The Republic II
The Republic II
by Plato
Contents:
The State
Luxuries
Justice for children
- literature
- heroes
Army
Merchant
Story of Gyges
Socrates Point & Stories Point
Sources
The State
- the state provides for the people to create a better life for the citizens(purpose)
-> people then are more likely to comply with the state.
-> like education and necessities
-> education helps both the state and person, with long term effect
- the state provides for human needs not desires
- the state determines the quality of the product that the people receive
- no manner of life can provide what the state can provide
- the state provides the things that the people are incapable of providing for themselves
-no place does it have to rule over people
Luxuries
©
© causes distraction among the people- they do not focus on what they need, but what they want
co contradicts justice: in the end the person is looking out for themselves and not others.
© Ex: rich people would want more servants
© if the state has and wants more luxuries, it leads to war
war is the ultimate consequence
ALSO luxuries require resources
© Ex: desire for more land needs a resource for more land
© & again can lead to war ( ex. roman empire)
(For Children to be Just)
(Literature)
Stories inspire the children. If the stories convey positive material then the children will be influenced to act in a good way rather than a bad way.
It would be just the opposite if the stories or any other form of entertainment were conveying a negative message. The children would more than likely live life in a negative way and have bad actions.
(Heroes)
Heroes inspire children to follow in their footsteps. Depending on the hero will make an impact on the way the children behave and carry themselves.
(Army)
¨ The Army provides protection for a country and citizens. Often times the army was composed of citizens.
- the citizens wernt well trained
-they had families and jobs & the militia came second-> as a hobby
(Merchant)
* The merchant provides food, clothes, and water for the people.
* The introduction of luxuries lead to war makes them not focus, and also people would not want more war.
* The army provides protects fro the countries and the citizens
(Story of Gyges
)
)
- From Lydia
- Does service unto the king as a shepherd
- Mountain rose up in his field
- Cave was formed
- Corpse in the cave
- Corpse had a ring of invisibility
- He wears ring and becomes invisible
- Uses ring to seduce Queen
- With her help, he murdered the king
- Became King of Lydia
(Socrates point):
No man is so virtuous as to resist temptation of putting on and misusing the rings.
(Story shows):
If one is...
Observed --> One acts justly
Not observed -->One acts unjustly
Example:
A person would not steal items in a store a during blow-out sale.
Someone in an empty aisle would steal an item off the shelf when “no one’s looking”.
-> justice isnt thought of as good. it is equal to the well being of a state and the individuals.
-> says tha goods are casted into three groups
1) to just own good
2)for the good & its result
3) just for the result
Sources
- Bernard, Suzanne. "The Ring of Gyges." Plato's Dialogues the Republic. November 22, 1989. 25 May 2007 http://plato-dialogues.org/tetra_4/republic/gyges.htm.
- file:///H:\The_Republic_II.mm
- Jarvis, Chris. "Plato and the Ring of Gyges." Business and Ethical Thinking. 5 May 2007. 25 May 2007 <http://www.bola.biz/ethics/gyges.html>.
- http://www.badalijewelry.com/theonering.htm
- http://www.awnol.com/page/AWI/CTGY/T4/?source=google
- notes from Republic II
- "The U.S. Dollar Bill." W3WWW-Home of Ron's World. 25 May 2007 <http://www.gsl.net/w5www/dollarbill.html>.
- http://www.officer.com/