Essay on Thrasymachus’ Views on Justice - 939 Words

The position Thrasymachus takes on the definition of justice, as well as its importance in society, is one far differing from the opinions of the other interlocutors in the first book of Plato’s Republic. Embracing his role as a Sophist in Athenian society, Thrasymachus sets out to aggressively dispute Socrates’ opinion that justice is a beneficial and valuable aspect of life and the ideal society. Throughout the course of the dialogue, Thrasymachus formulates three major assertions regarding justice. These claims include his opinion that â€Å"justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger,† â€Å"it is just to obey the rulers,† and â€Å"justice is really the good of another [†¦] and harmful to the one who obeys and serves.† Socrates†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, justice in its true form cannot be used solely for the advantage of the stronger without the masses acknowledging the injustices being imposed upon them, as Thrasymachus suggests is the case. For justice is one of the many characteristics of morality, which is considered to be intrinsic based on an inner conviction.7 Therefore, if the many were acting against said inner conviction wholly for the benefit of the stronger, would they not experience a natural feeling of injustice? This argument alike can be used to refute another of Thrasymachus’ primary claims that â€Å"justice is really the good of another [†¦] and harmful to the one who obeys and serves.†3 In addition to his definition, Thrasymachus argues the value of justice as a human or societal characteristic, claiming that injustice is far more beneficial to the individual. Thrasymachus asserts that tyranny: makes the doer of injustice happiest and the sufferers of it, who are unwilling to do injustice, most wretched.[†¦] injustice, if it is on a large enough scale, is stronger, freer, and more masterly than justice.5 To decide whether an unjust man finds more happiness than a just man does, one must understand the true meaning of the word. The dictionary defines happiness as â€Å"characterized by pleasure, contentment, or joy.†8 Thrasymachus typifies the unjust man as someone who is constantly seeking self-fulfillment, pleasingShow MoreRelatedEssay on Platos Response to Thrasymachus Immoralist View of Justice1491 Words   |  6 PagesPlatos Response to Thrasymachus Immoralist View of Justice In Book 1 of the ‘Republic’, Socrates, in answer to the question ‘What is Justice?’ is presented with a real and dangerous alternative to what he thinks to be the truth about Justice. Julia Annas believes Thrasymachus thinks Justice and Injustice do have a real existence that is independent of human institutions; and that Thrasymachus makes a decided commitment to Injustice. She calls this view ‘Immoralism’: â€Å"the immoralist holdsRead MoreEssay on Socrates vs Thrasymachus1653 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween Socrates and Thrasymachus about the nature of justice. The disaccord between their views of the subject is extremely pronounced, but there are certain underlying agreements which guide the course of the debate. One way to evaluate the validity of the arguments involved is to examine whether the assumptions at the root of the argument are in accord with this common ground. By my reading of the dialogue, Socrates’ reply to the firs t part of Thrasymachus’ definition of justice rests safely uponRead More Justice In Book I Of The Republic Essay example889 Words   |  4 Pagesthis does not portray an accurate description of what justice is. The rest of the first book is a discussion of the definition of justice, mainly that of Thrasymachus definition. Socrates takes his normal role as an interrogator of peoples views. The conversation focuses on justice but actually must be viewed in the context of how each individual can lead the best life possible. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Thrasymachus states that quot;justice is simply the interest of the strongerquot; (338 c)Read MoreThe Ethical Egoist: Whats the Problem in Plato’s The Republic, Socrates824 Words   |  3 PagesIn Plato’s The Republic, Socrates tries to explain the value of justice to man. Other educated Athenians challenge him, however Socrates pokes holes in all of their statements. Socrates argues that there are many problems with their views on social philosophy, especially when it comes to Thrasymachus’ idea of ethical egoism. Plato delivers his view of justice through Socrates when he responds to Thrasymachus, Glaucon, and Cephalus on the issue. Throughout the discussion, Plato never argues againstRead MoreSocrates Definition Of Justice Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesJustice â€Å"What is justice?† This is a question that men have struggled with answering for centuries. Justice should be defined for the sake of all people, especially by rulers who attempt to make fair laws so that their society functions in an orderly fashion. In Book 1 of The Republic, Plato attempts to define exactly what justice is. To help determine this definition, he speaks through the philosopher protagonist of Socrates. Justice is first brought up in The Republic during Socrates’ tripRead MoreJustice Is A Philosophical Concept Of Relevance Or Truth901 Words   |  4 PagesJustice is a philosophical concept of relevance or truth in ethics. Although justice is arguably fundamental to any ethical system, the definition of â€Å"justice† and what is â€Å"just† is widely disputed among philosophers and thinkers. Various conceptions of justice place it in dependence of a legal system, equality or fairness, religious teachings or human rationality. What is just, what is to be done, and the response to actions that go against what is just is the only concern with justice (BlackRead More The Importance of Thrasymachus in Plato’s Republic Essay923 Words   |  4 PagesThe Importance of Thrasymachus in Plato’s Republic   Ã‚      Dr. Malters’s comments: This student does two things quite remarkable for an undergraduate student. In his compact essay, not only does he display an in-depth understanding of complex perspectives on justice put forth by the protagonist Socrates, he deftly explains how Plato has artfully made rude objections by a seemingly minor character early in the dialogue function as a structuring device for nearly all the important ideas examinedRead MoreThe Ethical Egoist in Platos Republic Essay989 Words   |  4 Pagesdefine justice. Furthermore, he aimed to define justice in such a way as to show that it is good for its own sake, in and of itself. In The Republic, Plato speaks through Socrates in an attempt to prove this claim. In Book I, he focuses specifically on a couple of questions: What is justice? Why is justice important? Book I of The Republic puts Socrates discussing justice within a group of companions. Their conversation begins by discussing and arguing the various definitions of justice andRead MoreEssay on Thrasymachus and Socrates780 Words   |  4 Pageshave opposing views on a simple, yet elusive question: what is justice? In this paper, I will explain Thrasymachus’ definition of justice, as well as Socrates’s rebuttals and differences in opinion. In addition, I will comment on the different arguments made by both Socrates and Thrasymachus, and offer critical commentary and examples to illustrate my agreement or disagreement with the particular argument at hand. The debate between Thrasymachus and Socrates begins when Thrasymachus gives his definitionRead MorePlato s Theory Of Human Nature1254 Words   |  6 Pagesmainly focuses on defining justice to the simplest form by asking Thrasymachus. Plato uses many forms to discover the ideal society, or republic, which is inspired through an early philosopher such as Socrates. Plato was inspired by Socrates and how his interactions with people were in a sense of questioning principals, guidelines, and rules of society. Now Socrates primarily has made the interaction of discussing what many topics with Thrasymachus such as the most common justice. Also its pin points