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Plato: Republic: By Allan Bloom
In the Plato’s Republic mainly discuses the idea of what justice is. The answer to this question has a variety of answers according to the Republic, which makes it very interesting. Throughout this book, you will be driven in many directions of what justice is. Some may the answer is to primarily is doing the right thing. The main issue comes from about is whether to try and be just at the expense of staying poor, or lie, or even use the very unjust means to get what one wants in life. The main point of the book is a man who tries to be very just, may spend life wandering in the streets in search for money, while the man who lies to get their way, will be rich. This essay looks at the Thrasymachus’s concept of and the Socrates’s concept of justice. The essay also looks at the author thinks that the unjust man will be happier that the just man. It explores the reasons why the concepts are right or wrong.
In book one, Thrasymachus definition of justice is, “the advantage of the stronger” (341d). His view on justice that justice always gives more authority and rule to people who are already in power. The argument that Thrasymachus makes is difficult to understand. His statement may make one believe that the people who are being ruled are considered to act right when their actions are going towards benefiting the rulers. You can also make an interpretation that the ruling class acts fairly by doing things that will benefit them. The confusion comes because Thrasymachus expresses his belief that, when the ruling classes do things that is geared towards benefiting them, they are acting unfairly. In his quote he says “advantage to the stronger”, which means Thrasymachus is arguing the concerns of justice...
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...ons of the people. Socrates brings out the argument that the leaders do whatever they do for the interests of the people. The leaders are stronger than the citizens, the leaders should consider the people as their bosses and work for them. This explains why Socrates accepts that everything the leaders say or do. They do things with the interests of the others. As Socrates argues, leaders are not in power to benefit them. They are in power to serve the interests of the people who put them to those positions.
In conclusion, the concept of justice defined by Thrasymachus and Socrates has opposing views. Thrasymachus views justice as making one unhappy. He says that lying and stealing is a way out. On the contrary, Socrates brings out justice as a pure of the soul. Socrates reflects the wishes of the society while Thrasymachus reflects a society that has rotten values.
The Republic is a text that encompasses many subjects, such as education, philosophy as well as politics. While this tome delves deep into these important subjects, the main question has remained the same for centuries, “What is justice?” In book 1 there are three interlocutors that assert that they have the knowledge of what justice means; however, it is Thrasymachus that is the main interlocutor of the first book of the Republic. Thrasymachus claims that he knows the true foundation of what justice is: “justice is nothing other than what’s advantageous to the stronger”. (338c) Socrates examines Thrasymachus claim and takes his time to explain Thrasymachus’ premises.
In Plato’s Republic, justice and the soul are examined in the views of the multiple characters as well as the Republic’s chief character, Socrates. As the arguments progress through the Republic, the effect of justice on the soul is analyzed, as the question of whether or not the unjust soul is happier than the just soul. Also, Plato’s theories of justice in the man, the state, and the philosopher king are clearly linked to the cardinal virtues, as Plato describes the structure of the ideal society and developing harmony between the social classes. Therefore, the statement “justice is the art which gives to each man what is good for his soul” has to be examined through the definitions of justice given in the Republic and the idea of the good
Plato’s Republic focuses on one particular question: is it better to be just or unjust? Thrasymachus introduces this question in book I by suggesting that justice is established as an advantage to the stronger, who may act unjustly, so that the weak will “act justly” by serving in their interests. Therefore, he claims that justice is “stronger, freer, and more masterly than justice” (Plato, Republic 344c). Plato begins to argue that injustice is never more profitable to a person than justice and Thrasymachus withdraws from the argument, granting Plato’s response. Glaucon, however, is not satisfied and proposes a challenge to Plato to prove that justice is intrinsically valuable and that living a just life is always superior. This paper will explain Glaucon’s challenge to Plato regarding the value of justice, followed by Plato’s response in which he argues that his theory of justice, explained by three parts of the soul, proves the intrinsic value of justice and that a just life is preeminent. Finally, it will be shown that Plato’s response succeeds in answering Glaucon’s challenge.
A wise man from greece named, Thrasymachus’ believed that justice did not benefit anyone in a positive way except for the ruler. He believed that justice was for those who were strong. He also believed that justice was an “instrumental” good for the ruler. He believed that every society had a government. There is always someone who makes the rules and laws no matter where you go. He knew that every society had a government and he also knew that they made laws to benefit their ruling type. For example, a King who is a tyrant wants laws that helps him keep in power, and prevents anyone else from getting enough power to raise a challenge. Living in a city ran by a tyrant is not beneficial to any of the citizens even if they obey all of the laws. If it isn’t beneficial for the citizens to live in that city there can not be social justice. Social justice is to help better someone and make them more just and you can’t really do that if you just have justice to benefit you and not others. As a citizen the laws should benefit everyone not just the ruler. However, Socrates argues that tyrants can make mistakes and that they can be wrong about which laws help keep them in power . Which is understandable because in life everyone does make mistakes even the people with high authority. Socrates does not agree that justice is only good for the ruler. Thrasymachus’ argues that a person knowledgeable in a
In the Introduction of Plato's Republic, a very important theme is depicted. It is the argument of whether it is beneficial for a person to lead a good and just existence. The greatly argued position that justice does not pay, is argued by three men Thrasymachus, Glaucon, and Adeimantus. By incorporating all three men into a collective effort I believe I can give a more flattering depiction of injustice.
