PLATO: The Republic

Plato’s Republic Republic = Politeia, i.e. the Constitution Written ~380 after founding Academy “Middle” Plato Early = Socratic dialogues (inc. Rep I) Middle = grand theories (Phaedo, Rep, Sym) Late = more critical (Theaetetus, Sophist) Skeptical vs. dogmatic readings Dogmatic = Popper; Plato = totalitarian Skeptical = Republic ‘reopens’ at many points

Background Peloponnesian War Political Differences Sparta = communist aristocracy Athens = commercial democracy Ethical Challenges Callicles Protagoras What is the just society? Piraeus = port of Athens, home of democracy INTERLOCUTORS Glaucon Adeimantus Cephalus Polemarchus Thrasymachus Cleitophon Socrates Also present Son of Nicias Lysias Euthydemus Other sophists

Book I: Thrasymachus; or What is Justice? Prologue Logos 1st defn Cephalus = not lie, pay debts 331d 2nd defn Polemarchus = give each what owed  help friends/harm enemies 332d 3rd defn Thrasymachus = advantage of stronger 336b Does injustice  happiness? 347e Epilogue: Socrates aporia

Prologue Opening paragraph “I went down” Opening scene: “Do you see how many we are?” Opening section: Cephalus on eros and wealth in old age

Justice = tell truth and pay debts Socrates’ question & Cephalus’ ‘definition’ Socrates’ criticism: counterexample: do you return a weapon to a madman? Note  give to @ what is ‘due’ Also  friends/enemies A ‘contractual’ model of justice

Justice = help friends harm enemies Defn Justice = give each what is owed*; namely, Justice = to benefit friends and harm enemies 2. Examination: a. Justice = craft/ability [+ will] to help/harm friends/enemies i. Insofar as = craft/ability, useless vs. other crafts ii. Insofar as = craft/ability, = ability to harm as well as benefit b. Justice = craft/ability [+will] to help/harm friends/enemies i. if friends/enemies = seem F/E then it is J to harm good man who is an apparent enemy ii. If F/E = seem/are F/E, is it J to harm? No– never just to harm. = A political model of justice

Justice = advantage of the stronger 1. Thrasymachus’ interruption 2. Defn = advantage of ‘stronger’ [= obey rulers’ laws] 3. Examination of defn Initial clarification = laws created by rulers for own benefit What if laws are not truly beneficial to ruling class? Cleitophon’s notion: legal positivism Concept of artist/ruler in the strict sense: T: true ruler governs in own interest, not good of subjects [or common good] S: artist qua artist acts for good of subject vs. qua money-maker T: that doesn’t work for the shepherd and the sheep! S: yes it does; rulers need other incentives to rule = $ or honor or not being subject New question: does injustice  happiness (benefit)? Organizational/evaluative model of justice

Does injustice  happiness? Socrates’ three arguments vs. injustice Unjust ‘outdo’ others like themselves, but artists don’t ‘outdo’ other artists No group action can exist without mutual trust/justice Function of soul = deliberate and govern; Virtue = do this well; Justice = virtue Conclusion: entire discussion is inconclusive

Republic “High city” of Books V-VII / \ Justice = kind of self-government enjoyed at the top / \ “Just city” II-IV vs. “Unjust cities” VIII-IX Justice = kind of regulation of society found in Republic / \ Intro/popular views I vs. conclude/poetry X