The Republic of Plato Book VII: A Close Analysis

Plato is an ancient Greek philosopher and was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. Republic by Plato is one of the top-ten most influential works on politics ever. Throughout his book and specifically the chapter I will be speaking upon which is chapter eight, Plato’s main questions are: What is justice? And what leads to democracy? Plato attempts to figure out what a just city is like and what a just man looks like as well how democracy comes to be. Throughout my paper, I will be talking about Plato’s argument towards just cities and democracy, but specifically, his argument in which states: Cities come to be certain ways because of the ways their individual people are. If that’s true, then there must be as many kinds of people as there are kinds of cities. So, there are as many kinds of people as there are kinds of cities. I do not agree with his statement so I will be giving my argument against his as well as an objection to my argument and why mine would be successful.

In the end of Plato’s Republic Book I, Socrates and Thrasymachus who had just finished a set of vigorous arguments on what the definition for justice is and whether the just or the unjust life is the best life to live, come to a conclusion. Regarding the true definition of justice, at the end of Book I, Socrates mentions that their discussion have not led them to the true definition of justice (Republic 354b). On the other hand, their discussion on which life is more profitable does come to a conclusion, “So the just man is happy and the unjust man is miserable…but being miserable is not profitable, whereas being happy is” (Rep. 354a) Socrates says, indicating the just life tends to be more profitable than the unjust life. Following their

Within Plato’s Republic, are various theories and ideas about justice and if it something that is just in itself. This essay is meant to shine light on three of the key concepts – (1) He has succeeded in Thrasymachus’s challenge, (2) being just provides more happiness than being unjust, and (3) the letter of the city is irrelevant and does not help his case.

The final point of importance that is presented within book V is where Plato poses the question of whether or not this is really a plausible requirement. He brings forth more information in regards to the guardian’s lifestyles and how the war is an important influence as well. He believed that children in training to be guardians should always be sent to war, so that they are able to examine and learn the art of being a true guardian, for example being able to properly ride horseback and have the ability to escape if in danger. By sending them to war, it is easier to find those with cowardly behavior and strip them of their rights to be a future guardian. He ends such a discussion by explaining what he believes to be the appropriate means of

One of the most intriguing ideas that revolves around Plato’s republic is the division of the soul. In the Republic, Book IV, the argument is portrayed that the soul has three parts. The three parts that Socrates claims in Plato’s Republic are; the rational part of the soul lusting after wisdom and truth, the spirited part of the soul that lusts after honor and the appetite part of the soul that lusts after all the remaining things like money, sex etc. (Republic Book IV 436b). These parts of the soul that are listed by Socrates mirror the classes of society within Plato’s “just city.” A little more on these different souls or psyches. The rational part of the soul is the part that analyzes our thoughts. It is used in our daily activities deciding

Plato’s Republic is actually an account that Plato transcribed that involved Socrates and a few guests. First they discuss the merits of old age but the subject changes to justice. You have a few different takes on the definition of justice. Cephalus a rich, well-respected elder of the city who is a business man. His is the first to give a definition. The he leaves and his son finishes the definition. Socrates uses common since to disprove this definition. Thrasymachus who is a sophist, a teacher and someone who thinks they have wisdom but only has knowledge. Thrasymachus says justice is the strong surviving, which Socraties disproves. The topic of discussion is Justice and it is the main human experience in this text.

