Republic Book 1 Reading Guide Flashcards
What year did Plato live?
429 BCE-347 BCE
Who were the Sophists?
Wise, or skilled thinkers. The sophists were often critical of traditional ideas and practices, questioning whether things were as they were because of nature or simply because of convention
What are the main topics of the Republic?
The Socratic method, Plato’s artistry, and some of his most important ideas
During the festival, what two choices did Polemarchus give Socrates? What third option did Socrates provide?
To “stay here, or fight for it.”; Socrates provides the option of persuading them to let them go. Pg. 139.
Describe Polemarchus’ definition of justice at this point. What mistake does Socrates point out if this definition is put into practice?
That justice is to help your friends and hurt your enemies; “when people have made mistakes in their men, it will be just both to hurt their friends—for they have bad ones, and also to benefit their enemies—for they have good ones.
Who is Thrasymachus and what does he do during the preceding discussion? What definition of justice did Thrasymachus propose?
A Sophist. He makes all this ruckus about Socrates only questioning your questions instead of answering them.; Justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger.
Socrates will question Thrasymachus’ definition. Why does Thrasymachus change his definition?
Because Socrates purposely questioned Thrasymachus until he could define Justice in a way that could better explain himself.
Thrasymachus then changed his argument to say that the just man always “finishes last,” and is more unhappy than the unjust man. He concluded by saying that “injustice, when it is grand enough, is more might than justice, more generous, more masterly.” Think about how you would respond to this statement. How does Socrates respond?
He urges Thrasymachus to further explain what he means because Socrates wants to learn. He assures Thrasymachus what he is defining, Justice, is not an easy task, and says he is not convinced and doesn’t believe that injustice is more profitable than justice, not even if you leave it free and let it do what it likes. Pg. 161 He also urges Thrasymachus to convince him and the others with them that they are not right in valuing justice more highly than injustice.
