Friday, May 22, 2020

Attaining Virtue in The Republic of Plato - 695 Words

In the Republic of Plato, the philosopher Socrates lays out his notion of the good, and draws the conclusion that virtue must be attained before one can be good. For Socrates there are two kinds of virtue; collective and individual. Collective virtue is virtue as whole, or the virtues of the city. Individual virtue pertains to the individual himself, and concerns the acts that the individual does, and concerns the individual’s soul. For Socrates, the relationship between individual and collective virtue is that they are the same, as the virtues of the collective parallel those of the Individual. This conclusion can be reached as both the city and the soul deal with the four main virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. To be begin with, an individual cannot be good until they have attained the virtue of wisdom, and the same can be said for the city. For the individual, the person must not only be wise himself, but his soul must have wisdom. The only way to achieve this according to Socrates, is through for philosophy. In this way it is the same for the city, for in the city, wisdom lies with the guardians as they are the philosophers. The guardians are put in charge of the city because of their knowledge of how the city should be run. Because of this, the Guardians wisdom becomes the City’s. (Book IV) The second virtue that must be attained is courage. For the Individual, courage must be in the soul to resist temptations, and to be ready to fight. The same is forShow MoreRelatedThe Soul And Consciousness Of Revolutionary Politics1482 Words   |  6 Pagescontrasting the political psychology of Plato’s Republic and Karl Marx’s political theory. Their concepts of group consciousness will be contrasted as well as how the nature and existence of ideology affect their theories. This will be concluded by a discussion on how the understanding of political psychology contributes to our concepts of political duty and freedom. But first, their theories of the soul must be explained. II De Anima Plato’s Republic is not only a political treatise but also a psychologicalRead More Different Perceptions of Beauty in Nature Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesNature Ralph Waldo Emerson derived his philosophy of transcendentalism from ideas of Plato. According to Emerson, one has to have a very sensual relationship with beauty and nature in order to reach this transcendence. However, Emerson’s outlook on beauty as written in Nature is very different from what Plato wrote in The Republic. Interestingly, these differences will result in different methods for attaining the same state of transcendence. I believe, however, that Emerson’s method best describesRead More Plato and Augustine’s Conceptions of Happiness Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Plato and Augustine offer unusual conceptions of what one must acquire to live a truly happy life. While the conventional view of happiness normally pertains to wealth, financial stability, and material possessions, Plato and Augustine suggest that true happiness is rooted in something independent of objects or people. Though dissimilar in their notions of that actual root, each res pective philosophy views the attaining of that happiness as a path, a direction. Plato’s philosophy revolvesRead MoreReconciling The Divergence Of The Nature Of Man Between Classic And Modern Thinkers1425 Words   |  6 PagesWithin Book 2 of Plato’s work The Republic, Socrates’ companion Glaucon describes the tale of the ring of Gyges, challenging Socrates on the nature of man. Within the ring of Gyges scenario, Glaucon posits that when an individual has the power granted by a ring of absolute invisibility that grants impunity, â€Å"no one [†¦] would be so incorruptible that he would stay on the path of justice or stay away from other people’s property, when he could take whatever he wanted† (Plato 360c). Glaucon’s question presupposesRead MorePlato s Republic : A Practical Approach1904 Words   |  8 PagesIn Plato’s Republic, Socrates engages in a theoretical discussion to understand the nature of justice and virtues which ultimately will lead to the Form of the Good and happiness in the soul. Likewise, in Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle takes a practical approach to discern how to achieve Eudaimonia, the universal good, through virtues. Although they both agree that virtues are detrimental in attaining the good, they have different accounts of what â€Å"good† is, and have different means of achievingRead MoreEssay about Plato vs Machiavelli1052 Words   |  5 Pagesdisparities between Plato and Machiavelli, the distinction of virtue versus virtu sticks out like a sore thumb. Virtue was the political bases for Plato: All men should behave virtuously at all times. Whereas Machiavelli believed virtu was the basis for political prowess. What was best for the state as a whole was the main concern, and the ends always justified the means. Plato’s object was the creation of a utopian society--a civilization that abhorred war and centered itself upon moral virtue and honorRead MoreAnalysis of Socrates Definition of Justice in The Republic2604 Words   |  10 Pagesthe journey toward justice is one of labor but not one that is implausible. Context Plato founded the Academy at Athens after Socrates death and preserved the lessons that Socrates had taught, essentially laying a foundation for the study of philosophy in Western Civilization. Platos Republic seeks to unite the lessons of the Academy with the circle of politics that occupied much of Platos life: The Republic, in fact, teaches that unless philosophy and politics unite completely, the evils ofRead MoreAristotle And Marcus Cicero s Perceptions Of Virtue Ethics And The Development Of Economic Society1623 Words   |  7 Pageseconomy, engage in activities motivated by self interest. Activities such as attaining loans and generating income have become norms in today’s society, and are considered supplementary to the economy as a whole. But philosophers have always questioned the morality of how one conducts himself in society. In this essay, we will examine Plato, Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Marcus Cicero’s perceptions of what virtue e thics are, and how they facilitated the development of economic societyRead More Plato on Education as the Development of Reason Essay3512 Words   |  15 PagesPlato on Education as the Development of Reason ABSTRACT: Socrates great educational innovation was in ascribing moral worth to the intellectual activity reflectively directed at ones own life. His concept of eudaimonia was so different from the ordinary that talking about it took on sometimes a paradoxical air, as in Apology 30b3. For him, reason is not a tool for attaining goals independently thought worthwhile; rather, rationality itself, expressed in the giving of reasons and the avoidanceRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Views On Modern Political Thought And Regime1902 Words   |  8 Pagesideas theorized by the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle over two millennia ago on this subject still resonate strongly today, influencing modern political thought and regime construction. Plato contends the ideal state is one ruled by a class of guardians, or â€Å"philosopher-kings†. These philosopher-kings are selected to rule because they are best fit for the responsibility. Aristotle, a pupil of Plato, acknowledges an d agrees with Plato on the point that states ruled by philosopher-kings

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.