Why Socrates’ Legs Didn’t Run Off to Megara

Phronesis 65 (4):380-413 (2020)
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Abstract

I argue that the arguments presented in Socrates’ dialogue with the personified Laws of the Crito are arguments Socrates endorses and relies upon when deciding to remain in prison. They do not, however, entail blind obedience to every court verdict, nor do they provide necessary and sufficient conditions for resolving every dilemma of civil disobedience. Indeed, lacking definitional knowledge of justice, we should not expect Socrates to be able to offer such conditions. Instead, the Laws present an argument that is sufficient for resolving Socrates’ specific dilemma, showing us how Socrates can deliberate and act despite his lack of knowledge.

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Ellisif Wasmuth
University of Essex

Citations of this work

II—Forms of Agreement in Plato’s Crito.James Warren - 2023 - Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 123 (1):26-50.

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References found in this work

Socrates and the State.Richard Kraut - 1984 - Princeton University Press.
Plato's Moral Theory.Terence Irwin - 1979 - Zeitschrift für Philosophische Forschung 33 (2):311-313.
Conflicting Values in Plato’s Crito.Verity Harte - 1999 - Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie 81 (2):117-147.
Socrates and Obedience.Gary Young - 1974 - Phronesis 19 (1):1-29.

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