Plato’s Republic Justice and Injustice in Thrasymachus...

Plato’s Republic: Justice and Injustice in Thrasymachus Account ABSTRACT: This paper has a two-fold task. First, I show that there are three types of individuals associated with the Thrasymachean view of society: (a) the many, i.e., the ruled or those exploited individuals who are just and obey the laws of the society; (b) the tyrant or ruler who sets down laws in the society in order to exploit the many for personal advantage; (c) the stronger individual (kreittoon) or member of the society who is detached from the many and aspires to become the tyrant. Second, I argue that if Thrasymachus’s account of the perfectly unjust life of the tyrant is to be more than a theoretical ideal, then the stronger individual who aspires to the†¦show more content†¦(361a-b)(1) I believe that Glaucon has captured the essence of the Thrasymachean position concerning the best way for the unjust individual to live. The one who pursues the life of injustice must at the same time be courageous and crafty, strong and shrewd, power-driven and persuasive. But most importantly, the unjust individual must be dastardly and deceptive. This deception is captured by Glaucon when he states that the perfectly unjust man must seem to be just. Appearances and reputations played a central role in the fifth century b.c.e. Greek polis and so it makes sense that Glaucon would cast light upon the idea of an individual’s pursuit of the unjust life while providing for the greatest reputation for justice.(2) Such an individual leads a kind of double life and therefore has a double duty to perform in seeming to be just while actually being unjust. These comments regarding Glaucon’s view of the perfectly unjust individual hint at the purpose of this discussion. This paper has a three-fold task. First, I will show that there are three types of individuals associated with the Thrasymachean view of society: a) the many, i.e., the ruled or those exploited individuals who are just and obey the laws of the society; b) the tyrant or ruler who setsShow MoreRelatedThe Republic Of Plato s Republic893 Words   |  4 PagesPlato’s Republic Plato aims to show from book 1 that justice has intrinsic value to itself, that it gives one a more satisfying pursuit of life. In book I, he retorts Thrasymachus account that justice is the advantage of the stronger. Initially this makes sense that if justice were defined by state law, then the entirety of nations, differing in laws, would be unified by the principle of rule by force, in which the strong create the law. 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