Pol 3133 Test I Notes

Front 1

The charges against Socrates in the Crito

Back 1

- Corrupting the youth
- Impiety - (unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god).

Front 2

Socrates defense against corruption of the youth from the Crito

Back 2

- Not parents who are accusing.
- Asks Miletus what he has done for the youth.
- Asks who improves youth.
- If he did corrupt the youth, it wasn't intentional. (Don't shit where you eat).

Front 3

Socrates defense against impiety from the Crito

Back 3

- Socrates believes in a personal daimon (spirit). Therefore, clearly he believes in spiritual things.

Front 4

Socrate's reasons why he's good for the city from the Crito

Back 4

- He's like a gafly that pesters Athens to be better.
- He's God's gift, so he's arguing on their behalf.

Front 5

Three reasons that Socrates gives Crito for not escaping from prison

Back 5

1. The decision to escape or not should rest on what is right (not majority opinion, shame, etc.) (46b) Life is only worth living if your should is intact (48a)w Most important thing is a good life (48b)
2. One should never do wrong; escaping is breaking contract to obey laws (49d-50a). Two wrongs do not make a right.
3. Socrates claims that he has obligations to the laws because they have raised him. One must persuade people to change laws or obey laws (50d-52b)

Front 6

Cephalus' definition of justice from Plato's Republic Book I

Back 6

Justice is sacrificing to the gods and paying your debts to others. However, sometimes repaying one's debts or telling the truth can be unjust (e.g., when doing so would cause harm to others e.g. borrowing the sword from the madman.)

Front 7

Polemarchus' definition of justice from Plato's Republic Book I

Back 7

He gives a political / partisan definition of justice. Justice is doing good to friends and harm to enemies. The problem with this definition is it associates justice with doing both good and evil (332d - 334a). What if your friends are evil, and your enemies are good? Is it just to help bad people and harm good people (334 b-335a). A just person shouldn't harm anyone (335b).

Front 8

Thrasymachus' definition of justice from Plato's Republic Book I

Back 8

he gives a realist / relativist definition of justice. Justice is the "advantage of the stronger," (338c). Justice is a reflection of power. There is no such thing as true justice for all. Justice is whatever the people who manage to get power say it is.

Front 9

Socrates reasons why a just life is more advantageous than an unjust life from Plato's Republic Book I

Back 9

1. The unjust person tries to out do everyone, which is a sign of ignorance.
2. Justice is necessary for cooperation among human beings.
3. Justice is necessary for harmony within the soul; injustice is disempowering.

Front 10

Dialogue between Glaucon, Adeimantus & Socrates regarding whether is justice is good in of itself from Plato's Republic Book II

Back 10

-Socrates: justice is good in of itself.
-Glaucon: challenges Socrates w/ the Gyges ring of invisibility & the hated moral person v. loved immoral person.
-Adeimantus: injustice is forgiven by god, therefore there's no incentive to be just if there's no divine retribution.

Front 11

Socrate's first discussion of the just city from Book III of Plato's Republic

Back 11

- A city comes into existence because we are not individually self-sufficient i.e. we need others to survive.\
- A just city is one where all the necessities of life are met by different individuals each specializing in one occupation.
- A guardian class is necessary to protect the city's luxuries.
-Therefore, the city will take on a pyramidal structure i.e. a few rulers, a small group of guardians, and the majority of people laborers.

Front 12

The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Just City from Plato's Republic Book IV

Back 12

- Wisdom: the ruler's ability to direct the affairs of the city for the good of everyone.
- Courage: the guardians' perseverance in moral beliefs. Standing up for and doing what's right.
- Moderation: self-control, or the willingness of all people in the city to be ruled by the wise.
- Justice: doing one's own work and not meddling in the occupations of others.

Front 13

Socrate's definition of justice from Plato's Republic Book IV

Back 13

Doing one's own work and not meddling in the occupations of others.

Front 14

The Four Cardinal Virtues of the Soul from Plato's Republic Book IV

Back 14

- Wisdom: living according to your reason, knowing that is best.
- Courage: persevering in right or rational beliefs.
- Moderation: self-control over your desires and spirit (doesn't this make more sense re: the individual and not the city?)
- Justice: a proper ordering of the soul (psyche) whereby the reason rules over the spirited and desiring parts, and each part odes its own work.

Front 15

The end of the dialogue between Glaucon, Adeimantus & Socrates from Plato's Republic Book IV

Back 15

- Socrates suggests that living a just life promotes a sense of inner harmony that informs external actions i.e. just people usually don't commit criminal actions because crimes indicate an imbalance of the soul.

- Glaucon and Adeimantus assent to Socrates' definition of justice, and agree that it is more advantageous for human beings to be just rather than unjust

Front 16

Socrates three "waves" of reforms will be necessary to establish the perfectly just city from Plato's Republic Book V

Back 16

1. Women must be treated equally with men because they share the same essential nature. There will be co-ed physical and academic education, living quarters, armies, etc.
2. Radical communist notion of the family i.e. husbands, wives, and children must be held in common.
3. Philosophers should rule the city because they love wisdom, they alone see the true nature of things, and their rule is necessary to guide the city toward the good.

Front 17

Socrate's divided line analogy from Plato's Republic Book VI

Back 17

Philosophers as those individuals who rise above the mere appearance of things to attain a true understanding of the world.
-Understanding
-Thought
-Belief
-Images

Front 18

Socrate's idea of the good from Plato's Republic Book VI

Back 18

The supreme truth and origin of all things. It provides substance and form to all things, and also provides us with the ability to understand them. It seems something like a non-personified god, or godhead. Socrates compares it to the sun.

