In Plato’s The Republic, Socrates described the just city- what shall take place in this city, who shall live there and their social hierarchy, among other topics. At the top of the just city’s aforementioned hierarchy is the ruling class. By the end of book V Plato has established that the only appropriate ruler for the just city is a philosopher. Plato offers various arguments to support his claim, with his main arguments revolving around the nature of the philosopher and their expansive knowledge of the world around them and the nature of the just city that he has created. The argument that philosophers are the ideal rulers of the just city is introduced in Book V, in his efforts to persuade Glaucon that the just city is not impossible, …show more content…
Socrates then introduces the idea that, since they have come to understand these truths and amassed great amounts of knowledge, the philosopher is humble, and is humbled by the enormity of the truths and knowledge. This knowledge and these truths also make the philosopher courageous as he no longer fears his death. The philosopher is also considered the optimal leader due to his disregard for wealth and material goods, Socrates clarifies that since his energy and desire are all concentrated on knowledge and truth his appetite will mimic that of a stream, with his mind flowing in the direction of “learning and everything like it” (485d) Socrates says that, assuming he is a “true philosopher, a genuine lover of wisdom, and not a pretend lover of wisdom” (485e) that the pleasures of the mind will be more than enough for …show more content…
Socrates then claims two reasons it is viewed as better for the philosopher to educate those in the cave. First is the utilitarian account. Socrates argues that, at first, the philosopher will be very unhappy in having to return to the cave, but ultimately they will decide it is for the best as afterwards they will be able to continue practicing philosophy on their own and continue to contemplate on the form of the good. In this account, Socrates also argues that the philosopher realizes it is better to return since, should he choose not to, philosophy will be in danger of becoming corrupt inside of the cave, by those who do not possess his same understanding. Overall returning to the cave becomes beneficial for both the individual philosopher and philosophers in general. The second account Socrates argues is that the true philosopher, after he exits the cave will eventually be able to come to understand the true form of the good and after they have achieved this they will always be happy, and will never be unhappy. After realizing the true form of the good philosophers will be psychologically harmonious and happy, and will encourage them to return to the cave so that they may maximize the good by sharing it with others. Socrates argues that even if returning back to the
Plato’s ideal ruler must have a good mind, always be truthful, have knowledge and discipline, and not be afraid of death. In short, the ruler is a philosopher that satisfies the four virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation/self-control, and justice. Plato, nonetheless neglects the fact that everyone sins and fails to mention it in the ideal state or ruler. However, the state and ruler was made up mainly to better understand the meaning of justice and was not made up so that it might be practiced.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote “One man’s justice is another’s injustice.” This statement quite adequately describes the relation between definitions of justice presented by Polemarchus and Thrasymachus in Book I of the Republic. Polemarchus initially asserts that justice is “to give to each what is owed” (Republic 331d), a definition he picked up from Simonides. Then, through the unrelenting questioning of Socrates, Polemarchus’ definition evolves into “doing good to friends and harm to enemies” (Republic 332d), but this definition proves insufficient to Socrates also. Eventually, the two agree “that it is never just to harm anyone” (Republic 335d). This definition is fundamental to the idea of a common good, for harming people according to Socrates, only makes them “worse with respect to human virtue” (Republic 335 C). Polemarchus also allows for the possibility of common good through his insistence on helping friends. To Polemarchus nothing is more important than his circle of friends, and through their benefit he benefits, what makes them happy pleases him.
What is justice? In Plato’s, The Republic this is the main point and the whole novel is centered around this question. We see in this novel that Socrates talks about what is justice with multiple characters.In the first part of Book 1 of The Republic, Socrates questions conventional morality and attempts to define justice as a way for the just man to harm the unjust man (335d) ; however, Thrasymachus fully rejects this claim, and remarks that man will only do what is in his best interest, since human nature is, and should be ruled by self-interest, and he furthers this argument by implying that morality, and thus justice, is not what Socrates had suggested, but rather that it is simply a code of behavior exacted on man by his ruler. Thrasymachus begins his argument by giving his definition of justice. He says that justice, or right is simply what is in the best interest of the stronger (338c). When questioned by Socrates on this point, he explains that each type of government (the stronger party) enacts types of justice that are in its own best interest, and expect
This quote can be used to argue what kind things he would say to our society by providing an example of what his beliefs are. He is saying that once we can only become philosophers we will be able to stop indulging ourselves with our senses and only use them when necessary. Socrates point view of philosophy is when one wants to acquire prudence and irrefutable truth, which was discussed in a classroom community among classmates, simply when wants continuously want to learn and can never be satisfied with what they know. By learning, what Socrates means is our soul 's recollecting knowledge that body hinders the soul from remembering. This is seen in Meno where Socrates shows Meno how a boy figuring out the answers to a question is actually recollecting the knowledge instead of learning something new. He would make a statement about our education system and what we currently see as knowledge what was we should see as knowledge. The way we should learn by his definition would be to have classroom discussions sessions as agreed upon by critical think by my classmates and myself in a philosophy course. Socrates would tell us how we would need to focus on recollecting and focus on feeding our soul instead of our bodies, how we would need to make major changes such as our use of technology for only necessary uses and not merely for mindless entertainment much like how we all use laptops, phones, and the
In his philosophical text, The Republic, Plato argues that justice can only be realized by the moderation of the soul, which he claims reflects as the moderation of the city. He engages in a debate, via the persona of Socrates, with Ademantus and Gaucon on the benefit, or lack thereof, for the man who leads a just life. I shall argue that this analogy reflecting the governing of forces in the soul and in city serves as a sufficient device in proving that justice is beneficial to those who believe in, and practice it. I shall further argue that Plato establishes that the metaphorical bridge between the city and soul analogy and reality is the leader, and that in the city governed by justice the philosopher is king.
