platos republic

Why Socrates isn’t afraid of death

It’s just an end and it’s another life of justice or injustice

Stoicism

No emotion

Epicurianism

Materialism pleasure

Where did socrates and glaucon go first

Piraeus at Cephalus’ house (port city of Athens)

Why they are in the Piraeus:

the festival of Bendis

2 ways to get someone to do something

Compulsion or persuasion

What was Cephalus doing when Socrates and glaucon get there

Performing a sacrifice

Why is cephalus performing a sacrifice

He’s very old and want to pay attention to the gods before he dies

What is cephalus like

Wealthy, elderly, represents the old generation

Cephalus argues

If a person lives an orderly life then old age will be peaceful

What is Cephalus’ view of justice

Telling the truth and repaying debts, justice brings peace in one’s life

When is it not right to pay someone their dues

When a person is not in their right mind it’s not justice because they can use it for harm

Who is Polymarchus

Cephalus’ son

What is Polymarchus’ view of justice

Good to friends harm to enemies

Animal example

Dogs that are terrified are useless

Socrates view on enemies in response to Polymarchus

Enemies aren’t always necessarily bad people

What does Thrasymachus argue

Injustice is stronger than justice, obeying laws that serve rulers’ interests

Socrates’ response to Thrasymachus

Rulers can make mistakes, justice is a virtue and part of the soul, justice is better

Goal in book 2

Test whether justice is valuable in itself not just for the rewards

Who are Glaucon and Adeimantus

Aristotle’s sons

Glaucon’s 3 classes of goods:

Things good in themselves, things good for their consequences and things for themselves and rewards

Gyges ring

Ring of invisibility that lets him act unjustly without consequences

What happens with Gyges ring

Seduces queen kills the king and seizes power

Significance of Gyges ring

People are only just because of fear of punishment

What does Adeimantus say

Society praises justice only for rewards, people are just for external reasons, and challenges Socrates to prove justice is good in itself

Socrates plan in book 2

To study justice in the city before the individual

People join together because

They need each others skills

Glaucon mocks the city as

City of Pigs

Class pyramid in book 3

Guardians Auxiliaries and Producers

Logos

Reason and logic

Thumos

Spirited

Eros

Desire

3 internal traits of the pyramid

Wisdom, courage, moderation

Noble lie

Good of others

Significance of music

Shapes the soul, teaches harmony, discipline, and order

Significance of Gymnastics

Shapes the physical body teaching strength and endurance

3 metal classes

Gold silver and bronze

How to they live

Communally

Book 4- What happens when each part does its proper job and doesn’t interfere

The soul is in harmony = justice in the individual

The importance of unity

Justice = order not equality or ability of power

Who interrupts the discussion in book 5

Polymarchus and Adeimantus

What ideas does Socrates introduce in book 5

3 waves

1st wave

Equality of women and men

2nd wave

Abolition of private families of the guardians

3rd wave

Only true philosophers should rule

Why is the 3rd wave the most difficult to accept

Because most people believe philosophers are useless or strange

How does Socrates defend this

He argues true philosophers love truth and justice avoiding greed and ambition

What is the role of women in the ideal city

Women can be guardians or rulers if their nature suits it

How does marriage work

Eugenics - gold with gold silver with silver etc to improve chances of getting pure bred children

What is the purpose of abolishing private families

To eliminate the chance of having favoritism and so all guardians take care of everyone equally

The main goal in chapter 4

Unity in the city

Main focus of book 6

Why philosophers should rule and Form of the good

What separates true philosophers from fake ones

False ones love power wealth or reputation while true ones love wisdom

Why do most philosophers have a bad reputation

Because society corrupts those who have a philosophical nature

How does Socrates defend the philosophers usefulness to society

He says philosophers would be useful if society were organized correctly

Ship of State analogy

Ship is the state the captain is the people the crew is the politicians the true navigator is the philosopher

Significance of ship of the state

Society ignores philosophers who could guide them

What is the highest object of knowledge according to Socrates

The form of Good

What are the four levels of understanding (lowest to highest)

Imagination, trust, thought, intellection

What analogy does Socrates use to explain the form of the good

The sun analogy (good enables truth like the sun enables sight)

Qualities of a philosopher

Wisdom, courage, love of truth and learning

Why can’t non philosophers rule

They only see their perceived appearances not the true reality

What does Socrates say about education for philosophers

Must be trained to turn their souls toward the truth not just be filled with facts

What is the image in book 7

Allegory of the cave

What does the cave represent

The visible world

Who are the prisoners in the cave

Ordinary people

What do the shadows on the wall symbolize

False beliefs, images and appearances

What does escaping the cave mean

The philosopher or escaped prisoner goes from ignorance to truth

What happens when the prisoner is freed

He is blinded at first but gradually see reality

What happens when the prisoner returns to the cave

He is mocked and the other prisoners want to kill him

What is the purpose of the allegory

Education is the turning of the soul

What does Plato say education should do

Draw out the soul’s inner ability to see truth

Highest subject of study

Dialect

What is the main theme of book 8

The decline of the ideal city

How does the city start to decline

The rulers make an error in matching people properly, birth of less capable rulers

What is the 1st decline

Timocracy

What does timocracy mean

Government ruled by those motivated by honor and ambition rather than wisdom

What does timocracy value

Military success and discipline

What kind of person lives in a timocracy

Proud competitive under influence of thumos

What causes the transition from timocracy to oligarchy

People start to value wealth over honor

What is an oligarchy

Government ruled by the rich few

What are the qualities of a person in an oligarchy

Greedy, fear of losing money

What causes the transition from oligarchy to democracy

The poor become angry and rebel against the rich

What is a democracy according to Plato

Government based on freedom and equality

What does a democracy value

The individual’s liberty over order or truth

What are the qualities of a man of democracy

Ruled by many desires, full of constant change

Weakness of democracy

Too much freedom can lead to lack of order and authority

What comes after democracy

Tyranny

What is tyranny

Government ruled by a single ruler

How does tyranny begin

A person gains popularity, eliminates their rivals, and turns on the people

Qualities of a man of tyranny

Unjust and miserable

What does Plato say about freedom and slavery

The tyrannical man seems the most free but he is actually the most enslaved

What is the happiest and most just soul?

The philosophic soul

What is the main topic of book 9

Unjust vs just soul

Primary speaker in book 9

Socrates

What is the most unjust type of person

Tyrannical man

Different classes of desires

Define tyrannical soul

A soul dominated by lawless appetite leading to enslavement to desires and ultimate misery