Plato s point is that, once a given state or a given man begins to decline morally, his fall will become somehow inexorable, the plummet to ruin inevitable. According to plato, what are the weaknesses of a democracy. Now in book viii socrates returns to his examples of unjust societies and unjust men. The tyrant is the son of the democrat except worse. A substantial section of book 9 should be read as a direct continuation of book 8. It is known as a socratic dialogue and is perhaps one of plato s best known works. Power, plato would agree, corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Plato founded the academy, an educational institution dedicated to pursuing philosophic truth. The argument of the republic is the search after justice, the nature of which is first hinted at by cephalus, the just and blameless old manthen discussed on the basis of proverbial morality by socrates and polemarchusthen caricatured by thrasymachus and partially explained by socrates reduced to an abstraction by glaucon and adeimantus. Platos point is that, once a given state or a given man begins to decline morally, his fall will become somehow inexorable, the plummet to ruin inevitable. With erik anderson, martin horn, alex mccooeye, mehrtash mohit. The republic book viii summary and analysis gradesaver.
In platos republic book 1, thrasymachus argues that morality is the advantage of the stronger. Get a detailed summary and analysis of every chapter in the book from. There are any number of reasons for this, but one of them is the sheer breadth of topics and issues that plato introduces over the course of the dialogue. The republic is undoubtedly one of plato s masterworks and one of the most influential and widely read books in the history of philosophy. In his lifetime, plato had only ever seen tyrants driven by lust and greed. George moore says, paters complaint that platos sentences are long may be regarded as paters single excursion into humor. In book two, socrates, thrasymachus and adeimantus decide to focus on a. According to the story, gyges, a young shepherd in the service of the king of lydia was out with his flock one day when a great storm occurred. True art is not fanciful and imitative, but simple and ideal,the expression of the highest moral energy, whether in action or repose. To therejectionof imitativepoetry,whichcertainlyought not to be received.
Gyges descended into the crevice where he found, among other things, a bronze horse, with doors. Now that the true state and true human have been clearly illustrated, the philosophers can revive the thread introduced earlier in the dialogue. Ready to call it a night, theyre intercepted by a whole gang of their acquaintances, who eventually convince them to come hang out at polemarchus s house and have a nice, long chat. The discourse begins with socrates heralding their need to backtrack a little. In it, socrates and various other athenians and foreigners discuss the meaning of justice and whether the just man is happier than the unjust man by. Particularly notable is plato s harsh portrait of the tyrannical type of man, who develops perhaps surprisingly from a modern perspective from the democratic man. At the beginning of book 10, socrates returns to his frontal assault on the status and role of poetry in the ideal state. The central flaw in democracy, in his view, is an uncontrolled desire for freedom, which evolves into anarchy, thus leading to tyranny an attempt to control the anarchy.
It is one of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory, and arguably plato s best known work. Platos theory of degradation set forth a gradual deterioration through the successive stages of timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and despotism. Plato s theory of degradation set forth a gradual deterioration through the successive stages of timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and despotism. Also, the kings are to be those among them who have proved to be the best, both in philosophy and in warfare.
It is very frequent in the republic, usually with cf. So in many places socrates refers to what others are saying. Readers here should be sure to coordinate plato s remarks on poetry with the commentary in book 3, which constitutes the first phase of the discussion. Plato s republic plato s republic the republic by plato 360 b. It is a complex work, one that rambles due to the nature of it being a dialogue rather than a pure expository piece, but one with some interesting and applicable ideas within it nonetheless. Plato s the republic is one of the more widely read works of philosophy of all time. We are now ready for book x of the present dialogue, which presents platos view of the arts and platos theory of the immortality of the soul. He loses all reason, is overwhelmed by his appetites, and succumbs to a kind of madness. Summary of justice in platos republic reason and meaning. Chapter summary for platos the republic, book 8 summary. There are nearer approaches to modern metaphysics in. It is a fiction book in the format of a discussion between socrates and others.
If, he said, there are sacred treasures in the city, he will confiscate and spend them. Now he prepares to argue that a just life is a happy one. Check out our revolutionary side byside summary and analysis. It aims to debate and conclusively determine the meaning of justice. To support his view, thrasymachus first claims that the governments, which are the stronger parties, always pass laws based on their own interest, and then argues that subjects must always obey these laws, therefore morality is the advantage of the stronger. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The republic, books 610 loeb classical library, no. Res publica is a socratic dialogue, written by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice. Res publica was written in 380 bc and this version was translated by benjamin jowett in 1871. In plato s republic book 1, thrasymachus argues that morality is the advantage of the stronger. Socrates argues that there are four main types of unjust states.
In book viii of platos republic, socrates moves from the discussion of the ideal state of aristocracy to a discussion of the four unjust types of. Buy the republic penguin classics 3rd by plato, melissa lane, h. The republic study guide contains a biography of plato, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Near to where he was tending sheep, there was an earthquake, opening a crevice into the ground. Plato does not mean here that his are the only types, or that each state would. Librivox recording of platos republic read by librivox volunteers. In book vii socrates argues that justice involves searching for understanding of the forms, and imitating them, thus making justice itself good since the forms are the source of all good. As written by plato, the republic does not have these indicators. The second is that justice is helping ones friends and harming ones enemies. For starters, its a conversation so earthshatteringly deep, serious, and lifealtering that it takes up an entire 300page book. Curiously, socrates does not seem to consider these arguments to be coequal when he announces the third and final proof as the greatest and most decisive of the overthrows.
