... believed that by appealing to the verdict or by running away he would be wronging the city [50A]. He should have instead fought against the unjust verdict, and prove to the city that it was not right to sentence someone to death for philosophizing. He didn't want to appeal or runaway ... that he was right. It has been proven in the United States that one can fight against an unjust ruling or an unjust law; like the Black Civil Rights Movement, and Women's Rights. By allowing the unjust ruling to go through, Socrates allowed the city to be able to wrong another person when the situation ...

• Word Count: 1281
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... Decision in U.S. history, it stated unjustly that African American slaves were considered property of their white owners. While today we know this to be unjust, but according to premise two, because of its validity as an approved law, the Dread Scott Decision would tell people how to act justly, and how to maintain peace and order within the city. This is just ... in the second argument that is similar to the second premise is the eighth premise that states that breaking the law is choosing to do evil over bad. Again using the Dread Scott Decision as an example, were the African America...

• Word Count: 1557
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... David Thoreau would completely agree with Socrates" above quotation. Thoreau argues that government should be based on conscience and that citizens should cease associating with an unjust government. Thoreau writes: "How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be ... be men first, and subjects afterward." According to Thoreau, if people followed their conscience instead of the law, they would do the just thing. If people obeyed all laws, they would tend to do unjust things. In Thoreau's mind, the American people would ...

• Word Count: 1577
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... decisions. The question is, on what standard do we base our decisions? Nearly every society will have two different internal law codes, that of what is "just" and what is "unjust." We often solve a moral dilemma by considering the consequences, pondering either the demands of those in authority or our ... of these two factor dominate one another, the preferred factor is given a force that leads individuals to either take part in or to resist an unjust action. Authority is more than just a powerful source that gives out order; it consists of creating pressure and a reward-punishment system...

• Word Count: 1755
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... to escape from prison. So in the first incident, Socrates argues that the will of the people can be disobeyed when unjust, however in the second incident, he argues that the law should not be broken at any cost. Plato uses these scenarios to argue that Socrates is inconsistent in this matter. Upon ... and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy (Plato p15). By saying this, Socrates claims that he will break the law in order to continue his virtuous ways. In the Crito, Socrates appears to completely contradict his prior argument from the Apology. Socrat...

• Word Count: 1565
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... despite Socrates" previous insistence of his innocence. He reasons so by asserting the existence of a social agreement, and that a violation of Athenian law would signify his reneging on the implicit compact between himself and the state. Thus damaging the laws, as well as Socrates' own future prospects, ... his innocence, as related by Plato, in The Apology. Why, we ask, might Socrates seem eager to accept his unjust punishment, accorded by unjust men, in this the most unjust of situations? Certainly, we believe this great philosopher Socrates, whose passion for justice seems equaled on...

• Word Count: 2254
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... Theban Plays, Oedipus suffers greatly after finding out the truth. In The Last Days of Socrates, Socrates himself suffers when he is forced to choose between the law and what he thinks is right. He also causes a great number of other people to suffer as he questions them about their beliefs. Unlike most themes, suffering ... truth. In Sophocles" Antigone, she has to suffer with this same question - how is she to deal with the truth. She knew that it was against the law to bury her brother, but she did it anyway. To her, there was a duty to bury the dead, which happened to be her family. ...

• Word Count: 1974
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... argument, The Apology and The Crito. Issues that I will base my argument on are the important questions of Truth, Justice, Death and State Law. In The Apology, Socrates sets about on a course to instil his moral mission. He seems much less concerned with the offering of an impressive ... unjust or just. He proclaims in "no circumstance must one do wrong one must not even do wrong when one is wronged". (48c) Another idealistic stance when viewed through the harsh realities if our times. If everyone adopted this particular Socratic line, society would doubtless have little to worry it. For...

• Word Count: 1394
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... power. It is important that we examine the Sophistic movement, a time when the ability to publicly give persuasive speeches to a large audience, be it in law courts or in the assembly, was the golden road to success in public life, which was considered the greatest achievable form of success possible in life. Regular ... rhetoric can be used and abused" (Wedgwood 4). This is why Gorgias promises that he will teach his students about what is just and unjust. However, the only problem with this is the fact that not all would agree with Gorgias's standard of morality, which could be conside...

• Word Count: 2063
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... suggests that Achilles lost his reasoning in the moment and was too rash in his decision-making. In the play, Antigone, Creon strikes back against Antigone after she breaks a law. Antigone followed natural law and buried her brother, Polynices" body. Creon had decreed it forbidden for anyone to bury Polynices" body; the punishment for this would be death. When Creon found out ... that it was Antigone who buried the body he sentenced her to death, as he had previously decreed. From Creon's actions we can tell that he believes in human law above all other kinds of laws; if you disobey the...

• Word Count: 1280
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... speech which is to address those who have bravely fallen in combat. In his speech Pericles states that democracy in stills equality by stating that "everyone is equal before law" and it is expected of them to "service the state" (Warner, 37, 145). Pericles tries to establish a sense of belonging and fairness at the cost of the ... way. He elaborates the path Athenian citizens must take to be "virtuous". By establishing guidelines on how one should be: to serve the state, be equal before the law, develop merit, and to be tolerant towards others. As toleration exists, it does not address ...

• Word Count: 1340
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School