The Republic - Book 1 - Theme of Justice - 2417 Words

The subject matter of the Republic is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the republic contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the ground of mistaken or inadequate accounts of justice in order to make room for the new theory. Socrates attempts to show that certain beliefs and attitudes of justice and its nature are inadequate or inconsistent, and present a way in which those†¦show more content†¦br brCephalus argues that finding old age as a good thing will depend on whether you have the disposition of those who have order and peace with themselves. And he identifies this disposition with the inclination not to tell lies or deceive and the willingness to fulfill obligations to gods and men. He believes that a life which manifests these disposition is the life of a just person, of a person conscious of having lived free from injustice. It is unclear whether Cephalus takes it that being conscious of having lived free from injustices is simply that one has not cheated or told lies and having fulfilled the obligations to gods and man. Because of the living of a just life is merely to follow these guidelines then it is not implied if these virtues are attributed to a specific personality, or of an orderly and peaceful character. If his argument is not correctly linked then there is no reason to correlate living justly with the possession of a certain character; the just character. I t could turn out that the benefits of just conduct are the possession of a particular sort of character. br brSocrates remarks that telling the truth and returning what is borrowed cannot be the definition of justice (as outlined by Cephalus), he claims that instances of the types of action Cephalus thinks of as just, can in different circumstances be identified as cases of unjust. Socrates launches into a description of the act of giving a borrowedShow MoreRelated The Republic - Book 1 - Theme Of Justice Essay2346 Words   |  10 Pagessubject matter of the â€Å"Republic† is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the â€Å"republic† contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the groundRead More Intangible Justice is in the Soul Essay1352 Words   |  6 PagesIntangible Justice is in the Soul Plato’s Republic, although officially divided into ten books, can be separated into two very distinct sections. The first section, roughly spanning Books I through IV, contains a rather tangible investigation of justice in practice. Namely, the section considers what acts or occurrences are just, either in a city or in a man. The second section, beginning around Book V and continuing through the end of the dialogue, deals with the much more abstract issue ofRead MoreThis week’s reading centered on the social contract between God and the Israelites. The reader,600 Words   |  3 Pagessocial contract between God and the Israelites. The reader, who had grown up familiar with the Exodus, found a much deeper meaning and contextual understanding in this week’s reading. 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Socrates is at this trial because he has been accused of two things: 1) â€Å"Socrates is guilty of wrongdoing in that he busies himself studying things in the sky and below the earth; he makes the worse into the stronger argument, and he teachesRead MoreDepiction Of Struggle And Division889 Words   |  4 Pagescommon themes amongst them. By doing so, we were supposed to be able to more deeply understand each text and the argument each was making. Throughout the readings, th e most prominent themes were that of struggle and division, though it is certainly more prevalent and obvious in certain texts than others. Though all the texts depict division and struggle, they focus on different societal divisions This depiction of struggle first became clear during the reading of Plato s Republic in book I, whereRead MorePlatos Philosophy and Works1915 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Prompt: Book X of the Republic does not reflect the rest of Platos work. On the one hand, Plato stages a final showdown between philosophy and literature (or myth). On the other hand, the book concludes with the elaborate legend of Ers journey into the afterlife creating a determining myth factor. The prompt invites one to make sense of this contradiction. What is the point of the final myth? What does Plato manage to convey through it that he wasnt able to show or persuade with the philosophicalRead MoreGender Based Violence During And After Conflict1319 Words   |  6 Pagesnothing new. It has been going on for hundreds of years all over the world (Burn) and many other documents, articles and websites cite this statement. This specific topic I chose because I was unaware of it before reading about it in our course work book â€Å"Women Across Cultures,† by Burn. This matter is new to me and I would like to discuss how this issue of violence connects women around the globe. I would like to refresh your memory about this topic from week two, chapter 2, (Burn) and our UniversalRead MoreThe s Defence Of Injustice1733 Words   |  7 PagesGlaucon’s defence of injustice, which he presents to Socrates in book 11 of Plato’s The Republic. For the purposes of this paper, I will focus on the overriding theme in Glaucon’s argument; that we are only just for the sake of consequences and will conclude by agreeing with this notion. Glaucon, dissatisfied with previous appraisals of justice, seeks to challenge Socrates by strengthening Thrasymachus’ defence of injustice in book 1. ‘This is exactly what he gives us – 3 arguments that support Thrasymachus’Read MoreReconciling The Divergence Of The Nature Of Man Between Classic And Modern Thinkers1425 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Nature of Man between Classic and Modern Thinkers Within Book 2 of Plato’s work The Republic, Socrates’ companion Glaucon describes the tale of the ring of Gyges, challenging Socrates on the nature of man. Within the ring of Gyges scenario, Glaucon posits that when an individual has the power granted by a ring of absolute invisibility that grants impunity, â€Å"no one [†¦] would be so incorruptible that he would stay on the path of justice or stay away from other people’s property, when he could takeRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Oedipus And Plato 1636 Words   |  7 PagesKAUFMANN’S OEDIPUS AND PLATO’S SOCRATES In Chapter Four of his book, Tragedy and Philosophy, Walter Kaufmann claims that Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex is one of the greatest tragedies ever written in part because it presents so vividly five characteristics of human life which make our existence so tragic. The purpose of this paper will be, first, to present Kaufmann’s view and, second, to apply these same characteristics to Plato’s dialogues in general and to the characters in Plato’s dialogues,