Do you think that Socrates....?

Question

Do you think that Socrates made the right decision to stay in Athens and obey the law? This meant that he would be sentenced to death for not giving up Philosophy.
But why stay?
Do you think he was right?
Could he of moved elsewhere and continued to pratice?.... but he didn't want to.
He could've obeyed the law and stayed alive... but that was hipocritical.
What do you think he should've done different?
Or do you agree with his choice?

Answer 1

You missed the point. Socrates (at least what I've studied of him as I never knew him personally; didn't he live if Philly?) spent his life trying to get people to think, not really trying to teach anything beyond that. Let's face it, he was an old man who hung around children; he would be called a pervert in this day and age! Why should he move? Where would he go? You must realize that this was not the day and age of welfare and social security. I'm certain that a huge amount is made out of him dying for his beliefs but I think that he really had no choice.

Answer 2

Either choice for his survival would mean disavowing his morality and give false credence to his enemies against, that they could say his was not real and his words had no meaning, that he no real belief in what he was doing. Either he lived as a dead man to himself and to the world a charlatan, or he could die as a true friend. I think he was at stage seven of his life: Stage Eight Maturity: 65 years until death, integrity vs. despair, acceptance of one's life.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 3

Knowing the outcome, he was experiencing thanatos. He wanted to die. If you know and believe that death is the outcome of your choices and you do nothing to change it, then death is what you were seeking.

Living or dying was his choice. I have no judgment on what he wanted.