Socrates: An Introduction To Plato's Analysis

We can not be good, but we can perceive good. In the following of excellence we will all invariably miss the mark, because when dealing with “the good” the mark is infinitely small. After all “excellence” is ongoing, an approach to perfection. The question: Why should we be good? Is asking why take a shot at all. Why should we (in the broadest sense) be good (follow our own perceived path to excellence, God 's kingdom, prestige etc.) Because the efforts we make toward our own individual good lead to societal excellence. The majority of our course texts are ultimately concerned with society (the reign of God, Utopian Republic); the subsequent question to ours would be why is an excellent society desirable? On the path to finding the answer to our first question we will analyze the nature of humans to thrive in packs and best thrive as a part in a society. Tieing both answers back …show more content…
"Euthyphro." Arguing with Socrates : An Introduction to Plato’s Shorter Dialogues (2013): n. pag. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. .) God is unknown and therefore there is no way of know what is pious. The second is, the bible itself is relative (we know, the bible had human authors, some of these authors even had conflicting viewpoints) and can be encompassed in the will of the stronger if we are going to give value to Thrasymachus’ philosophy. Aristotle 's backs up Thrasymachus in the belief of Justice as relative.“Unjust… one who breaks the law and one who takes advantage of another” (Aristotle, Book V: Justice, trans. J.A.K. Thomas, (New York: Penguin Classics, 2004),113.) Justice is dependant on context/law/others. The subsequent question here is why then, if Justice is a selfish and personal act, can it lead to an overall excellence in