PART II: JUSTICE IN THE STATE AND THE INDIVIDUAL (Comprises Books II-IV)
Books II & III
1. What three kinds of Goods are there?
2. On what logic does Glaucon’s devil’s advocate argument rest?
3. Does the Gyges of Lydia Myth support this view of human nature?
4. Does Glaucon’s view (similar to Social Contract theory) suggest (or presume) an
approach to justice where one works to be seen to be just, than to inherently be just?
Glaucon’s “counterfactual” idea of Justice: The good life is best procured through
injustice (when one can get away with it) masked by a good reputation and atoned for by
bribery (of the Gods).
Glaucon’s notion of Justice is a counterfactual that nicely sets up Socrates’s (very
different) account of Justice .
6. How does Socrates’s begin his response to Glaucon’s counterfactual? Socrates
does not use the social contract type argument of Glaucon (see Question 2 above).
Why do we form cities or “society” according to Socrates? Be able to discuss the
similarities between Socrates account of how cities are born with Adam Smith’s
notions of specialization of labor and theory of comparative advantage, as
discussed in class.
7. Does Socrates prefer a citizen army or a professional army (mercenaries)? Why?
End of Book II through End of Book III: Selection & Education of the Guardians
8. What is Socrates’s/Plato’s argument for censorship of some epic poetry &
mythology? What do you think of Plato’s position that children should not be
exposed to evil before their character is partly formed.
Clearly the ancient Greeks did not value personal freedom and negative liberty as
we moderns do. In light of this, are Plato’s efforts at censorship excusable? Or,
do they represent an unwarranted totalitarian move?
9. What is the myth of the Metals? How does it help maintain a class society? Is
Socrates’ New City a meritocracy?
10. Why is not better to be a ruler than a craftsman? How will the Guardians live?
Their communal living situation in Spartan surroundings will tend to cancel out the perks
of power. No one class, Rulers, Auxiliaries (Soldiers), and Workers (Money-making
class or Craftspeople) will be happy than the other classes.
A chief function of the City is the equal well-being of all classes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Book IV
- Selection of Rulers: How the Guardians Live (III 412 B – IV 421 C)
- The Guardians Duties (421 C – 427 C)
- Virtues in the State (427 C – 434 D)
- 3 Parts of the Soul (434 D 441 C)
- Virtues in the Individual (441 C – 445 B)
- Understand how each of the 4 cardinal virtues (wisdom, courage, moderation, justice) is
to be found in the City, and in each individual.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------After IV-445-C (p. 228 bottom right), we have a digression on the Ideal Society, which
lasts until V-473-C (p. 242 bottom right).
You can skim this section (p. 228 bottom right through p. 242 bottom right).
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