2006-10-17 14:54:45 · 8 answers · asked by khenzkey_wawa08 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Socrates despised this degraded world of appearances. Death was his get out of jail free card. He wanted to die to reach the Forms. Life wasn't a universal value pre-christianity. Noble suicide was lauded say where the only options in life were suicide or slavery.
2006-10-17 15:57:44 · answer #1 · answered by -.- 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I also wondered why he took hemlock long time ago. I think he'd been accused of treason to the state (as we know) by various accusations form the opponents. When he knew he was guilty and thus to be executed by means of drinking hemlock. My query then: why not the other ways? So drinking hemlock might be a sole way for execution at that time, one of the key reasons is that it might be a way of mercy execution, rather, according to the episode it made Socrates feel numb from his feet, his hands, etc. slowly to his heart and died.
2006-10-17 15:55:55 · answer #2 · answered by Arigato ne 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Socrates took hemlock because he considered it his civic duty. He was given the opportunity to escape by one of his students, and refused. His reason for refusing was that he had CHOSEN to live in the city, and therefore he had willingly accepted all of the laws of said city. This also means he willingly accepted the judicial system of the city, and he would be a bad citizen if he refused their punishment. Even though he did not agree with their reasons, he did not have the right as a citizen to refute them. It's kind of that "Love it or leave it" attitude, only it's "Leave it or accept everything entailed with staying."
But hell, I would have escaped!
2006-10-17 14:59:11 · answer #3 · answered by Esma 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Socrates took the hemlock because he was being tried, in part, for corrupting the youth. He believed that if he fought the republic, and ran from his civic duty then he would truly be guilty of what he was being convicted of. He would then be corrupting the youth by setting a bad example.
He respects the law, and no matter the consequences, he abides by them "I cannot cast aside my former arguments because this misfortune has come to me. They seem to me to be as true as ever they were, and I respect and honor the same ones as I used to." -Crito 45b
Yes, if I were him, no matter who were him, they would have taken it. For if any other person were S, then they would have to hold his ethics as well, and therefore, act upon them accordingly.
2006-10-17 17:57:34 · answer #4 · answered by I *Heart* Plato 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if he didn't it would of proven to himself that he didnt 'believe' in his own theories of what makes him 'moral man' and when your as introverted as socrates,thats all your living for ,the contemplation of self awareness then environment,to improve/find truth in your self and the outside world.
p.s introvert is not someone thats 'shy' i think that shyness is the by - product of the mind bombarding itself with doubts.
An introvert is someone that contemplates everything and anything as a part of the self ,self and more self. and then the outside influence on the self ..self and more of the self ..lol.
2006-10-17 15:45:01 · answer #5 · answered by raven jack. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I was as bound by his philosophy as he was, I would have no choice. Which is the reason he took it.
2006-10-17 14:58:41 · answer #6 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think yes. yes. everybody has to face death one way or the other. what better way to face it that to face it with integrity and die for something you believe in?
2006-10-17 15:46:07 · answer #7 · answered by abstemious_entity 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cuz he was a sissy deep inside.
2006-10-17 15:02:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