Many have struggled with how republic is written, since it s mostly dialogues. Summary in book v, socrates was about to develop his theories of injustice by. Summary the ring of gyges in platos republic reason and. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. To become a good guardian, a man must be by nature fast, strong, and a spirited philosopher. Oct 19, 2015 summary and analysis of book 9 of platos republic. Justice is practiced only under compulsion, as someone elses good not our own. But now that we have finished this topic let us recall the point at which we entered on the digression that has brought us here, so that we may proceed on our way. It is one of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory, and arguably platos best known work. The republic book viii great books of the western world. Thus the audio book version, where different characters are narrated by different actors excellently, is the most pleasant way to enjoy the content of plato s republic.
In book 8 socrates discusses these forms, or political constitutions, in turn. They come up with a class of wild, terrible, lawless desires which reveal themselves in our sleep. In book v, socrates was about to develop his theories of injustice by arguing examples of injustice, when polemarchus and adeimantus asked him to continue his conversation about the guardians. According to platos argument in the republic, the inherent weakness of democracy exists, being known as the extreme of popular liberty where there emerges complete equality and liberty in the relations among the sexes and slaves are claimed to possess the same degree of liberty as their masters. In this book, socrates begins by sharpening his view of the tyrant as an individual and not merely as a part of the tyrannical state see book viii. It is also devilishly difficult to truly understand. In book x of our dialogue, socrates will argue platonic theory, or conjecture questions of probability. The republic study guide contains a biography of plato, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. At the beginning of book 8 socrates summarizes the main features of the perfect state, and glaucon recalls socrates had previously promised the company to discuss the four principal forms of defective, or lessthanperfect, states.
Res publica is a socratic dialogue, authored by plato around 375 bc, concerning justice. The republic book ix summary and analysis gradesaver. Plato s republic, book viii book viii starts with a useful summary of the republic socrates has envisioned. They are timocracy rule for the sake of honor, oligarchy rule of the few. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the republic. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the republic and what it means. Platosoc then proceeds to extrapolate from these results to make a case for paternalistism. The unjust man enjoys life better than the just book 2, pg.
In book 9 of platos republic we find three proofs for the claim that the just person is happier than the unjust person. Platos republic full text books free to read online in. Previous part 7 next part 9 and enquire how the tyrant will maintain that fair and numerous and various and everchanging army of his. The republic is a socratic dialogue by plato, written in approximately 380 bc. Platos republic, book 9 i think its funny, my last entry about platos republic books has the second highest views of all my entries. Reviewed by michelle jenkins, whitman college the republic is undoubtedly one of plato s masterworks and one of the most influential and widely read books in the history of philosophy. On wrong or right government, and the pleasure of each summary. The internet classics archive the republic by plato.
As plato expresses this in the republic, he asks us to envisage humans as comprised of a multiheaded beast, a lion, and a human. Aug 17, 2009 book viii starts with a useful summary of the republic socrates has envisioned. Aug 31, 2009 platos republic, book ix book ix contains a description of the tyrannical man, and three arguments that he will be the least happy of men. Then they say that the wild, lawlessness of the democratic man needs an advocate, love, and a bodyguard. According to plato, the human soul is comprised of three parts an appetitive, a spirited and a rational part all of which pull individuals in differing directions. Justice is practiced only under compulsion, as someone else s good not our own. We might wonder if his diagnosis of the tyrannical psyche would have been the same if he had lived to see the totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century. Also, a discussion of aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. The republic by plato meet your next favorite book. This edition, which replaces the original loeb edition by paul shorey, offers text, translation, and annotation that are fully current with. The first is that justice is speaking the truth and paying ones debt. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy and political theory, both intellectually. Quite a few comments have been posted about the republic. Our story begins as socrates and his friend glaucon head home from a festival.
Summary and analysis of book 9 of plato s republic. Its formation is along the lines plato laid out in the republic. Socrates adeimantus last of all comes the tyrannical man. During platos life, athens was briefly controlled by an oligarchy, which rapidly decayed into a democracy, which executed socrates. The third view of justice is that it is to the advantage of the stronger. Vix greek and english edition by plato and paul shorey jan 1, 1935. It is platos bestknown work, and has proven to be one of the worlds most influential works of philosophy. Ready to call it a night, theyre intercepted by a whole gang of their acquaintances, who eventually convince them to come hang out at polemarchuss house and have a nice, long chat. Were going to bet youve never had a conversation quite like the one in plato s republic. The republic book 1 book 1 of plato s republic raises the question what is justice. Instead, the whole text is presented as told by socrates as he recalls the event. The republic by plato, part of the internet classics archive. Republic, a masterpiece of philosophical and political thought, concerns righteousness both in individuals and in communities, and proposes an ideal state organized and governed on philosophical principles.
Before the companions start examining the tyrannical man, they try to sort out the desires. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. In the third book of the republic a nearer approach is made to a theory of art than anywhere else in plato. We are now ready for book x of the present dialogue, which presents plato s view of the arts and plato s theory of the immortality of the soul. Gerasimos santas, understanding plato s republic, wileyblackwell, 2010, 238pp. The republic, book i plato note that i have added name indicators to identify whose words are being communicated throughout the dialogue.
Socrates there remains for consideration, said i, the tyrannical man himselfthe manner of his development out of the democratic type and his character and the. During plato s life, athens was briefly controlled by an oligarchy, which rapidly decayed into a democracy, which executed socrates. The elaborate refutations which plato thinks fit to. Plato sees the conditions socrates describes as being symptomatic of the decline and fall of governments and men.