Socrates Think of Henry David

¶ … Socrates think of Henry David Thoreau's arguments against slavery?

Slavery in the U.S. has stood as grounds for many controversies, since a great deal of people focused on studying the matter and coming up with feasible explanations for events having happened before the American Civil War. John Brown's 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry influenced American philosopher Henry David Thoreau in producing an essay meant to absolve Brown of his guilt and thus to come against the opinions of most of his contemporaries. Philosophy has a history in dealing with slavery-related matters, and Socrates himself expressed his disagreement toward the institution and toward those supporting it. In spite of the fact that Thoreau and Socrates have somewhat similar perspectives in regard to slavery, the latter is likely to have considered Brown's act immoral.

Obviously, Thoreau ardent support regarding the raid on Harper's Ferry came as a response to society's criticizing nature toward abolitionists in general. It is very probable that Thoreau ignored the concept of morality in favor of embracing an abolitionist cause, considering that Brown's act was nothing more than a desperate attempt to better conditions in time distress. In Thoreau's opinion, Brown has been influenced by the American pro-slavery society in committing violence and it should actually be considered accountable for the Harper's Ferry raid.

Even with the fact that Socrates considers violence to be wrong, regardless of the circumstances, he partly agrees that people can be influenced in behaving immorally as a result of being subjected to or witnessing corruption. Both Thoreau and Socrates can be studied in parallel to the concept of a just war, given that John Brown rose against society because it persecuted black people. Brown came to use violence as a way out only consequent to observing how diplomacy is useless in fighting slavery. The fact that slavery was abolished as a result of the American Civil War somewhat proves that Brown was right in putting across immoral behavior as a means to achieve justice.

Socrates and Thoreau are similar through the fact that both of them lobbied for a just world where slavery would not be present concomitantly with taking advantage of the institution of slavery. Socrates would thus identify with Thoreau, given that each of these two men lived in a time when their opinions were worthless when compared to those of the masses. Thoreau and Socrates were well aware that violence would be pointless in times when slavery was still considered to be normal by the majority. Socrates would however feel that Thoreau's perspective in regard to Brown's decision to use violence as a means to achieve justice is erroneous. This is because Socrates lived in a period when slavery was highly esteemed and when it was virtually impossible for someone to rise against the state with the purpose of abolishing it. In contrast, Thoreau, his abolitionist contemporaries, and society in general before the American Civil War were all aware of the fact that the end of slavery was near. With tensions being high in the North and in the South alike, it was only natural for the American society to have to undergo a violent process in order for abolitionists and slavery supporters to become conscious of their position in the country.