The Importance Of People Living A Just Life

1428 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Plato's idea of justice in the book republic

In this essay, I argue that people living a just life choose to be just and remain happy despite all the injustices done to them even after all the rewards of reputation are taken away from them. Through Allegories, Plato makes Glaucon, Adeimantus, Thrasymachus and others to understand this nortion. The Republic is considered by many philosophers as the best of Plato’s greatest dialogues which had vast influence on the Western thought. Plato establishes theories and mythic stories touching on reality and knowledge, human nature and politics, ethics, education and arts within the very ambitious republic book. Plato uses the myth of the cave to allegorize views on reality, knowledge and philosophy. Plato also uses the Myth of Er, to tell how the afterlife is like.
The nature of the challenge
The nature of the challenge emerges in the Republic after Socrates asks Cephalus what it felt like to be old and rich. While responding, Cephalus describes wealth as the best weapon that could protect …show more content…

People guided by cardinal virtues that were just were regarded as wise because their rational attitudes functioned well. Being referred to as wise enabled a person to have psychological comfort, which prepared him or her for a good life in the afterlife. Unwise persons had faulty conception about what was good for them. People created personal courage when their spirited attitudes remained fearless in times of pain and pleasure and managed to stay on rationally. When faced by prospective pains, coward people were not able to bear the rationale. Being just helped people avoid situations that determine their courage. In addition, being just made an individual temperate or moderate when the different parts of the individuals’ soul agree. People were just when all the three parts of their soul was functioning as required. Justice brought virtue to just people before everyone while unjust people failed to be moderate, wise and

Show More
Related

  • Justice and Moderation of the Soul in The Republic, by Plato

    3023 Words  | 7 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Be Warned and Study Justice:The Shifting Definition of Justice in Virgil’s Aeneid

    4362 Words  | 9 Pages

    A twenty-first century reading of the Iliad and the Odyssey will highlight a seeming lack of justice: hundreds of men die because of an adulteress, the most honorable characters are killed, the cowards survive, and everyone eventually goes to hell. Due to the difference in the time period, culture, prominent religions and values, the modern idea of justice is much different than that of Greece around 750 B.C. The idea of justice in Virgil’s the Aeneid is easier for us to recognize. As in our own culture, “justice” in the epic is based on a system of punishment for wrongs and rewards for honorable acts. Time and time again, Virgil provides his readers with examples of justice in the lives of his characters. Interestingly, the meaning of justice in the Aeneid transforms when applied to Fate and the actions of the gods. Unlike our modern (American) idea of blind, immutable Justice, the meanings and effects of justice shift, depending on whether its subject is mortal or immortal.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Family of Kingsolver’s Bean Trees with the Ideal Family of Socrates

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plato. The Republic. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 2nd ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis : Hackett Publishing Company, 1996. 32 - 246.

    Read More

  • The Concept Of Justice In Plato's Republic

    1333 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Plato's The Republic: Analysis of the Chapter Entitled "Allegory of the Cave"

    582 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the world’s most revered philosophers, Plato, was born in 428 BC. As a young man, Plato, became a devout student of Socrates. Plato quickly adopted Socrates’ teachings and turned his studies toward the question of virtue and noble character. After the execution of his beloved mentor, Plato founded the first English university called the Academy. He wanted thinkers to have a place were they could word toward better government for Greek cities. Over the duration of his life Plato wrote many books, and his most influential work is The Republic. Out of The Republic comes a chapter entitled “Allegory of the Cave”.(“Plato”)

    Read More

  • Glaucon's Challenge and Plato's Theory of Justice in Plato's Republic

    1807 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Plato's Allegory Of The Cave Analysis

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    The irrational concept of the education has been influenced moral principles concerning what is good for a society as well as for an individual; however, the understanding of the intrinsic nature of the education removes the darkness of beliefs, which Plato calls prisoners’ shadows in his writing The Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, a dialogue between Glaucon and Socrates. Although “The Plato’s Allegory of the Cave” was written thousands of years ago, Plato’s depiction of the true education is a wakeup call for our humanity to admit the acquisition of knowledge with circumspection. The truth often relies on a mistaking understanding of sight or shadow according to Plato; the truth regularly relies on prejudice which makes an individual a prisoner, and the discovery of new truth often encounters hostility. A close analysis of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave allows us to view the education as not a way to transfer knowledge, but a way to transform

