom and wealth. Suggesting that, whilst it should be the wise who are the decision makers, it is in fact those with power and who has the real power. Not the Governments or Judiciary, but the large corporations.

However I don't know if that fits in with what you are trying to do. It contradicts your point that we Govern by majority. The real decisions are made by the people who control the Worlds assets. If you want to go all controversial mention oil.

Whatever you choose make sure to put in plenty of pics.

[LilAznAccommodator]

Well the prompt mainly just wants us to explain if what Socrates says (In Crito only) still exists and relates to how the world works today... So the Majority plays the part of where Crito is telling Socrates that the majority of the population does the greatest evil to the minority... And then Socrates argues back that if it were true they to can be the ones to cause the greatest good blah blah...