3. Socratic Citizenship: Plato's Crito

Introduction to Political Philosophy (PLSC 114)

In the Apology, Socrates proposes a new kind of citizenship in opposition to the traditional one that was based on the poetic conception of Homer. Socrates' is a philosophical citizenship, relying on one's own powers of independent reason and judgment. The Crito, a dialogue taking place in Socrates' prison cell, is about civil obedience, piety, and the duty of every citizen to respect and live by the laws of the community.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Was Socrates Guilty or Innocent?
02:22 - Chapter 2. The Socratic Citizen
09:39 - Chapter 3. Principled DIsobedience to the Law
24:07 - Chapter 4. Crito's Apology: "Companion Dialogue"
42:22 - Chapter 5. Applying Lessons from Fourth-Century Athens to Our World Today

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Fall 2006.