Socrates, the Moral Expert in the Crito Philotheos

Abstract

This article argues against the common interpretation according to which Plato’s dialogue Crito affirms the philosophic belief that there are no moral experts. It shows that Socrates’ response to the character Crito’s moral argument to escape from lawful prison on grounds of an unjust conviction articulates the structure of a moral decision far superior in rationality to Crito’s, which exemplifies the anatomy of conventional moral decision-making.