In The Republic, one of Plato 's main goals is to define justice in a way that shows it is worthwhile in and of itself. Early on, in Book II, Plato claims that the idea of political justice is contingent upon the principle of specialization, a principle requiring each person in society to fulfill their specific societal role based on their nature and their resulting societal class. "It follows from this that in any enterprise more is produced—and that it is better and more easily produced—when one person does a single task which is suited to his nature, and does it at the right time, keeping himself free from other tasks” (Plato, 370c). This requires that everyone in society, regardless of their gender, does what their nature best suits them
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Thus, a society is "just" when the relationship between the three classes is harmonious, such that each group ensures they do not undermine other groups while acting accordingly in terms of what they do and how they do it. At the end of Book IV, Plato attempts to show that individual justice mirrors political justice because like political justice, it yields the claim that each person has a soul made up of three parts, all of which correspond with the three classes in society. “Is there one element in us for learning, another for feeling spirited, and yet a third for our desire for the pleasures of food, sex, and things like that?” (Plato, 436 a-b). The rational part of the soul is responsible for seeking truth, as well as our individual philosophical inclinations and relates to the guardian class, whereas the spirited part of the soul corresponds to the auxiliaries, desires honor and is responsible for anger and indignation; the appetitive portion corresponds to the producers and lusts for carnal desires, such as sex, food, and money. Individual justice consists of …show more content…
In order to have a just society, you must have just individuals ruling society, a claim that Plato wholeheartedly supports. In Book V, Plato begins examining who specifically can be the just individuals ruling society and whether or not the guardians can come to include women. “Do we think female watchdogs should do their share of watching, in the same way as a male watchdogs? Should they do their share of hunting, and join in other activities? Or do we think that bearing and raising puppies makes them incapable of doing their share? Do we expect the females to stay at home indoors while the males do the work and have the whole responsibility for the flocks?” (Plato, 451d). Here, Socrates notes that men and women are only different for superficial reasons. They are different in terms of relative strength, genitalia and reproduction, yet this is not a meaningful difference as it does not and should not undermine who they are and what they are able to do in society as hardworking individuals. Socrates and his counterparts then come to conclude that although there are various activities each gender are typically responsible for, this does not correlate with their natural inclinations. Instead, they realize that men and women are equal in terms of various talents and abilities and
Thus, a society is "just" when the relationship between the three classes is harmonious, such that each group ensures they do not undermine other groups while acting accordingly in terms of what they do and how they do it. At the end of Book IV, Plato attempts to show that individual justice mirrors political justice because like political justice, it yields the claim that each person has a soul made up of three parts, all of which correspond with the three classes in society. “Is there one element in us for learning, another for feeling spirited, and yet a third for our desire for the pleasures of food, sex, and things like that?” (Plato, 436 a-b). The rational part of the soul is responsible for seeking truth, as well as our individual philosophical inclinations and relates to the guardian class, whereas the spirited part of the soul corresponds to the auxiliaries, desires honor and is responsible for anger and indignation; the appetitive portion corresponds to the producers and lusts for carnal desires, such as sex, food, and money. Individual justice consists of …show more content…
In order to have a just society, you must have just individuals ruling society, a claim that Plato wholeheartedly supports. In Book V, Plato begins examining who specifically can be the just individuals ruling society and whether or not the guardians can come to include women. “Do we think female watchdogs should do their share of watching, in the same way as a male watchdogs? Should they do their share of hunting, and join in other activities? Or do we think that bearing and raising puppies makes them incapable of doing their share? Do we expect the females to stay at home indoors while the males do the work and have the whole responsibility for the flocks?” (Plato, 451d). Here, Socrates notes that men and women are only different for superficial reasons. They are different in terms of relative strength, genitalia and reproduction, yet this is not a meaningful difference as it does not and should not undermine who they are and what they are able to do in society as hardworking individuals. Socrates and his counterparts then come to conclude that although there are various activities each gender are typically responsible for, this does not correlate with their natural inclinations. Instead, they realize that men and women are equal in terms of various talents and abilities and