Plato's Republic Flashcards
1
Q
When was Plato’s Republic written?
A
380 BC circa
2
Q
Describe Socrates (Critic or supporter?, death?, affect of his death on Plato?)
A
- Difficult critic of Athenian presumptions
- Put to death by Athens for morally corrupting young men by his thinking
- Plato blamed democracy for Socrates’ death
3
Q
What was justice according to Thrasymachus?
A
Justice is simply the interest of the stronger:
- The stronger make rules to ensure their power, labeling it justice
4
Q
What was Socrates’ response to Thrasymachus?
A
Justice is a real thing:
- Injustice produces internal individual and societal disharmony which prevents effective actions
- So, all classes must be in equilibrium in a state
- > just as in an individual mind (physical, mental, spiritual etc.)
5
Q
What is the just state?
A
3 philosopher rulers:
Auxillaries (executives, police, military):
- Cannot own property
- Cannot have children
- All food and shelter provided by producer class
Producer class:
- No power
- Own property, wealth, children
6
Q
What’s so special about the philosopher rulers?
A
- Trained thoughly in philophy, ethics
- Trained to know what is good, which supposedly results in desiring for good to occur
7
Q
Why did Plato fail in his idea?
A
- Too extreme
- > totalitarian
- > women of auxilary class have children taken away to ensure professional development
