Arts & Humanities Journal|IJAH

Title: THE CONCEPT OF LEGAL OBLIGATION IN PLATO’S CRITO
Authors: Enrique Benjamin R. Fernando III
Volume:5 Issue: 8
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Enrique Benjamin R. Fernando III Faculty, Department of Philosophy, University of the Philippines Diliman
MLA 8 Fernando III, Enrique Benjamin R. "THE CONCEPT OF LEGAL OBLIGATION IN PLATO’S CRITO." Int. J. Arts & Humanities, vol. 5, no. 8, Nov.-Dec. 2021, pp. 135-152, doi.org/10.46609/IJAH.2021.v05i08.001. Accessed Nov.-Dec. 2021. APA 6 Fernando III, E. (2021, November/December). THE CONCEPT OF LEGAL OBLIGATION IN PLATO’S CRITO. Int. J. Arts & Humanities, 5(8), 135-152. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJAH.2021.v05i08.001 Chicago Fernando III, Enrique Benjamin R. "THE CONCEPT OF LEGAL OBLIGATION IN PLATO’S CRITO." Int. J. Arts & Humanities 5, no. 8 (November/December 2021), 135-152. Accessed November/December, 2021. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJAH.2021.v05i08.001.
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Keywords: Authority, Fair Play, Legal Obligation, Rule of Law, Social Contract
Abstract: In the Crito, Socrates is presented an offer by his friends to escape from prison before his execution. To the surprise of his interlocutor Crito, he rejects the offer, making the startling claim that fleeing would breach an unconditional obligation to obey the law. In a famous speech, Socrates personifies The Laws of Athens and speaks in its voice, advancing three arguments justifying why one should always obey the law even to one’s injury or disadvantage. These may be referred to as the Argument from Gratitude, the Argument from the Social Contract, and the Argument from the Destruction of the Laws. The objective of this article is to provide a conceptual analysis of legal obligation as presented by Socrates using the resources of contemporary legal and political philosophy, and to argue that each argument falls short ofjustifying an unconditional obligation to obey the law. The article concludes that with an examination of the apparent contradiction between Socrates’ arguments in the Crito and his speech in the Apology where he openly defies the court by explaining that he will continue doing philosophy even if he will be found guilty of corrupting the youth and failing to worship the gods of Athens. It is hoped that a closer and critical look at the arguments presented in the Crito will elucidate the nature of law and legal obligation
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