Socrates evaluates four city constitutions that evolve from aristocracy: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. As a result that these four types of cities exist, four additional types of individuals who inhabit them also exist. Although these city constitutions evolve from aristocracy, Socrates deems aristocracy to be the most efficient, therefore the most just, of the constitutions because the individuals within it are ruled by the rational part of the soul.
During the time period of The Republic, the problems and challenges that each community was faced with were all dealt with in a different way. In the world today, a lot of people care about themselves. For many people, the word justice can mean many different things, but because some only look out for themselves, many of these people do not think about everyone else’s role in the world of society. The struggle for justice is still demonstrated in contemporary culture today. One particular concept from Plato’s The Republic, which relates to contemporary culture is this concept of justice. In the beginning of The Republic, Socrates listeners, Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus, ask Socrates whether justice is stronger than injustice, and
In the mind of Plato’s Socrates, the just city is one which abides by the rules of “The Myth of the Metals”. This lie that the city is founded on not only is unjust, but unrealistic as well as falsely protected through a logical fallacy. Lying to the citizens of the newly found city is just in Socrates's understanding, although the myth is an injustice to every individual in the city. The human psyche does not allow a city’s societal structure to follow one that resembles a commune, while still having an upper class. The “No True Scotsman” fallacy protects the city and the myth from any form of critique. These three main points exhibit the flaws in Socrates's just city.
...ct city consists of everyone feeling equal to one another from birth to present. Plato thinks a just city is formed on the beliefs that everyone is forced into specific factions and told who to unify with, despite the persons personal beliefs. Plato's views on a "just city" were to far fetched and had a very similar ideology to communism. Aristotle even agreed that taking away private property was a bad idea because it "takes away the incentive to work hard" (Aristotle, ppt9).
According to Plato, “Philosopher” is a person who has the knowledge applicable to any aspects of the city and sufficient enough to lead the city and become a ruler through many years of training. (Plato, VI.484c) “The ideal political leader” is a guardian who keeps the law and the ways of life of the city just. (Plato, VI.484c) “Virtue” includes wisdom, courage, moderation, and the justice. (Plato, VI.441d)
In the book Republic by Plato, Socrates argues with his colleagues that there is a just city, Kallipolis, and there is a certain way that this just city can be obtained. It involves a semi-communistic form of rule that is guided by a philosopher king and a three-part hierarchy. The hierarchy represents all the people in the city, and is set up in a pyramidal shape to represent the ratios that the three classes make up. The top group, and by far the smallest, is composed of the rulers. The middle group, and still fairly small group, comprises of the warriors. The common people (proles) make up the increasingly dominant bottom portion of the pyramid. The placement of the people in the pyramid also represents the importance of the citizens within each class; with the people on the top (rulers) being most important and the common people of the bottom being the least important. Contrasting to Socrates’ ideas, in The City and Man, Leo Strauss argues that the just city is impossible for two main reasons. Throughout this paper, I will argue for Strauss’ view on the impossibility of the just city. However, I believe that there are other points, besides Strauss’, on why the just city is infeasible. I will then argue through Plato’s text how Socrates’ idea of Kallipolis is unreasonable and defies the ideas of realism.
In Plato’s Republic, Glaucon is introduced to the reader as a man who loves honor, sex, and luxury. As The Republic progresses through books and Socrates’ arguments of how and why these flaws make the soul unhappy began to piece together, Glaucon relates some of these cases to his own life, and begins to see how Socrates’ line of reasoning makes more sense than his own. Once Glaucon comes to this realization, he embarks on a path of change on his outlook of what happiness is, and this change is evidenced by the way he responds during he and Socrates’ discourse.
The Republic is an examination of the "Good Life"; the harmony reached by applying pure reason and justice. The ideas and arguments of Plato center on the social settings of an ideal republic - those that lead each person to the most perfect possible life for him. Socrates was Plato's early mentor in real life. As a tribute to his teacher, Plato uses Socrates in several of his works and dialogues. Socrates moderates the discussion throughout, as Plato's mouthpiece. Through Socrates' powerful and brilliant questions and explanations on a series of topics, the reader comes to understand what Plato's model society would look like. The basic plan of the Republic is to draw an analogy between the operation of society as a whole and the life of any individual human being. In this paper I will present Plato’s argument that the soul is divides into three parts. I will examine what these parts are, and I will also explain his arguments behind this conclusion. Finally, I will describe how Plato relates the three parts of the soul to a city the different social classes within that city.
In Plato’s Republic, the main argument is dedicated to answering Glaucon and Adeimantus, who question the reason for just behavior. They argue it is against one’s self-interest to be just, but Plato believes the behavior is in fact in one’s self-interest because justice is inherently good. Plato tries to prove this through his depiction of an ideal city, which he builds from the ground up, and ultimately concludes that justice requires the philosopher to perform the task of ruling. Since the overall argument is that justice pays, it follows that it would be in the philosopher’s self-interest to rule – however, Plato also states that whenever people with political power believe they benefit from ruling, a good government is impossible. Thus, those who rule regard the task of ruling as not in their self-interest, but something intrinsically evil. This is where Plato’s argument that justice is in one’s self-interest is disturbed. This paper will discuss the idea that justice is not in one’s self-interest, and thus does not pay.
Throughout The Republic, Plato constructs an ideal community in the hopes of ultimately finding a just man. However, because Plato’s tenets focus almost exclusively on the community as a whole rather than the individual, he neglects to find a just man. For example, through Socrates, Plato comments, “our aim in founding the