" (p. 55)
Socrates doesn't argue the point during that discussion but expresses his concern. He later gives many examples to illustrate why morality and justice are more beneficial. However he doesn't specifically answer the argument that given a chance, everyone would sin. Socrates however makes it clear that a man with a moral sense deeply embedded in him wouldn't commit sin even if he were to remain invisible from his fellows because he knows that morality has greater rewards. This person is moved by the inner conviction that morality is indeed as good as God makes it sound. He therefore sticks to moral actions in order to please the God and to get ample rewards. "...morality does have the reputation it enjoys among gods and men. We've found that actually being moral entails benefits..." (p. 369)
Socrates is a suitable person for making this argument because he remained just even when he had a chance to commit injustice. In the Apology, we learn that Socrates was offered a choice that could lead to a life in exile but would have saved his life. Socrates...
Plato's Republic Plato Republic In Plato's Republic, he states that democracy is second only to tyranny as the worst form of government because tyranny arises from democracy. This goes against what most people believe of democracy. Today, democracy is viewed as the best political system because the prime tenets of a democracy are freedom and equality. Essentially, democracy is all about free people governing themselves. However, Plato is critical of democracy precisely
However, the most important argument seems to be the happiness of the city. If responding to an inner need of fulfilling your tasks -- which derive from your very way of being- means happiness for each and every person living from the city, then it is easy to understand how personal happiness and justice contribute to social justice. Justice is the realization of the potential of all the individuals. This realization
To paraphrase Marx several centuries later, this can most easily be summed up as "from each according to his ability to each according to his needs," or, for Plato, "if each person does one thing for which he is naturally suited, and does it at the opportune moment" (48). Here, Plato is acknowledging that not every individual is equal, nor has the same abilities as everyone else. This, in
It lacks unity among members and it also doesn't work for the common good. Socrates defines oligarchy as "A political system which is based on property value, so that the rich have political power, and the poor are excluded from government.'" (286) The person running an oligarchy would be obsessive about money. He will also be "thrifty and hard-working." Being an opportunist, he would try to "make a profit out
Republic, Plato's allegory of the cave is included as a way of describing the path from ignorance to enlightenment. Plato describes a group of people chained inside a cave, who cannot see anything except for the shadows cast on the wall in front of them by other figures. This represents humanity prior to the development of philosophy, because viewing these shadows dancing on a wall is closest people had
If this is true that by the same standard, a person who can keep money can also steal it. Thus a moral person would be at the same time a thief. How can a thief then be moral? After much debate, Socrates states that: "So the claim that it's right and moral to give back to people what they are owed -- if this is taken to mean that
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