Ethics In Plato's Crito

In Plato 's "Crito", the greek philosopher, Socrates is sentenced to death by leaders who accuse him of corrupting the youth with teachings of false gods, even though these claims stem from unsubstantiated rumors. His friend, Crito, urges Socrates to escape his punishment offering plenty of methods and just reasonings for him to, but Socrates refuses because he believes it goes against his principles because he values the authority of the State; Even though he does not agree with his charges, he is willing to accept his fate. In Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone 's brother, Polyneices takes his last breath in war, but King Kreon commissions a law that prohibits his burial. For the sake of serving her moral duty, Antigone defies the law and …show more content…
That system is a government which is the foundation for a country; it promotes a population into a society, it builds a structure that monitors how one is supposed to live within its borders and what rights or entitlements one should have, and it creates a contract between itself and its citizens. When replying to Crito about why he, Socrates, had no ground to oppose the city of Athen 's rulership because of his covenant with them as one if its residents, he further reasons, "who would care for a city without laws" (272)? Socrates realizes the importance of laws in a country knowing that it is the bedrock of a nation and provides order and welfare for a society. He acknowledges that when people agree to become citizens of an area, they are also under legal agreement to submit to their leadership. I agree with Socrates that a nation would not exist without a structure for governing. If one is to reside within a region, one should also comply with its rules, or I believe they should leave and find another place to live that better fits their ideal form of government. However, it is not sufficient enough to abide in a nation with a governing structure, there needs to be a properly administered government with well-suited leaders to fit its …show more content…
They are usually characterized as ones who do not rule for the benefit of the people but rather for their own agendas. As evident among the political sphere, many politicians spend more time creating appearances of caring for the people than actually showing that they do. In the "Apology", Socrates points out to the Athenian court that the same leader, Meletus, who accuses him of corrupting the youth, could care less about improving the youth. Meletus is quick to judge on a matter he, himself is not concerned with. Rather than supplying evidence of why he is qualified to speak on behalf of the education of the youth, Meletus blames Socrates for improperly informing the children with his teachings. Like most politicians, they claim to be concerned with certain groups of people but I discern that a very small percentage of them genuinely display their support of them through their time, money, or influence. They are quick to talk and slow to