What is Socrates argument in the Republic?
What is Socrates argument in the Republic?
Socrates offers three argument in favor of the just life over the unjust life: (i) the just man is wise and good, and the unjust man is ignorant and bad (349b); (ii) injustice produces internal disharmony which prevents effective actions (351b); (iii) virtue is excellence at a thing’s function and the just person lives …
Why does cephalus leave?
Cephalus represents the old order, or the most natural authority. Cephalus is the center of the discussion, but he leaves the dialogue after it has only just begun, in order to continue making sacrifices and pray to the god.
What does cephalus say about old age?
His answer: “If I were twenty years younger, I’d say I had the flu.”) Cephalus reports that old age has its advantages (apparently including the loss of his once intense and distracting interest in sex), and concedes that his being wealthy makes old age more comfortable than it is for some people.
How does Socrates relate to the old as represented by Cephalus?
11After listening to Cephalus’ view of old age, Socrates says that he is « full of wonder » and that he wants to hear more. It is character, not wealth, that allows one to bear old age well because if he has a bad character, even a wealthy man will never be at peace with himself (330a).
What does cephalus say about wealth?
Cephalus replies that he is happy to have escaped his youthful sexual appetite (one of many passions he has learned to overcome), that wealth in age provides a man the liberty of always telling the truth (never misrepresenting himself in word or deed), and that one obvious advantage of money is that it enables a man to …
How is justice defined in the Republic?
Polemarchus says justice is “the art which gives good to friends and evil to enemies.” Thrasymachus proclaims “justice is nothing else than the interest of the stronger.” Socrates overturns their definitions and says that it is to one’s advantage to be just and disadvantage to be unjust.
Why does Plato speak through Socrates?
Socrates taught Plato. So Socrates was a firm believer that writing his ideas down was a bad idea for whatever reason. So Plato, in his original writing, made Socrates his main character and wrote what his teacher had taught him (Socrates’ ideas). Hence, Socrates was a major character in Platos works.
Why did Plato prefer putting his messages in dialogues?
Plato tells us that he felt writing would inhibit the exchange of ideas and that people would become dependent on the written word as they would no longer have to remember what they had learned.