Plato info essays

Plato info essays 5. Plato says Socrates chose death over escape because of man's relationship with the state. Describe that relationship. What political theory of the Enlightenment did Plato anticipate? Plato believed that Socrates chose death over escape because of the fact that man enters into a social contract with the society that he enters. In exchange for security, and protection of rights, man must abide by the rules set forth by this society. Socrates, like all citizens had entered into this contract with the city-state of Athens, and as such, had to follow the laws set for him. It is my belief that mans relationship with the state is such of a cog in the machine, much as it is today. When a person oversteps their place in a tightly regimented society such as Athens, there must be reprecussions due to the shift in paradigm that said society will experience. Over time, society allowed for limited fringe groups much like the ones that exist in the America of today, but most of our society adheres to the position they are granted as a cog in the machine. Socrates consciously made his decision regarding his role in Athenian society, thus allowing for his right to self-determination, which was an abomination in the face of the tightly structured society that was Athens of 2400 years ago. By violating the laws of Athens, Socrates consciously violated the Social Contract which he was held accountable to. In addition, Socrates knew that all men must be held accountable to the same laws, else anarchy would reign. By realizing this, Socrates knew that he must die for the state, and that was his most noble action. It is evident that Plato forsaw the philosophy of the Social Contract that would dominate the Enlightenment through persons such as: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Locke,and Thomas Hobbes. By forseeing this, Plato inevitably came to the conclusion that Socrates died in order to preserve the fragile state tha ...