ht orwrong.Socrates notes that some opinion is right and some is wrong, it is betterto respect the opinion of the expert few than that of the popular majority. My dearCrito, why should we pay so much attention to what most people think? The mostsensible people. who have more claim to be considered, will believe that things havebeen done exactly as they have. 44c The opinion of the many cannot do the greatestharm to an individual ( make him unjust ) and so it follows they cannot do the greatestgood either ( make him just). Life would not be worth living with an unhealthy body,it would be even worse with an unhealthy (unjust) soul. Life in itself is not of greatvalue, but living a good life is. To Socrates a good life is one lived in just and moralmanner. I should like you to consider whether we still agree on this point: that thereally important thing is not to live, but to live well. ...to live well amounts to the samething as to live honorably and justly 48b To Socrates justice dictates the health of thesoul and so he would follow the orders of justice in the manner as which he wouldfollow a doctors orders for his physical health. What is important is whether it is justor unjust to escape while enlisting the help of others in doing this. shall we be actingjustly in paying money and showing gratitude to these people who are going to rescueme, and in escaping or arranging the escape ourselves, or shall we really be actingunjustly in doing all this? If it becomes clear that such conduct is unjust, I cannot helpthinking that the question whether we are sure to die, or to suffer any other ill-effectfor that matter, if we stand our ground and take no action, ought not to weigh with usat all in comparison with the risk of acting unjustly. 48d Socrates seeks to establish whether an act like this one would bejust and morally justified. To intentionally commit a wrong act would to be damagingto the souls of all involved. ...
