Between Socrates and the Many

A Study of Plato’s Crito

J. Michael Hoffpauir

Between Socrates and the Many: A Study of Plato’s Crito is foremost concerned with Plato’s character, Crito. By focusing on its namesake, Hoffpauir draws attention to aspects of the Crito that may otherwise go unnoticed or underrated: justice, as most know it, seems unjust, and justice, as Socrates knows it, seems impossible; love of one’s own, as most know it, limits one’s own good and the city’s good; and concern for the body and hatred of suffering undermine virtue. Through a consideration of the problems evinced by Crito—problems not peculiar to him or to his Athens—readers may gain a newfound appreciation of why Socrates’ arguments about living well fail. More importantly, by considering why Socrates must advance these arguments in the first place, readers may come to appreciate the strength of man’s natural resistance to that which is necessary for civilized life. Although Crito initially comes to sight as in-between Socrates and the many, as one who shares in the opinions of both, in the end, Crito reveals that all that is in-between Socrates and the many is an unbridgeable chasm.

Lexington Books

Pages: 202 • Trim: 6½ x 9⅜

978-1-4985-8529-3 • Hardback • December 2019 • $90.00 • (£60.00)

978-1-4985-8530-9 • eBook • December 2019 • $85.50 • (£60.00)

Subjects: Political Science / History & Theory, Philosophy / Political

Between Socrates and the Many

A Study of Plato’s Crito

Hardback

eBook

Summary

Between Socrates and the Many: A Study of Plato’s Crito is foremost concerned with Plato’s character, Crito. By focusing on its namesake, Hoffpauir draws attention to aspects of the Crito that may otherwise go unnoticed or underrated: justice, as most know it, seems unjust, and justice, as Socrates knows it, seems impossible; love of one’s own, as most know it, limits one’s own good and the city’s good; and concern for the body and hatred of suffering undermine virtue. Through a consideration of the problems evinced by Crito—problems not peculiar to him or to his Athens—readers may gain a newfound appreciation of why Socrates’ arguments about living well fail. More importantly, by considering why Socrates must advance these arguments in the first place, readers may come to appreciate the strength of man’s natural resistance to that which is necessary for civilized life. Although Crito initially comes to sight as in-between Socrates and the many, as one who shares in the opinions of both, in the end, Crito reveals that all that is in-between Socrates and the many is an unbridgeable chasm.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 202 • Trim: 6½ x 9⅜

978-1-4985-8529-3 • Hardback • December 2019 • $90.00 • (£60.00)

978-1-4985-8530-9 • eBook • December 2019 • $85.50 • (£60.00)

Subjects: Political Science / History & Theory, Philosophy / Political

Author

J. Michael Hoffpauir is associate director of the Lyceum Program and clinical assistant professor of political science at Clemson University.

Table of Contents

1Taking Crito Seriously

2Crito: A Character Study

3Wake Up to Death

4Crito’s Demand

5The Argument about Opinions

6Not Living, But Living Well, Is to Be Regarded as Most Important

7No Human Being Should Do Injustice or Do Evil

8Ought One to Do the Just Things One Agrees to Do?

9The Laws’ Parental Argument

10The Laws’ Agreement Argument

11What Benefit Comes from Escape and Crito’s Silence

12Conclusion

Reviews

“J. Michael Hoffpauir's wonderful study is a painstaking, deeply thoughtful attempt to understand Plato's complex presentation of Crito, the long-time friend of Socrates who was present with the philosopher in his final days. Combining an unusual sensitivity to the details of the text with a humane understanding of the broader questions of life and death, duty and obligation, Between Socrates and the Many will become a crucial contribution to the literature on the Crito and on Plato."
— Robert C. Bartlett, Boston College

“This welcome commentary on Plato’s Crito makes the fresh and radical move of ‘taking Crito seriously.’ Hoffpauir’s sensitive analysis of Crito’s character has the unsettling effect of showing readers just how similar they are to the dialogue’s namesake, who admires Socrates yet clings to non-philosophic opinions about the nature of justice and the fearsomeness of death. Crito is unhappily betwixt and between. Hoffpauir explores this ground (or rather this chasm) in Between Socrates and the Many. His clear explication of the conversation’s many lines of argument reveals what is at stake for all concerned.”
— Diana J. Schaub, Loyola University Maryland

Between Socrates and the Many

A Study of Plato’s Crito

J. Michael Hoffpauir

Between Socrates and the Many

A Study of Plato’s Crito

ALSO AVAILABLE