    Read More

  • Demonstrating the Virtues of the Just Life

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    The debate begins when Glaucon makes the powerful claim that, “the life of the unjust man is, after all, far better than that of the just man” (Plato, Republic[1], 358c[2]). He and Adeimantus beg Socrates to respond, and in response Socrates decides that to consider justice in a man, it would be easier to consider justice in something larger, namely a city. He begins the creation of a fictional city with the necessities of the citizens, and then the responsibilities each citizen has to the city, namely, to inhabit the profession that one is best at. To protect the city, its citizens, and its land, a class of “guardians” is to be created. This leads to the discussion of education, and finally to the third class of the population, the wise rulers. Socrates has created a three-tiered city that he claims is just.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Plato's The Republic

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    “One of the best known and most influential philosophers of all time, Plato has been admired for thousands of years as a teacher, writer, and student. His works, thoughts, and theories have remained influential for more than 2000 years” (“Plato”). One of these great works by Plato that still remain an essential part of western philosophy today is, The Republic. Ten books are compiled to altogether make the dialog known as The Republic. The Republic consists of many major ideas and it becomes a dubious task to list and remember them all. Just alone in the first five books of the dialogue, many ideas begin to emerge and take shape. Three major ideas of The Republic; Books 1-5 by Plato, are: the question of what causes the inclination of a group,

    Read More

  • Trials of Jesus and Socrates: A Comparison

    1651 Words  | 4 Pages

    Plato. "Apology." The Longman Anthology of World Literature. Ed. David Damrosch and David L. Pike. Compact ed. New York: Pearson, 2008. 559-75. Print.

    Read More

  • The Definition of Justice

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Republic by Plato examines many aspects of the human condition. In this piece of writing Plato reveals the sentiments of Socrates as they define how humans function and interact with one another. He even more closely Socrates looks at morality and the values individuals hold most important. One value looked at by Socrates and his colleagues is the principle of justice. Multiple definitions of justice are given and Socrates analyzes the merit of each. As the group defines justice they show how self-interest shapes the progression of their arguments and contributes to the definition of justice.

    Read More

  • Justice in Plato's The Republic

    961 Words  | 2 Pages

    Marra, James L., Zelnick, Stephen C., and Mattson, Mark T.   IH 51 Source Book: Plato,  The Republic, pp. 77-106. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa, 1998.

    Read More

  • The Republic - Book 1 - Theme Of Justice

    2360 Words  | 5 Pages

    Out of the confrontation with Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus, Socrates emerges as a reflective individual searching for the rational foundation of morality and human excellence. The views presented by the three men are invalid and limited as they present a biased understanding of justice and require a re-examination of the terminology. The nature in which the faulty arguments are presented, leave the reader longing to search for the rational foundations of morality and human virtue.

    Read More

  • Allegory Of The Cave Essay

    1423 Words  | 3 Pages

    Plato was one of the earliest philosophers who present a complete analysis of philosophies. The allegory of the cave is about the Platonic ideal of education. It has been recognized, understood, and transformed throughout the entire course of the history of philosophy. In the “Allegory of the Cave,” Plato explains Philosophy as a middle stage of ignorance. In addition, Plato emphasizes the Philosophy through intelligence and accomplishments of wise mind, and precisely it means love of wisdom. In terms of this, wisdom is the exercise of intelligence, manipulation of knowledge in different technique in everyday life and that is actually Plato talked about in the western philosophy. “Allegory of the Cave” and “The Symposium,” the author focuses on the importance of the knowledge and education, and its want of it on human nature along with pursuing knowledge with passion and the beauty of love.

    Read More

  • What Is A Good Life Essay

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    People may say that the “Good Life”, is what you make to be; that in order to have a good life you have to work hard, get and education and be kind to others, others may say that you have to follow the laws given by God and you may have a good life along with a long an peaceful life. While other may just simply go with the flow; for this paper, two excerpts were read The Republic and The Human Search for Meaning which are supposed to bring an understanding on how to achieve the “wealth” of the soul that will allow the readers to experience the “Good life” as Plato and his thinkers.

    Read More

More about The Importance Of People Living A Just Life

Open Document