Plato's Crito

The Crito is one of Plato's known dialogues. The Crito is set after Plato's Apology. It involves a dialogue between Socrates and Crito. Crito who was wealthy follower of Socrates wanted him to escape from Athens. Because he had been found guilty the Athenian jury and sentenced to death.

Table of contents
1 Crito's Arguments
2 Socrates' replies
3 The Law's argument.

Crito's Arguments

Crito presents five main arguments to Socrates for escaping.

  1. People will think bad of him if he didn't help Socrates.
  2. He says he wants Socrates to go into exile.
  3. Socartes is betraying himself
  4. He is giving into his enemies
  5. He is betraying his children.

Socrates' replies

  1. He says he doesn't care about public opinion, they are not wise.
  2. He says he will follow if Crito could give him a good enough reason.
  3. States that it is not right to say he is betraying himself. Rather, is escape unjust or just.
  4. He is not giving in to enemies, by running away he is showing he fears them.
  5. Escaping would set a bad example for his children.

The Law's argument.

Later, Socrates presents four arguments from the laws of Athens to show Crito that he cannot escape.
  1. We are your parents.
  2. We are your rearers (They gave him an education)
  3. Socrates agreed to obey us (This is an early statement of Social Contract Theory)
  4. Socrates would be a corrupting force wherever he went.
Socrates states that these arguments by the laws are so persuasive that Crito couldn't persuade him to leave.


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