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The Socratic position of accepting judicial punishment doesn't make sense if you have anything you want to do with your life other than making a political point
by harshreality 12y ago
The Socratic position of accepting judicial punishment doesn't make sense if you have anything you want to do with your life other than making a political point. If you think making that point, with its immense opportunity cost, is the most important remaining thing you can do, fine, but you can't assume everyone is at that place in their lives.
I don't think someone should be expected to sacrifice everything on principle in order to be justified in refusing to comply with an unjust law.
- Crito 12y ago> "The Socratic position of accepting judicial punishment doesn't make sense if you have anything you want to do with your life other than making a political point." More than that, it also doesn't hold water if you consider the possibility that sacrificing yourself isn't the best way to further your political goals. Even if your cause is more important than everything else in your life combined, you should not allow yourself to be neutralized (jailed, or made to commit suicide) if it does not further your goal to a greater extent than anything else you could do. "Live to fight another day" is in full effect in nearly all situations.
- Igglyboo 12y agoSometimes being a martyr can further your cause more than you could do alive.
- proveanegative 12y agoGreat point. What I find interesting is that in the case of Socrates one may convincingly argue that the trade was, in fact, positive.