POLS 1002 Lecture 1: Book 1 = Plato, The Republic
Document Summary
We know socrates (469-399 bc) mainly through plato"s (428-348 bce) writings. The aim of the book is to define justice, give the correct best definition possible. Socrates was plato"s teacher, plato wrote the book. Element of idealization, socrates is always right. Socrates wanted to know if he was wise, eventually condemned to death for embarrassing other wise men. Modest wisdom, he knows what he doesn"t know. Other greeks saw this as bad, socrates went around asking other wise men about their topics of study, making them aware of their own ignorance, angered them. Plato wanted to see if socratic philosophy and democratic politics could be reconciled. No, philosophy already meets the standard of justice, democracy cannot meet it. The ultimate aim of the republic is to make justice at the level of the city-state. Cephalus (an aged businessman) lives justly, doesn"t know why. Being rich is not the point of life.
