Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Political science - Essay Example ilarly, this paper will also explain the similarities and differences in their own justification for disobedience, and in the manner in which each perceives disobedience to be necessary or beneficial in the circumstances. Sophocles’ Antigone argues that the unwritten and natural law supersedes any form of human law (â€Å"Sophocles Antigone 442 BC†, 2005), which means that the only source or basis of legitimate law is the unwritten and natural law; Antigone believes that duties to the gods are more essential than obedience of the state and law. She argues that she does not fear condemnation from men, but punishment from the gods by failing to honour her obligations to them, which oblige her to bury the dead and not to insult the gods by denying the dead a proper burial. Like Sophocles’ Antigone, Plato’s Socrates believes in a higher standard as the ultimate source of legitimate law, which is the gods. After he had been found guilty of poisoning the minds of young ones, Socrates declared without modesty that his teachings were the gods’ bidding, and that the city of Athens had thrived because of his service to the gods (DAmato, 1976). However, unlike Sophoclesâ€℠¢ Antigone who exclusively believes in one base of legitimate law, Plato’s Socrates also believes that the Athenian judicial system, a tribunal that dispensed justice according to the laws, was also a legitimate basis of law that should be respected; however, Socrates argues that his teachings had made Athens a better state. Sophocles’ Antigone argues that human laws undermine the unwritten and natural law especially because they do not honour the gods and family morals. Antigone gives honour and a principled responsibility to the gods and family equal weight in her defence since she does not want to offend the gods and to attract severe penalties from them (â€Å"Sophocles Antigone 442 BC†, 2005). Like Sophocles’ Antigone, Plato’s Socrates believes that in as much as the Athenian judicial