te him. They charge him with overturning them, that aState cannot exist if the decisions of law have no power but are set asideby an individual. They talk about an agreement between him and theState to obey the laws, regardless of whether he receives justice or not. Socrates then compares the laws to one’s parents. Just because a parentstrikes a child, the child does not have the right to strike the parent. Further, he argues that the State is to be held higher and holier thanmother or father. One must do what the State commands or change theState’s view of what is just. By remaining in the State, and existing underits laws, one enters into an implied contract to follow these laws for threereasons: (1) in disobeying the laws, one is disobeying one’s parents; (2)the State is the author of one’s education; (3) one has made anarrangement with the State to obey its commands. Socrates could have had an agreement with the jury to fix the sentence atbanishment but he said he preferred death to exile. Socrates tells Critonot to think of life and children first and of justice afterwards. Socratesthen asks Crito if he has any other argument to make. Crito respondsthat he does not. Socrates asks Crito to let him fulfill the will of God, andto follow wherever he leads. ANALYSIS This dialogue reflects Socrates’ teaching on moral obligation and duty. Early in the dialogue, Crito expresses admiration about the fact thatSocrates is at peace about his coming execution. He accepts his fate.When discussing the opinions of others, Socrates uses “argument byanalogy," where he compares two things that are different on the surfacebut, similar in some important areas. Socrates compares athletes whocare about improving their athletic performance with those who careabout the improvement of the soul. Socrates argues that he and Critomust only listen to those who are knowledgeable about the issues at hand,namely just...
