Plato’s Republic by: Giovanna ,Chase, and Andrew

1. Plato’sRepublicby: Giovanna ,Chase, and Andrew

2. The Republic A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible for them, excluding slaves.

3. Main Characters • Socrates • Adeimantus • Cephalus • Glaucon • Polemarchus • Thrasymachus

4. Book I • A just man is good and would do no evil • Justice is in the interest of the stronger (Polemarchus). • The unjust live better then the just. • Justice is Virtue and wisdom and injustice is vice and ignorance. • Injustice can never be more profitable then justice.

5. Book II • Justice is the good that the happy man loves both for it’s own sake and for the effects it produces. • Only those who are just lack the power to be unjust. • The ring of Gyges: ring of justice/injustice. • Unjust man: His behavior must be like that of a clever craftsman. When making a mistake he must be able to recover and correct himself • Just man: Noble and pure. Wants to be good rather than seem good. Be stripped of everything but justice

6. Book IV • Founding the city- not to make any one class happier than the rest but how to make the whole city as happy as possible. • Wealth and poverty ruin craftsman. • Each man must perform the work that best suits his own nature. • Four virtues are found to be the same in the city as they are in the individual

7. 4 virtues • Courage- (warriors) Strengthened by education • Wisdom- (Guardians) good counsel • Temperance- (Craftsman) moderation, consensual agreement between superior and inferior as to who should rule. • Justice- Each citizen does his/her own contributions

8. Book V • Men are stronger than women • If women are to do same things they need to be taught the same things • Nature made a great difference between men and women • Sex can’t be the criterion in appointments to government positions.

9. Book VII • A well governed city becomes a possibility only if you can discover a better way of life for future rulers. This is the only way a ruler can be truly happy. • This is impossible if men become like beggars and go into politics so that they can better their personal lives. • Those in office shouldn’t be lovers of power • Must meet and overcome every obstacle without permitting his reason to falter.

10. Book vii cont. • Arithmetic- naturally leads to real knowledge • Geometry – better knowledge across the board • Astronomy- heightened awareness of seasons, months and years. Will be useful for agriculture, navigation, and war

11. Allegory of the cave

12. Book X • Imitators- creates illusion, doesn’t understand reality but only what reality appears to be. • Imitation- far from the truth • Grief prevents us from attaining the thing we need the most and as quickly as possible • 3 arts: Arts that uses, art that creates, and art that imitates. • Evil corrupts and destroys and Good purifies and preserves.

13. Questions? • What were Plato’s thoughts about gender equalities? • Do you agree that justice for the city is the same as justice for the individual? • Is it better to be just or unjust? • Do you think justice is stronger than injustice or vice versa?