Front 19

Socrate's "allegory of the cave" from Plato's Republic Book VII

Back 19

ocrates suggests the most human beings are like "dwellers in a cave:" they stare at shadows on the wall and mistake them for reality. Only the philosopher / just person escapes from the cave to experience true reality.

Front 20

Socrate's 2 reasons why a life of reason is the most advantageous fromPlato's Republic Book VII

Back 20

1. It allows you to gain a true understanding of the world and commune with the idea of the Good.
2. Its brings inner harmony to your soul.

Front 21

Socrate's 4 corrupt regimes / individuals from Plato's Republic Book VIII

Back 21

1. Timocracy: rule of the honor loving. - The spirited part of the city / individual becomes supreme over the reason and desires, i.e., rebellion of the guardians.
2. Oligarchy: rule of the rich, driven by the love of wealth.
3. Democracy: rule of the people, driven by a love of freedom.
4. Tyranny: the worst of all government, driven driven by an incessant desire for pleasure after pleasure, power, and to get the better of everyone else.

Front 22

Aristotle's take on politics from Nicomachean Ethics Book I

Back 22

Politics is the art that arranges all arts and actions for the good of human beings. Thus, politics is the master art or ruling science that aims at the good of human beings (p 2).

Front 23

Aristotle's criticism of Plato's idea of the good from Nicomachean Ethics Book I

Back 23

Aristotle argues that there is no such thing as an idea of the good that exists across different categories of things and actions. We must study things in themselves and make distinction between them in order to understand their essences;. Whereas Plato is a sort of idealist, Aristotle is thus more of an empiricist.

Front 24

Aristotle's take on the good life from Nicomachean Ethics Book I.

Back 24

The good of human beings is happiness. Humans' special function is reason. Therefore, living a life of reason is a truly happy life.

Front 25

Aristotle's two ways of acting virtuously (or according to your reason) from Nicomachean Ethics Book I.

Back 25

1. Intellectual virtue - involves discovering rational principles.
2. Moral virtue - involves following them.

Front 26

Aristotle's 3 part take on moral virtue from Nicomachean Ethics Book II - III.

Back 26

1. Moral virtue as a state of character.
2. One becomes virtuous by doing virtuous acts repeatedly.
3. Moral virtues is mean between extremes i.e. courage is the mean between cowardice and rashness.

Front 27

Aristotle's take of friendship from Nicomachean Ethics Book VIII-IX

Back 27

- Aristotle defines friendship as mutual goodwill.
- Friendship based on 3 things: utility, pleasure, and goodness.
- Unequals can be friends because they can contribute the friendship proportionally.
- Imperfect relations exist e.g. husband-wife, father-son, etc.

Front 28

Aristotle's hierarchy of friendship from Nicomachean Ethics Book VIII-IX

Back 28

1. Good among equals.
2. Good among unequals (family relationships).
3. Pleasant relationships among equals.

Front 29

Aristotle's take on pleasure from Nicomachean Ethics Book X.

Back 29

1. Aristotle defines pleasure as a feeling that completes and intensifies an activity.
2. Pleasure is not the highest good because not all pleasures are worth
having.
3. Pleasures associated with good activities are good, and those associated with bad activities are bad.

Front 30

Aristotle's aim of politics from Nicomachean Ethics Book X.

Back 30

- Politics should be to make laws concerning the nurture and occupations of the young, so that as many as possible will grow up habituated to moral virtue and at least aware of intellectual virtue.
- Good behavior will also need to be enforced by laws and punishment.

Front 31

Aristotle's 1st and 2nd highest forms of happiness from Nicomachean Ethics Book X.

Back 31

1. Contemplative life (study of metaphysics, physics, nature ethics, and politics). This life most fully exercises our reason, is dearest to the gods, and it most self-sufficient.
2. Moral virtue - uses practical wisdom and is necessary for living with others.

Front 32

Aristotle's take on the polis from Politics Book I

Back 32

- The polis is a sovereign and inclusive association among freemen that share a measure of equality; the polis is necessary for a good life because humans by nature are political animals and require associations to reach fulfillment.

Front 33

Aristotle's defense of slavery from Politics Book I

Back 33

There is a form of slavery that is natural. It is best for individuals who have very weak reasoning abilities to be ruled by others because they will live a better life if they follow the commands of a rational master.

Front 34

Aristotle's critique of Plato's just city from Politics Book II-III

Back 34

1. Plato strives for too much unity within the city; the polis should be plurality among equal citizens ;
2. Communal property and family arrangements lead to indifference ;
3. Communal property relations lead to quarrels ;
4. Factions will develop if citizens are not allowed to rule.
5. Communism deprives individuals of the opportunity to be generous with one another.
6. Favoritism will creep into the communist regime.

Front 35

Aristotle's elaboration on the polis from Politics Books II & III

Back 35

A city should promote community is by allowing individuals to have private families and private property, and then encouraging them through education to contribute to the public good.

Front 36

Aristotle's best form of government from Politics Book III

Back 36

Aristocracy is the best form of government because rule by the "better sort" (most educated, most wealthy, most well-born, etc.) best supports the aim of politics - the promotion of the good life.

Front 37

Aristotle's best practical form of government from Politics Book IV

Back 37

Constitutional government (mixture between democracy and oligarchy) because:
1. it best strikes a mean between the rich and poor;
2. is most free of factions ; and
3. it best favors the good of all.

Front 38

Policies for establishing a constitutional government from Aristotle's Politics Book IV

Back 38

1. Economic - promote the existence of a strong middle class property owners.
2. Political - combine oligarchical elements of law.
3. Carrots and sticks to encourage political participation.
4. Moderate property qualifications for citizenship and holding of office.
5. Deliberation of public policy divided between the electorate and elected officials.