Plato's Idea Of Justice And Goodness Essay

The idea of justice and goodness is a central topic in philosophy, and extremely important in both Plato’s The Republic and St. Augustine’s Confessions. In these works, the philosophers are able to critically think about what is good and how goodness and justice affect the lives of individuals. Though these definitions may seem simple and universal, they are still able to be refuted against. Plato, who’s character in his work is the esteemed philosopher Socrates, spends a lot of time discussing and debating with others over what makes up a good or just man. Always having ethics in mind, Plato concludes that a just and good person does not harm others, and carefully considers his actions to weigh the outcomes in case they are harmful. The just …show more content…
For the case of a truly just man, in the ideal and Platonic meaning of the word, there is nothing wrong with devoting a large amount of focus and energy on benefiting other people. However, the real world is not ideal or perfect, and this leads to a misconception over the true definition of a just man. How can someone, who themselves is not perfect and may not be truly just, spend large masses of time devoted to helping others, when they themselves have an imperfect perspective on the world and life? To take time to reflect inward and have difficult meditations with oneself is a very humanizing thing, and it is necessary to do so in order to come to terms with reality and one’s current state of being. Plato’s “just man” and Augustine’s “good man” are two very idealistic concepts of a person, but the fact that they are still human must be considered, as humans are inherently imperfect. The only way someone can grow and truly analyze their state of being is by being truthfully vulnerable and honest with themselves, helping them become a good and just