Plato’s The Republic By the beginning of Book II of Plato’s The Republic‚ many questions have been brought upon the table involving the definition of justice. Polemarchus argues that justice is doing good to your friends and harm to your enemies. Thrasymachus argues that justice is the advantage of the stronger. Socrates finds flaws in both of these definitions‚ but discovers another important question about the nature of justice. Socrates wants to know whether the just life or the unjust life is
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In Plato’s Republic he attempts to break down the complex idea of Justice‚ what it means to be just‚ and if man is just willingly or unwillingly. In Book II of the Republic‚ Plato uses Glaucon’s Challenge to discuss what it means to be good and just. Two stories are present in the explanation: one of the ancestor of Gyges of Lydia that involves an invisibility ring and what the just person versus the unjust person would do with the power the ring possesses and another of a just man and an unjust
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Justice is a concept that has changed and developed throughout history. The foundation of the modern justice system in the western world began in Athens just over two thousand years ago. Many philosophers had their own conceptions about what justice truly is‚ however‚ Plato proved to be the most influential. Before Plato‚ many men shared Polemarchus’ belief that justice meant giving good to friends and evil to enemies. In his book‚ The Republic‚ Plato sets out to define the true definition of justice
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Thrasymachus once said‚ “It doesn’t pay to be just”. Ever since the ancient Greek times people have been in search for the perfect meaning of justice. Some have come up with a good definition but even then‚ there still remains a point to argue proving that the definition incorrect. In Plato’s Republic he starts off with book one‚ a discussion on what justice is through Socrates. Throughout book one‚ Socrates argues with Cephalus‚ Polemarcus and Thrasymachus on why their definition of justice is incorrect
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Reflection on: the “Republic‚” by Plato. Greek philosopher‚ Plato‚ is considered to be one of the most influential people in Western Philosophy. The fact that he was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle leaves no questions about his competence. One of his fundamental works is the “Republic”. Even though it was written in 380 BC‚ Plato’s and Socrates’s thoughts are still relevant in twenty first century. This paper will evaluate the quote from the “Republic” and provide a summary
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Epistemology is the investigation into the grounds and nature of knowledge. Found in the 1800’s From Old Greece forward‚ Plato‚ Socrates‚ and developmental ideas. Rationalism means the knowledge can be acquired through the use of reason and empiricism is obtained through experience. Externalism‚ empiricism‚ constructivism‚ and etc. Rene Descartes Immanuel Kant Aristotle Plato Locke Berkeley Spinoza The kind of knowledge of how can we know what we know‚ the reason why? How is knowledge got
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can divide their views on political justice into two major categories: those who believe justice is what the ruler says it is‚ and those who believe justice is part of a higher “moral code” independent of the ruler. Thrasymachus and Hobbes believe that the powerful dictate law and order. On the other hand‚ Aristotle‚ Polemarchus‚ Socrates‚ and Plato believe that justice cannot be influenced by those of the ruler. I believe the best account of political justice is a combination of a few thinkers including
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Discussion Question 5 In platos republic‚ book VI‚ platos tells the story of Allegory of the cave. This story tells of what plato believes true education is. First plato tells what education is not. “Education isn’t what some people declare it to be‚ namly‚ putting knowledge into souls that lack it‚ like putting sight into blind eyes”(518b) then plato describes what he thinks education is. “Then education is the craft concerned with doing this very thing‚ this turning around‚ and with how the soul
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Topic 5: A defense of Thrasymachus’ claim; “Justice is the advantage of the stronger” Most people believe that they understand the essence of things like justice and virtue. Though‚ if they were asked to define these things‚ few would be able to do so without posing some contradiction. Thrasymachus puts his understanding of justice in these words; “justice is nothing‚ but the advantage of the stronger” (Plato’s Republic‚ Book 1‚ pdf p.14). A conventional description of justice may be that it is the
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In The Republic‚ Plato wrote a dialog between Socrates and his friends about the meaning of justice. They came into four definitions of justice‚ returning debts‚ helping friends‚ a system that benefits the strong‚ and a virtue that feels food. When asked about the meaning of justice‚ Cephalus believed that justice was the repayment of debt. Justice is completed when one‘s debt if fully returned. Socrates believed that the theory was flawed and may deliver disastrous result if applied in every situations
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