Do We Have a Duty to Follow The Law?

Sophists

paid teachers who taught retoric/debate who socrates criticised for focusing on winning arguments rather than truth

the apology

socrates’ defence speech, speaking truth rather than persuading emotionally

the apology: quest (delphi)

oracle at delphi said “no man is wiser than socrates”

• socrates believes he doesn’t know anything so how could he be the wisest

• only wisdom is knowing he doesn’t know everything

the apology: gadfly

socrates compares himself to a gadfly, provoking the state to think critically and engage in philosophical dialogue, claiming he is a gift from gods to the athens

the apology: sentencing

asked about sentencing, he said he’d never stop philosophising. that his death is a larger harm to society than him (moral integrity protects the soul) and death is nothing

the crito: imprisonment

socrates imprisoned a month before execution, crito (wealthy friend) offers escape

the crito: refusal

socrates refuses: duty to obey the law and accept the punishment.

the crito: appeal of thoughts

appeal: if socrates dies, it harm his friends’ reputations (many may think they didn’t try saving him)
reply: why care about the majority? they don’t understand what’s truly right

the crito: appeal of sons

appeal: socrates would be betraying his son

reply: his sons will be better off as Athenian citizens, cared for by his friends

the crito: socrate’s dream

reference to the iliad, “The third day hence, to Phthia shalt thou go.” (go home)

the crito: an eye for an eye?

We must not do wrong even when we’ve been injured; Doing evil in return for evil is not just.

the crito: speech of the laws

laws are like parents to citizens, you wouldn’t strike your father and socrates has implicitly agreed to the laws by choosing to live in athens. The laws ensure order and justice, and by breaking them, one harms the foundation of society.

MLK letter

alabamy clergymen published a letter (a call for unity) saying that MLK demonstrations were unwise and untimely, and led by outsiders, so MLK replied.

MLK letter: “outsider”

king said he was invited, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

MLK letter: unwise

king argue their statement ignores the conditions that created the demonstrations

MLK letter: untimely

time isn’t automatically on the side of justice, the time is always ripe to do right

MLK letter: direct action instead of negotiation?

Nonviolent direct action creates a crisis/tension that forces negotiation.

MLK letter: four steps of a nonviolent campaign

1. collection of evidence

2. negotitation

3. self-purification

4. direct actioin

MLK letter: why nonviolent?

Means and ends must match: “the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.”

MLK letter: just vs unjust laws

• Just law: squares with the moral law; “sameness made legal.”

• Unjust law: out of harmony with the moral law; “difference made legal.”

MLK letter: civil disobedience

King: we have a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws, but must do so openly and willingly accept the penalty

MLK letter: KING Versus Socrates

king: disobey unjust laws while accepting punishment
socrates: obey the laws, try to change them, or leave — do not violate!