Plato: apology and crito - dissertation example

Plato: Apology and Crito

Pla Apology and Crito In his celebrated work Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo, Plato discusses various pertinent questions relating to philosophical concepts. One of the major statements made by Socrates in Apology is that a ‘ good man is not harmed in life or death’ and he emphasizes the role of ‘ divine sign’ which guides the good man away from wrong action. He also maintains that it is better to suffer injustice than to do it and the worst thing in the world is to do what is unjust. However, these arguments appear to most of the modern readers, just like Socrates’ own audience, highly counter-intuitive, and it remains an important topic of debate in the contemporary world whether Socrates is correct that good man cannot be harmed in life or death. In a profound analysis of the topic, it becomes evident that Socrates is highly truthful in making the remark that good man cannot be harmed in life or death. A profound investigation on the controversy on the statement by Socrates in the Apology confirms that the disagreement is due, mainly, to the inability of the modern readers as well as Socrates’ own audience to understand the real meaning of Socrates’ remark. It is irrational to consider that a good man cannot be harmed physically life or death, and one who takes this peripheral meaning of the statement makes the matters difficult for oneself. However, the statement should be comprehended as referring to the state of one’s soul rather than to the physical state of suffering. It becomes indubitably clear that Socrates had one’s soul in mind when he stated that a ‘ good man is not harmed in life or death’, and it becomes even more evident from his remark that the worst thing in the world is to do what is unjust. “ The only question is whether what you are doing is just or unjust, appropriate for a good person or a bad one.” (Plato, 35) In short, it is important to recognize that Socrates has been concerned with emphasizing the importance of being a good man by doing just and not doing unjust, and he refers to the reward gained by one’s soul when he states that a ‘ good man is not harmed in life or death’. Work Cited Plato. Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. Agora Publications, Inc. 2005. P 35.