In the Crito, Socrates is in prison awaiting execution for impiety and corrupting the youth. His impiety was judged to be a matter of questioning and possibly disbelieving the traditional gods, and his corrupting the youth was a matter of his teaching them to do the same. (See Apology.) Crito arrives at the prison, having […]
Socrates’ two bad arguments for not escaping Read More »
At the beginning of Crito, Socrates is in prison awaiting execution, having been found guilty of impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. His good friend Crito arrives, having worked out an escape opportunity for Socrates. Crito rushes through a few reasons why Socrates should escape immediately. Socrates then suggests that the issue is more
In class: Reason, according to Socrates Read More »
Who are the great philosophers, and what makes them great? Episodes: The full playlist. Stephen R. C. Hicks, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy at Rockford University, USA, and has had visiting positions at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., the University of Kasimir the Great in Poland, Oxford University’s Harris Manchester College in England, and Jagiellonian
“Crito” | Plato | *Philosophers, Explained by Stephen Hicks Read More »
In my Introduction to Philosophy course, we discuss Plato’s Crito. Here is a diagram of one line of argument: Here is an Excel version, should one want to add to or revise it for oneself. Related: Socrates’ Two Bad Arguments for Not Escaping. [The feature image is Jacques-Louis David’s portrayal of the death scene from
Crito versus Socrates — argument diagram Read More »
[In my Introduction to Philosophy course this week, we are discussing Plato’s Crito, so I am reposting this item. The feature image is Jacques-Louis David’s portrayal of the death scene from Phaedo.] Socrates’ two bad arguments for not escaping In the Crito, Socrates is in prison awaiting execution for impiety and corrupting the youth. His
Socrates: Should he have escaped prison? Read More »
[This week in my Introduction to Philosophy course, we are reading Crito and discussing whether Socrates should escape or accept his death sentence. Here is a revisiting of an earlier post.] Socrates’ two bad arguments for not escaping In the Crito, Socrates is in prison awaiting execution for impiety and corrupting the youth. His impiety
Socrates in jail — escape or not? Read More »
In this third Socratic seminar on the Best Arguments against Free-market Capitalism, we take up three arguments: a) the paternalist argument that human beings are incapable of living freely, b) the collectivist argument that wealth is a social creation (at 11 minutes), and c) the religious argument that value is not of this world (at
Three more anti-free-market arguments (UFM seminar) Read More »
Elizabeth Warren’s recent remarks offer a striking glimpse into one prominent strain of American political thought.
Elizabeth Warren and the doulos Read More »