1. Explain Plato’s views on democracy that he presents specifically in Book VI of the Republic, and discuss whether or not you feel his arguments regarding democracy are valid or not. Defend your answer! (200 Words)

In Plato’s The Republic, the theory of appointing a ruling class is a major aspect in his political theory of a just state. As communicated through Socrates, Plato believed in the appointment of only a few citizens of the just city that possess a soul that craves all truth, knowledge, wisdom, and through proper education are competent enough to rule the just state and to decide on legislative policies. In my paper, I will be arguing against Plato’s political theory of who is best fit to be chosen as leaders to rule the just state. I will argue that Plato places too much confidence in the morals of citizens and that the soul is naturally rational and those who are chosen to lead will not necessarily uphold justice and make the right decisions. Placing the powers of democracy in the hands of the masses is more secure rather than designating power to only a selected few because the masses know what they want and know more for what is best for themselves. Although Plato was correct in requiring that leaders must be knowledgeable, but the best way to approach this problem is to not exclude people but that all people should be given the right to decide what is the greater good for their own societies. Citizens should have the right to appoint their own rulers based on their own knowledge. I will also argue that Plato’s political theory of the just state is ideal and not practical because it has not yet existed.

Socrates was of the conviction that ideals are the preserve of a world only the shrewd man can fathom, which makes the philosopher the only kind of person suited to govern others. He argued that only the philosopher could effectively govern a state because others would yield to the wishes and desires of the majority (Weeraratne 228). In Plato’s Republic, Socrates overtly took a dim view of the Athenian democracy that governed Athens during his time. In fact, not only did Socrates have problems with the Athenian democracy, he also found short of perfect any form of government that was not consistent with his demonstration of an ideal government led by philosophers, and the government of Athens did not resemble such a regime in any way. It is worth noting, however, that the Socrates described in Plato’s Republic appears to be characterized by Plato’s own opinions, and while Socrates supported a democratic variant of unified government, Aristotle advocated for a form of aristocracy in which the majority middle class ruled.

The Republic by Plato discusses the different types of government and what kind of citizen each one produces. Socrates and Adeimantus highlights how each type of government brings out unique characteristics out of its citizens. They discuss five different types of government, from the highest form (in Socrates’s eyes) of aristocracy, to a timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and the lowest form of government, tyranny. Although The Republic was written over 2,000 years ago, it still finds relevance today in high school classes through the government/class setup. From Mr. West’s timocratic advanced orchestra class, Ms. Satya’s democratic Computer Programming class, to Mr. Haralson’s oligarchical Algebra 2/Trig class, each course demonstrate some form of government and later affecting the students behavior and attitude.

Plato’s allegory of the cave depicts people who live and chained in an underground cave like structure where there is no sun/light and the only thing they can see are the shadows of an objects casted in to the wall they face from the objects that pass in front of the fire behind them. Though there is a pathway that leads out of the cave but they don’t realize it because they can’t look back. Suddenly one of the dwellers of the cave gets out and sees the sunlight, his eyes could not process the brightness of the light they encountered for the first time and he couldn’t belief the strange world he met, gradually he starts to get used to the new reality. When he went back to the cave to tell his people about the world outside the cave and that the objects they see in the cave are shadows and reflections of an objects, the people of the cave then believed this individual is mad and his vision is ruined.

Plato is one of histories most prominent philosophers who studied under the philosopher, Socrates. He is well known for his book, Republic, which presents different philosophical concepts including the concept of justice and how it is always in the individual’s best interest to be just. In this book we meet Thrasymachus, a Sophist, who has an opposing view on the value of justice. Plato’s notion of justice conflicts with that of Thrasymachus and possible consequences of morality are contentment and trust.

According to Plato, a perfect society is a society that is organized in a superlatively efficient way, a society, which some scholars consider as an aristocratic government (Phylosophypages, 2001). Plato had it that such a society is made up of the rulers, the soldiers, and the people. In this perfect society, Plato claimed that the guardians of the state are supposed to be people with skills to lead. He was however, incredulous by the fact that this may not be achieved in the future of the perfect society. To this fact he gives an ingenious riposte, such societies will be under the guardianship of the offspring of the current guardians. That means what the future society will be under the guardianship

This four-page undergraduate essay explains, compares, and contrasts the theories and discussions of Plato and Aristotle regarding the best political association. Quotes from Politics and the Republic are used to support the author’s thesis.

In order to gain the proper perspective and fullest understanding of philosophy of property we begin here with the works of Plato.