Socrates states that after establishing his own implicit contract with the government he believes in the validity of the decision made by the courts. He states that his decision is justified by the fact that the laws and governing agents of the society must command a certain degree of respect. .
Socrates believes that any person who would disobey these laws creates a deliberate attempt to weaken the laws, as well as the society that imposed them. If the decisions of the city's governing agents are not thoroughly respected as just and cohesive aspects of society, the very structure on which the society stands is subject to collapse. If a person is found to be in violation of what his or her society stands for and either avoids or refuses to accept the consequences for his action, the system of law originally put in place to create order is unable to perform its function. However, if Socrates' theory is correct and every citizen must be in accordance with the law despite what their political position or personal beliefs may be, people would surrender their free will, independence, and individuality while possibly harmful decisions by the government are allowed to have a negative effect on more and more people.
Since Socrates' era, many acts of civil disobedience have occurred and, many people say, propelled society forwards in its development of the definition of justice. But as justice becomes more defined, society must also seek the definition of civil disobedience as opposed to criminal acts. For example, the Declaration of Conscience of 1950 broke the draft law by encouraging others to refuse to serve for the Vietnam War. Those who signed the Declaration (a group led by Senators Margaret Chase Smith and Joseph McCarthy) were aware of their violation of law; it was publicly stated that the signing or distribution of the Declaration of Conscience "might be construed as a violation of the Universal Military Training and Service Act" (Dellinger et al, 841).
Equally, Socrates makes clear why laws should be followed and why disobedience to the law is rarely justified. Finally, he makes clear his views regarding civil disobedience. ... Disobedience can be justified. ... In his dialogue with Euthyphro, we see that he thinks that disobedience can be justified. ... On Socrates" point of view either the disobedience to the law or to the civil disobedience can be justified. ...
Henry David Thoreau's thoughts towards the citizen's role in our country's government are poured into his 1849 work titled, "Civil Disobedience." ... However, Civil Disobedience had more staying power then Letter From Birmingham Jail. ... Meanwhile, MLK was also alluding to the Bible, and to Socrates too. ... Martin Luther King Jr. once stated that Civil Disobedience was an inspiration for him. ... Therefore, Civil Disobedience is more direct, and plays a stronger role in American literature surrounding justice in our daily lives. ...
The play opens after Oedipus' two sons Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in a civil war for the throne of Thebes. ... Creon believes that Polyneices' body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. ... He believes that government and law is the supreme authority, and civil disobedience is worst form of sin. ... Socrates has been ordered to philosophize by Apollo, his superior in ethical matters. ... He believes that because he has been raised by the state, civil disobedience would impede his path to goodness, which is wha...
However, Socrates first introduced the idea in Plato's dialogue the Crito, sections 50a-54d. ... Crito gives many arguments to persuade Socrates, but each of Crito's arguments is met with counterarguments by Socrates to accept his fate. ... Socrates explains to Crito that laws have nurtured and protected him, thus Socrates owes a debt to the Laws as a person would owe their parents (Crito, 50d). Socrates also says that he must obey the laws because he has agreed to do so. ... The first criticism of Socrates argument is that Athens did not uphold its end of the agreement. ...
Socrates in his old age has been subjected to the Law of Athens. ... Their attitude toward civil disobedience is on a negative note. They would in the most righteous of fashions reject civil disobedience. ... Malcolm X, a man that fought against racism in America, did so by means of violence and civil disobedience. ... Therefore it is quite evident that the Socratic-Platonic view of law would not approve of this disobedience. ...
The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast Thoreau's Civil Disobedience to Plato's The Apology in order to show that it is not possible for justice to exist in the political world, due to the majoritarian rule of politics, and the types of individuals leading it. ... The key term that came up towards the end of Civil Disobedience is: individualism. ... Thoreau in his essay Civil Disobedience also accuses the government of being unjust. ... The major difference between Thoreau's arguments and Socrates" arguments is that Socrates persuades people by talking about his ...
One of the most influential people of the movement for black civil rights in the United States, Martin Luther King, Jr., was arrested during his visit to Birmingham, Alabama. ... King does so by quoting from historical figures such as Socrates, and Thomas Jefferson. King mentions, "Academic freedom is a reality today because Socrates practiced civil disobedience" (161). King's letter implies that Socrates were killed because he practiced civil disobedience, but for him to disobey a rule is the reason for why we have the academic freedom today. ... King's Letter from Birming...
The act of civil disobedience immediately evoked a reaction from eight white clergymen, who, in a statement printed in the local newspaper, called King "an outsider" and deemed his actions in Birmingham "unwise and untimely." ... King says "Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal" to illustrate why he must expose this tension so that we will leave behind racism and prejudice, move toward understanding, and come together as sis...