Thrasymachus’s definition of justice is incoherent and hard to conceptualize within the context of the debate. What remains unclear is Thrasymachus’s ideal definition of justice. At first, Thrasymachus definition of justice after passage 338c remains disputable. Justice, Thrasymachus states, “… is simply what is good for the stronger” (338c). Therefore, on its own, this statement could infer that, what can benefit the stronger is just and therefore can be beneficial to the weaker as well. Therefore Thrasymachus definition can be taken in different contexts and used to one’s discretion. Additionally, Thrasymachus changes his definition of justice multiple times during the discussion. Thrasymachus states t...
Polemarchus argues that being just involves helping friends and causing harm to enemies. This is proven inaccurate when Plato argues that our friends are not always virtuous and the people we view as enemies are not always society's worst people. Thrasymachus argues that justice can be defined as the advantage of the stronger. It is only worth it if it benefits others.
Hourani, George. Thrasymachus' Definition of Justice in Plato's Republic. 2. 7. Focus Publishing, 1962. eBook. .
‘(Will) the city that thus shows itself superior to another…have this power without justice?” (351b) “do you think that a…group that attempted any action in common, could accomplish anything if they wronged one another?” (351c) Thrasymachus agrees that it could not and that injustice causes division and strife that prevents unity. Socrates goes on to point out that an individual member of this community that behaved in an unjust way would be divided against himself and therefore not able to achieve much. “utter rascals completely unjust are completely incapable of effective action"(352c). He continues by stating that a just man is able to accomplish things and achieves the “the right conduct of life.”
I will be focusing on book one of Plato: The Republic, and discussing one of his arguments that he presents which is the discredit of Thrasymachus’ definition of what just is. The argument I will be talking about is “what is justice?” Socrates keeps giving counter examples whenever Thrasymachus says something he believes just to be and always seems to discredit the thought of what the definition could be.
What Thrasymachus is trying to say is that the benefits of being unjust outweigh being just. While Socrates does not really offer a formal definition of justice when extinguishing Thrasymachus’ last definition of justice, he does however say that justice is an excellence and injustice a fault. Thrasymachus promptly disagrees with Socrates and believes that it is the total opposite stating that injustice is basically common sense. Socrates criticizes Thrasymachus viewpoint up to now and thinks that Thrasymachus is just saying nonsense by comparing justice to wisdom. Socrates then asks Thrasymachus one simple question and that is, “Will one just man want to get the better of another” (32). Thrasymachus answers no and Socrates then says that an unjust man is not in competition with other unjust people. Socrates disproves Thrasymachus’s idea that the unjust man competes with everybody by making a comparison between how other doctors are not competing against one another but they are doing their profession for their own self benefit. The other element that Socrates attack is that justice is a weakness, the flaw in this argument is revealed when Socrates talks about the thieves not stealing from one another because they would start fighting and ruin themselves. The disunity is evident and it could be concluded
...s are a paradigm case of those in control. The essence of ruling is, therefore, to be unjust and that is why a tyrant is a perfect ruler. He always knows what is to his advantage and how to acquire it. Thrasymachus’ view of justice is appealing but therein lies a moral danger and this is refuted by Socrates.
Thrasymachus starts off by stating his conclusion: justice is the advantage of the stronger. He then gives Socrates two premises that he uses to arrive at his conclusion first that rulers of cities are stronger than their subjects and second that rulers declare what is just and unjust by making laws for their subjects to follow. Since justice is declared by the stronger then it must surely be a tool for the stronger.
Socrates then builds his argument gradually by stating that the good and just man looks out for the interest of the weaker, and not for himself. Thrasymachus tries to counter Socrates’s argument by vaguely proclaiming that injustice is more gainful than justice.However, Socrates bravely explains that the just man will live happily because he has a just soul, and the man with the unjust soul lives in poverty; therefore, injustice can never be greater than justice. At this point in the novel I saw Thrasymachus’s flaw and also the reason why Socrates has silenced Thrasymachus. Injustice, in my opinion, may be better as a short-term plan for pleasure, but in the long run the unjust man will be condemned by just men of his evil deeds, thus leading to his downf...
Thrasymachus thinks that justice is characterized by self interest. Justice is the interest of the stronger party, that is to say might is right. Injustice pays more than justice, those who practice justice are simpletons and kind of weaklings. Human behaviour is and should be guided by self interest. Right is the interest of the stronger party .Thus the ruling class is found to oblige their subjects to behave in a particular way that will suit their interests. Justice indeed to him is the loss of the subject and gain of the ruler and stronger party. He speaks more in favour of injustice which is beneficial than justice.