Deck 2: Crito Plato

Question 1

Socrates tells Crito that he should attempt to break out of prison if and only if doing so would be

A) to his advantage.
B) harmful to his enemies and advantageous to his friends.
C) pleasing to the gods.
D) just.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

When faced with a moral dilemma, which of the following, according to Socrates, should be taken into consideration?

A) The likely consequences of each possible course of action
B) The moral rightness or wrongness of each alternative
C) That others would do in similar circumstances
D) All of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Socrates and Crito are engaged primarily in what type of inquiry?

A) Normative
B) Descriptive
C) Meta-ethical
D) Psychological

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following is not one of Socrates's reasons for refusing to escape?

A) To disobey a legal judgment rendered by the proper authorities is to undermine the city as a whole.
B) He is guilty of the charges raised against him.
C) An unjust life is not worth living.
D) Citizens owe even more respect and deference to the state that nurtures them than they do to their own parents.

Question 5

Socrates says he wants to debate escaping prison with Crito because

A) Socrates likes a good argument.
B) Crito is still learning philosophy.
C) Socrates wants to persuade Crito rather than act against his will.
D) Crito is wrong and must be shown the truth.

Question 6

Which of the following would Socrates identify as the greatest evil?

A) One's own death
B) The deaths of loved ones
C) Suffering injustice
D) Committing injustice

Question 7

Socrates believes that through "popular opinion," the public at large

A) usually provides the right moral guidance.
B) never provides the right moral guidance.
C) is powerless to morally help or harm the individual.
D) sometimes provides moral benefits to the individual.

Question 8

Socrates says that the laws of Athens have functioned in his life like

A) a ball and chain.
B) parents.
C) music.
D) the gods.

Question 9

Socrates claims that breaking out of prison would be wrong because

A) it would amount to breaking his agreements.
B) it would put his friends in danger.
C) it would put his family in danger.
D) people would lose respect for him.

Question 10

Which of the following adjectives best characterizes Socrates's attitude toward his own imminent death?

A) Fearful
B) Indifferent
C) Eager
D) Angry

Question 11

Socrates believes that allowing the Athenians to carry out his unjust sentence would do serious harm to society.

Question 12

Socrates thinks one should disregard what most people believe about moral questions.

Question 13

In the Crito, Socrates claims that it is permissible to commit injustice in return for injustice.

Question 14

According to Socrates, justice consists of treating others as they have treated you.

Question 15

Socrates tells Crito that by choosing to live in a city, one agrees to live by its laws.

Question 16

Despite Crito's initial arguments, Socrates believes he would be doing harm to his friends and relatives by escaping.

Question 17

Socrates would rather have been sentenced to exile than to death.

Question 18

Crito puts even less stock in popular opinion than does Socrates himself.

Question 19

By the end of the dialogue, Socrates seems to have persuaded Crito that escaping would be unjust.

Question 20

Socrates argues that breaking the law threatens the existence of society.

Question 21

In the Crito, what arguments does Crito make to persuade Socrates to try to escape from prison? How does Socrates respond to these arguments? Who do you think has the stronger case and why?

Question 22

The nation is at war, and your number in the recently reinstated military draft has just come up. The problem is that after serious reflection, you have concluded that the war is unjust. What advice might Socrates give you? Would you agree? What might you decide to do?

Question 23

It is clear in the dialogue that Socrates is not guilty of the crime for which he is to be punished. Why, nonetheless, does Socrates think he must accept the punishment? Is Socrates making a mistake here? What might compel you to accept punishment for a crime you did not commit?