Plato’s Republic

BOOK-I

1- Socrates and Glaucon (Katabeino- go down vs Katidon-look down)

“Down I went to the Piraeus” to meet people and Demos
After attending them, they symbolically move up to the level of philosophical sophistication. On their
way back, they are stopped by Polemarchus’ slave. Glaucon takes the initiative and says to him “go
away”. To this Polemarchus came along with other Athenian gentlemen and tell them, “We want you to
come to our house and don’t get away.”. Socrates replied,” we haven’t expected to spend much time
here.” To this they say,
“See how many of us there
And how few of you there
Either prove stronger than us
And surrender and come with us”
After further colloquial, Glaucon agrees with them, and they move towards Polemarchus’ house. Socrates
goes on silently.

Here is the establishment of the basic theme of “The Republic”, the dialect between power and
knowledge. The people with power lack the skills for civic way of convincing people. It also shows:
i- Place of Philosopher in the society (Top of the echelon therefore he comes down to the city;
the top position does not mean physical but symbolical)
ii- Relationship between the philosopher and demos (philosopher up and demos down in the
city)
iii- Inferiors making decision for philosophers in an unhealthy state (Glaucon talking instead of
Socrates)

2- Socrates and Cephalus

Cephalus is father of Polemarchus. He has just come from a sacrifice. To this Socrates asks him, “what is
like to be getting old?” He replies, “It is not so bad. I used to think, it would be bad. However, if you have
bared enough money, it is good.” Socrates asks, “why do you need money?” Cephalus answers,” In
younger age, I loved money, fame and sex. I am a bit ashamed as I have done things which are not good,
but I will repent them with appropriate sacrifices.”
Here Plato is presenting,
Knowledge vs greed (desires)
To this Plato mentions Sophocles’ incident. When someone asks him, “how does it feel to be impotent?
Do you miss sex?”
Sophocles,” Nay man, I am glad to be impotent.”
A philosopher loves to be detached from desires, as it deviates him from knowledge.

After Cephalus goes, Socrates refers to intricated philosophical question. “What is Justice?”
It exhibits that Socrates was on the belief that philosophy is not for older age as they have build their
belief system which is almost impossible to amend. Therefore, he asks this question from the younger
attendees.
Simonides replies, “Justice is giving what is due.”
Polemarchus,” Helping your friends and harming your enemies.”
To this Socrates replies, “You mean physician or Pilot who saves people’s lives?”
What if there is no disease and voyage, then there is no need of justice. And how can a good man perform
evil to someone else.
Here comes Plato’s concept of Piety. “Piety is the service to God by improving your fellow man.”
It directly refers to being a social animal who can benefit/ improve life of everyone.

Socrates and Thrasymachus

For Thrasymachus, Socrates uses the analogy of wolf and lion due to his pragmatic approach.
Thrasymachus asks Socrates what is justice. Give a concrete answer. To this, Socrates steps back and
provides an “Aporian” answer. Thrasymachus answers that he can answer the question if he is rewarded.
To this Glaucon gives him a few pennies. And he answers as
“justice is the advantage of the stronger.”
Socrates,” what if those who are in power make mistakes? Or they are ignorant?”
Therefore, Socrates argue that only a true artist can serve the art in the best way possible. He gives an
example of true physicians. When a real physician is doctoring a patient, another true physician would
never intervene as the former is serving excellently the patient. However, if there is a quack doctor (QD)
doing that, the true doctor would intervene as the QD is harming the patient. Similarly, the philosopher
king would never intervene if a polis were under the command of a philosopher king. However, if the
person isn’t a philosopher, he will intervene to save the interest of the public.
“The just man will desire no more than his like but more than his unlike.”
Socrates (pg:31)
 “Things fulfill their ends by their own proper excellence and fail of fulfilling them by their own defects.”
(pg:35-36)
For instance, ear has an end which is listening (proper excellence), however, a defect in it can fail it.
“justice is the excellence of the soul and injustice the defect of it.”
Therefore the just man will live well and the unjust man will live ill. Thus justice is the advantage of
stronger and the unjust is wise and virtuous is not true. Rather it is the just man whose life is blessed and
happy.

During all these conversations, Socrates is educating people around him, Glucon, Polemarchus and etc.

BOOK-II

Glaucon: Do u wish to persuade us or just seem to persuade us?

Here:
Being persuaded vs seeming persuaded
 Socrates and Philosophy vs Thrasymachus and Sophistry
Thriving from words to definition vs Ambiguity

Glaucon: If you really want to persuade us rather than seem to persuade us then radicalize the concept of
justice and prove that justice is good. Just and unjust man follows the same path when given an
opportunity.
Let’s assess what people say about justice.
Example of Gyges (the king of Lydia). Gyges’ ancestors were shepherds for the king. One day, the earth
opened up due to earthquakes and storms due to which the shepherd and the flock go down. There was a
big brazen horse and within the horse, there was a statue larger than life size who was wearing a ring. The
shepherd takes the ring and comes out. He notices that while turning the collet inward, he disappeared and
when turning the collet outward, he reappeared. With this technique, he seduced the queen and killed the
king and takes control of the state.
Here, the shepherd goes down from the state of naivete to state of moral ignorance and comes back
worse. This bad education turns into bad political consequences where the person kills the king and
commits adultery with the queen.
Glaucon says that unjust man will follow this route. However, the just man will follow it too. Because he
has the opportunity. Just man is just due to lack of opportunity.
Here Glaucon is following Thrasymachus’ definition but mentioning that
“Justice is the advantage of the weaker not stronger”.
He is creating a distinction between nomos (political law) and physis (natural law). By nature, humans
are unjust. Innately, they want to do injustice to gratify their soul. However, since they are weak, they
make nomos to protect themselves.

Adeimantus -SOCRATES

Before Socrates would answer, Adeimantus chimes in and tells Socrates that people do justice for the sake
of reputation not being just. It is the reward by God or praise by people that makes a person to do just
things. It refers to people pretending to be just or gives the perception of being just. And therefore, a
wise unjust man would buy the reputation by sacrificing before gods and people to prove itself just. This
makes unjust rational and beneficial.

Now Glucon
There are three kinds of good:
i- Things that are good in themselves (health for body)
ii- Things that are good for what they get you (wealth)
 iii- Things that are good for both themselves and what they get you (mean and end)

“Justice is to the soul what is health for the body.” (Plato)

What if a just man is reputed badly? Is the unjust man with good reputation better than this?

Now Socrates:
Taking a step back with all these hard arguments, comes with this analogy.
Suppose, “a city of utmost necessity”

Justice differs at individual level and state level

For state,
We need to train people who perform justly their own duty (craftsman, shoe-maker, etc)
Philosophical dog (who like dogs know their friends and foes as dog is in peace while with his master and
furious on any other stranger around) who can protect these people and the state
Guardian of the state to whom the philosophical dogs have allegiance

How should be the education?

Education should promote and inculcate virtuous thoughts rather than sickness. Plato censures Homer’s
poems such as the wrath of Achillies and the lie of Odysseus as they promote evil. Instead of Homeric
heroes, he wants to present Socrates who is a virtuous hero who promotes nothing but knowledge.
Censorship of poetry, stories and arts
Homeric heroes couldn’t control themselves but endeavor to control the society. However, Socrates
strives to control one’s self rather than to control external matters. Socrates work for organizing internal
reality- the soul.

The concept of noble Lier