Virtue is not Different for a Man and a Woman as Plato Suggests

Socrates was a Greek philosopher who stood for knowledge and virtue. He believed that in order for people to live their best lives, it is necessary for them to do what is right. “It is wicked and shameful to do wrong, to disobey ones superior, be he god or man (Cooper, 29b).” Socrates represents self-knowledge which is evident through his quest for finding someone who was wiser than he was. After his run ins with the likes of the local politicians, craftsmen and poets, Socrates comes to the realization that although these individuals had mastered their craft and were knowledgeable in their field of work, they were clueless in many other important aspects of life. Through this awareness, he accepts the fact that

In the Republic, Plato sets up a framework to help us establish what the four virtues are, and their relationship between them to both the city and the soul. According to Plato, the four virtues are wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. There are three classes within the city: guardians, auxiliaries, and artisans; and three parts within the soul include intellect, high-spirited, and appetitive. By understanding the different classes of the city or parts of the soul, one will be able to appreciate how the virtues attribute to each one specifically.

Meno’s first attempt at the description of virtue is listing examples. The health of a man is the same as that of a woman, is virtue the same for both as well? Meno states that there are certain virtues for men, like managing public affairs, helping friends, harming enemies, and protecting oneself. There are different virtues for women, managing the home, protecting possessions, and being submissive to one 's husband. There are also different virtues for children, slaves, the elderly, and so on. The virtue of a man consists of managing his city well while the virtue of a woman is managing her household well. It is agreed that both of these things need to be managed moderately and justly. So both the men and women need justice and moderation in order to achieve their virtue well. It is also decided that all men are good in the same way,

In this writing, Meno asks Socrates if virtue can be taught or is virtue the result of practice or does virtue come about in another way (70a). Meno believes that virtue is different for different actions performed and it also differs in terms of the age of the individual (72a). Socrates responds by telling me no that he does not know what qualities virtue possesses and he is ignorant to it (71b). However, virtue should take on the same form (72c), rather than being different for different actions and age of the person. Factors of virtue include justice and moderation (73b), and if people did not have the same traits of virtue, then this would mean that they are not good or virtuous in the same way (73c). During this conversation, Socrates

I contend that Plato 's theories on morality are persuaded by concerns he had about moral theory. Specifically, Plato rejects rationality as the boost of subjectively evaluated self-interest because, had he received such an account, his hypothesis of justice would be liable to reactions which he holds are lethal to the contractarian theory of justice. While detailing a hypothesis to stay inside ethical constraints in some cases disregards the groups of scientific theorizing, Plato maintains to avoid this mistake.

Socrates has convinced Euthyphro that the discussion should be corrected by stating that what all the gods hate is impious and what all the gods love is pious. (9d) Socrates comes to question this by asking if the pious is being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods? (10a) Socrates elaborates on this by showing how something that is seen is seen because it is being seen and not that it is being seen because it is something seen. (10b) They follow this logic to show that something loved is not being loved because it is something loved, but rather it is something loved because it is being loved. (10c) Socrates then applies this logic to the pious, showing that the pious is being loved because

Yes, I do agree with Meno’s first instinct, as even I would not be able to recount the interpretation of “virtue” in its entirety. Meno interprets virtue as “to find joy in beautiful things and have power.” (Meno) Even more so, Meno believes that virtue varies in relation to men, women and children. However, in reality, having virtue simply means to maintain and uphold good moral values and characteristics. For example, patience is said to be a virtue. Other virtues can be seen as bravery, charity, commitment, compassion, dignity, grace and honesty. I agree with Socrates when he states that virtue is the same for everyone. With that said, on the other hand, not every individual possesses all of the numerous virtues. This is because not every

In the Republic of Plato, the philosopher Socrates lays out his notion of the good, and draws the conclusion that virtue must be attained before one can be good. For Socrates there are two kinds of virtue; collective and individual. Collective virtue is virtue as whole, or the virtues of the city. Individual virtue pertains to the individual himself, and concerns the acts that the individual does, and concerns the individual’s soul. For Socrates, the relationship between individual and collective virtue is that they are the same, as the virtues of the collective parallel those of the Individual. This conclusion can be reached as both the city and the soul deal with the four main virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice.

In Chapter 2 of Republic, Glaucon uses the Myth of the Lydian Shepherd to portray a pessimistic view of human nature. Plato, the author of Republic, uses his brother Glaucon to tell the Myth of the Lydian Shepherd. We are led to believe that Plato takes the myth and its implications on human nature very seriously by use of a personal character. The argument, originally given by Thrasymachus, contends that at the root of our human nature we all yearn for the most profit possible. It also contends that any man will act immorally if given free reign. The theory proves unplausible due to circularity in the argument and implications that prove untrue.

In the Meno, Socrates and Meno discuss the nature of virtue, the process of acquiring knowledge, and also the concept of the teachability of virtue. Throughout the text, Meno suggests many varying definitions for virtue, all of which Socrates is able to dismantle. The point is also raised that it may be impossible to know about something that was not previously understood, because the searcher would have no idea what to be looking for. To dispute this, Socrates makes a point that all knowledge is innate, and the process of “learning” is really just recollecting knowledge that is buried deeply within the human mind. The issue of the teachability of virtue is an important theme in this dialogue because it raises points about whether virtue is knowledge, which then leads to the issue of knowledge in general.

question.  Meno states that, "it is easy to say that a man's virtue consists of

Plato’s Republic proposes a number of intriguing theories, ranging from his contemporary view of ethics to political idealism. It is because of Plato’s emerging interpretations that philosophers still refer to Plato’s definitions of moral philosophy as a standard. Plato’s possibly most argued concept could be said to be the analogy between city and soul in Book IV, partially due to his expansive analysis of justice and the role justice plays in an “ideal city,” which has some key flaws. Despite these flawed assumptions that my essay will point out, Plato’s exposition on ethics is still relevant for scholars and academics to study, due to his interpretive view on morality and justice.

“Socrates’ positive influence touches us even today” (May 6) and we can learn a great deal about him from one of his students, Plato. It is in Plato’s report of Socrates’ trial a work entitled, Apology, and a friend’s visit to his jail cell while he is awaiting his death in Crito, that we discover a man like no other. Socrates was a man following a path he felt that the gods had wanted him to follow and made no excuses for his life and they way he lived it.

workers, so that they do not desire to be in the ruler's position. It is seen

Socrates’ sense of virtue, as established in Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Crito, and Symposium collectively, revolves around the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and justice, all in an effort to benefit the soul rather than the physical body. Given that this oftentimes contradicts standard values of honor and beauty, Socrates is targeted by many of those around him who oppose his ideas and ways of thinking, especially since the youth begin to criticize the elders’ concern for the trappings of honor and beauty rather than for interior virtues. Unlike Socrates’ case, Aeneas’ sense of virtue complies with the standard societal definition, emphasizing pietas, or respect for the gods and dedication to family and community. In his efforts to