Justice in The Republic by Plato Essay - 480 Words

Justice in The Republic by Plato In Platos The Republic, justice is depicted as a major part in a perfect society. Justice is said to breed a good society, whereas injustice will breed a bad one. Plato defines justice in dialogue as keeping what is properly ones own and doing ones own job. (Pg. 146) Under the rules set for this perfect society, people are to practice the one profession at which they perform best. This profession also corresponds to a certain social class. Under no circumstances can one change this profession. Along with a set occupation, Plato has also determined that the perfect community would regulate what children (and the community) are taught, and to what the children will be exposed. In Platos†¦show more content†¦Suppose a person is exposed to certain injustices that others commit. Plato feels that this exposure will plant a sort of seed inside a persons head. Thus leading him or her to commit an injustice of the same kind, or simply increasing the chance that a person will commit a similar act. However, there is a huge hypocrisy (or disadvantage) within this theory. With Platos definition of justice, a person should keep what is his or her own. Some would say that persons history is also their own. People have a right to know their history, and the truths about their community. Plato wants to take away passages in stories, lines within songs, and make all characters in plays perfect. This, in itself, is an injustice to a community. The stories, folklores, and fables of a community are meant to teach. In American society, children learn not to tell lies from the Boy Who Cried Wolf. The character in the story was not perfect and committed a bad act; however, children learn from his mistake. In Platos perfect society, he takes away what the community rightfully owns. When adopting Platos suggested way of life, one must be prepared to sacrifice his or her past (neglecting his definition of justice). This crucial injustice is needed for the good of Platos suggested community. Similarly, in the book Ishmael, the author tells a story about post-war Germany. In this story is a scenario where the Nazis had won and wiped out all otherShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Justice? Plato s Republic1475 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is justice? In Plato’s Republic, this question is asked between Socrates and other conversationalists. In the beginning of this work, many different definitions of justice are debated. However, to provide clarity, Socrates proposes that, instead of discussing what justice is, they should apply the term holistically and try to imagine justice in an â€Å"ideal city.† From this, the city of Kallipolis was created. Prior to Kallipolis being thought of, the idea of the first city, or the â€Å"City of Pigs†Read MoreJustice And Injustice Of Plato s The Republic1502 Words   |  7 PagesShort Essay: Justice and Injustice in Plato’s The Republic In Plato’s The Republic, Socrates expresses his belief that in order for a state and its people to be functioning at their best, every citizen ought to do what they have the most character for, or what they are most qualified to do. Whether it is craftsmanship, guarding the city, playing music, or healing the sick, Socrates thinks that everyone should make his or her living doing one thing that they are skilled at, and one thing only. InRead More Justice and Moderation of the Soul in The Republic, by Plato3036 Words   |  13 PagesIn 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 provin g that justice is beneficial to those who believeRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s Republic : The Definition Of Justice Essay986 Words   |  4 Pages In Plato’s Republic, Socrates begins a debate on the definition of justice. It starts off as a simple discussion on what justice means to some people. Eventually the discussion moves on how justice comes about it in an ideal city. Socrates eventually comes to the idea that an ideal city must have four virtues. These virtues happen to be: courage, wisdom, moderation, and justice. However, the only two virtues that applies to the city as a whole is justice and moderation. Whereas, courage is associatedRead MoreJustice Is Justified By Plato s The Republic1689 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies, people have been asking the question, what is justice? Although justice is not sincerely defined in Plato’s The Republic, both Socrates and Thrasymachus enter into a deep discussion over what justice truly is. After Socrates disproves Ceph alus and Polemarchus explanations of justice, Thrasymachus declares that justice is â€Å"simply what is in the interest of the stronger party† (338c). Furthermore, he debunks justice altogether, arguing that justice is the strong exploiting the weak and that the unjustRead MoreJustice, Power, And Human Nature By Thucydides And The Republic By Plato1142 Words   |  5 Pagesworks, Antigone by Sophocles, On Justice, Power, and Human Nature by Thucydides, and The Republic by Plato, there have been different accounts of the definition and significance of justice. Each work is significant to western civilization because it is applicable to the same society after all these years. The importance of justice takes on different roles and can affect people in different ways. The â€Å"best† person in these works will be the one who portrays justice in the most valuable way to the currentRead MoreRepublic by Plato War in Relation to Justice, Injustice, and the Just City1036 Word s   |  5 PagesRepublic by Plato War in Relation to Justice, Injustice, and the Just City Beginning in Book I Socrates states clearly that injustice causes war and justice causes the opposite, but by Book V he seems to have a completely different perspective on whether war is just or not. His mind apparently begins to change in Book II when he introduces the second class of people, namely the guardians, with the purpose of defending the city. Throughout Books II, IV and V Socrates discusses the topic of warRead MoreSummary Of Just Souls And Just Actions The Value Of Justice Plato s Republic2075 Words   |  9 PagesDr. Eric Hutton June 11, 2015 Just Souls and Just Actions: The Value of Justice in Plato’s Republic In the Republic, Plato through the mouth of Socrates attempts to engage in a discussion with Plato’s two brother, Glaucon and Adeimantus, who challenge him to address the value of justice and, why it would always be more profitable to act justly rather than not. But before we have even made our way through half of the Republic, Glaucon seems to believe that they have successfully answered this questionRead MoreThe Ethical Egoist in Platos Republic Essay989 Words   |  4 Pagesself-interest. Understandably, this belief poses a threat to social cooperation and, therefore, clearly introduces a significant political problem. I believe that the best example of ethical egoism is displayed in Book I of Platos The Republic. In this Book, Plato introduces the idea of ethical egoism, explains the political problem posed by it, and addresses the problem through the words of Socrates. I will use this paper to explain and clarify the arguments for and against the concept of ethicalR ead MoreVirtue Essays814 Words   |  4 Pagesright. In The Republic, Plato divides the city into three classes: gold, silver, as well as bronze and iron souls. Each class is designated to posses a specific virtue. He believes that wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice combine together to form The Republic. However, Plato’s four virtues individually do not necessarily produce a utopian society. A combination of the four in each citizen is imperative in producing the ideal society. In Plato’s search for the perfect republic, he decides that