Plato’s The Republic, is a complex work that discusses the nature of man, justice, the soul and a just society. The city of Athens was on the verge of ruin after Socrates trial and execution. Plato considers justice to be interconnected with goodness of an individual and a state, thus being the best way for survival. This paper will discuss justice and injustice as exemplified in Plato’s description of the fall of the state and the individual. The conversation begins with Glaucon and Adeimantus reopening the belief that justice has its valid meaning and “demand a proof that justice is not merely useful as bringing external rewards, but intrinsically good as an inward state of the soul” (Pg 41). The points risen by both Glaucon and Adeimantus
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This makes one self-motivating, good and consistent in the society with themselves and others. Justice becomes the sole front of internal harmony and good in a society. The origin and nature of justice is an arrangement that one comes to and is only valuable as it keeps a certain kind of order, predictability and safety. Plato claims that anyone who embraces justice is better off in times of despair and misfortune. He asserts that it is more advantageous for one to be just than unjust because that affects the human soul. Plato states that the highest element of the human soul is “rational.” Plato praises that the nature of good guides one’s actions and their moral character. He shows that we can abolish and treat tension among the state and individuals by understanding the good and ways it can exemplify in the external world therefore the nature of morality must coincide with a just life. The principle set by Plato is that a healthy and an unhealthy soul can result based on one’s consumption of either justice or injustice. He compares a soul to sheep in regards to grazing. If sheep are placed in an area that thrives in poisoned grass, the grass consumption will sicken them overtime thus resulting in death of the sheep. Likewise, an individual placed in an environment of negativity is bound to sicken their soul and mind. Plato believes that having official laws and appropriate education plays a …show more content…
Murder, theft, cheating, dishonesty are examples of unjust acts that manipulate and give an unwarranted advantage over the other. According to Plato, hubris is to insult, push the other person in the subservient position and make them feel ashamed. The inner ego, desire to dominate, the pride and overstepping one’s boundaries result in defeat and downfall of the state. Thus, the doer obtains good whereas the sufferer is left in agony. The system of justice is so that powerful individuals not abuse the system or consolidate their powers over the weak. “Those who have not the power to seize the advantage and escape the harm decide that they would be better off if they made a compact neither to do wrong nor to suffer it” (Pg 44). This leads to the beginning of legislation, society of lawful and the just. Human beings by nature feel vulnerable and are likely to stomp over each other, tilt to scale to make things work out better over the expense of someone else. Thus, the justice system gets rid of the unjust individuals found guilty of breach. These unjust individuals of the state are either to be executed or exiled. We eliminate the unjust and make the inhabitants of the state follow certain rules and if one refuses to abide by them, they are then to be
This makes one self-motivating, good and consistent in the society with themselves and others. Justice becomes the sole front of internal harmony and good in a society. The origin and nature of justice is an arrangement that one comes to and is only valuable as it keeps a certain kind of order, predictability and safety. Plato claims that anyone who embraces justice is better off in times of despair and misfortune. He asserts that it is more advantageous for one to be just than unjust because that affects the human soul. Plato states that the highest element of the human soul is “rational.” Plato praises that the nature of good guides one’s actions and their moral character. He shows that we can abolish and treat tension among the state and individuals by understanding the good and ways it can exemplify in the external world therefore the nature of morality must coincide with a just life. The principle set by Plato is that a healthy and an unhealthy soul can result based on one’s consumption of either justice or injustice. He compares a soul to sheep in regards to grazing. If sheep are placed in an area that thrives in poisoned grass, the grass consumption will sicken them overtime thus resulting in death of the sheep. Likewise, an individual placed in an environment of negativity is bound to sicken their soul and mind. Plato believes that having official laws and appropriate education plays a …show more content…
Murder, theft, cheating, dishonesty are examples of unjust acts that manipulate and give an unwarranted advantage over the other. According to Plato, hubris is to insult, push the other person in the subservient position and make them feel ashamed. The inner ego, desire to dominate, the pride and overstepping one’s boundaries result in defeat and downfall of the state. Thus, the doer obtains good whereas the sufferer is left in agony. The system of justice is so that powerful individuals not abuse the system or consolidate their powers over the weak. “Those who have not the power to seize the advantage and escape the harm decide that they would be better off if they made a compact neither to do wrong nor to suffer it” (Pg 44). This leads to the beginning of legislation, society of lawful and the just. Human beings by nature feel vulnerable and are likely to stomp over each other, tilt to scale to make things work out better over the expense of someone else. Thus, the justice system gets rid of the unjust individuals found guilty of breach. These unjust individuals of the state are either to be executed or exiled. We eliminate the unjust and make the inhabitants of the state follow certain rules and if one refuses to abide by them, they are then to be