Justice Is The Interest Of The Stronger - 1453 Words

I am of the opinion that justice is indeed in the interest of the stronger; the stronger being the will of the people. Justice is in the interest of the stronger. This view, first articulated by the Ancient Greek Sophist Thrasymachus, is the subject of much debate in one of Plato’s works The Republic, found in a fictional dialogue between Thrasymachus and Socrates. In order to understand the nature of this statement it is essential to analyse the nature of justice, what is meant by â€Å"the stronger†, and the principles of Sophism his claim is based on. What is Justice? The concept of justice has underpinned a substantial number of political institutions in the known world, both past and present; balancing the rights of the individual with that of the interest of society. Many communities have institutions in place solely dedicated to the pursuit of justice, which in the era of Ancient Greek civilisation was founded in the dikasterion , or in the modern context, the judiciary. It is an ideal that both Plato and his contemporaries attempted to define, and as witnessed in The Republic, one that created much controversy during deliberation. Polemarchus likened justice to the â€Å"helping of friends and harming of enemies† , while Cephalus preferred to see justice as â€Å"helping friends and paying debts† . Thrasymachus however, much to Plato’s dismay, saw justice as being â€Å"that which is in the interest of the stronger†; that the laws the stronger make must be obeyed, and that isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Platonic Just ice916 Words   |  4 PagesPlatonic Justice Throughout Platos Republic, the subject of platonic justice and its goodness to its self arise and are discussed amongst Plato and his peers. At the beginning of The Republic, Plato asks the fundamental question of what is justice? Looking to define the ideal state of justice, Plato reasons that he must first define justice in theory before he can use justice practically. Platonic Justice is defined as being a harmony between the tripartite soul in which reasons guide the spiritRead MoreJustice Is Justified By Plato s The Republic1689 Words   |  7 Pagescenturies, people have been asking the question, what is justice? Although justice is not sincerely defined in Plato’s The Republic, both Socrates and Thrasymachus enter into a deep discussion over what justice truly is. After Socrates disproves Cephalus and Polemarchus explanations of justice, Thrasymachus declares that justice is â€Å"simply what is in the interest of the stronger party† (338c). Furthermore, he deb unks justice altogether, arguing that justice is the strong exploiting the weak and that the unjustRead MorePlato s View On Justice1261 Words   |  6 PagesWell-structured societies are built on a foundation of justice that brings unity, development, equality and respect between people. Throughout The Republic, Plato defines justice and its significance to the state and its individuals. In Book I, Thrasymachus and Socrates both provide their views on the definition of justice. The discussion takes place in Cephalus’s residence with his son Polymarchus. Through Plato’s dialogue, the definitions on justice by both Thrasymachus and Socrates will be discussedRead MoreEssay on Platos Response to Thrasymachus Immoralist View of Justice1491 Words   |  6 PagesPlatos Response to Thrasymachus Immoralist View of Justice In Book 1 of the ‘Republic’, Socrates, in answer to the question ‘What is Justice?’ is presented with a real and dangerous alternative to what he thinks to be the truth about Justice. Julia Annas believes Thrasymachus thinks Justice and Injustice do have a real existence that is independent of human institutions; and that Thrasymachus makes a decided commitment to Injustice. She calls this view ‘Immoralism’: â€Å"the immoralist holdsRead MoreThe Republic by Plato1645 Words   |  7 PagesThrasymachus argues that morality is the advantage of the stronger. 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. Socrates gives two sets of counter arguments. First, by differentiating apparent advantage and actual advantage to the stronger, Socr ates argues that the obedience to the laws by theRead MoreThe Assumption Of Justice And Injustice980 Words   |  4 PagesI start with the assumption that justice and injustice are opposites in the sense that they are disjoint and complementary to each other, that is, something is unjust if and only if it is not just. Thrasymachus claims that â€Å"justice is in fact what is good for the stronger, whereas injustice is what is profitable and good for oneself† (344c6). This definition clearly does not satisfy our initial assumption, since a strong man acting in his own interest would be both just and unjust. Hence, we areRead MoreJustice Is One Of Four Cardinal Platonic Virtues Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesJustice is one of four cardinal Platonic virtues. These virtues are said to be good by nature, and so they must be ideals that all individuals strive to demonstrate in their lives. In The Republic, Plato (through Socrates) attempts to find the definition of Justice throu gh dialogue with his colleagues. One of his colleagues Thrasymachus proclaims that: â€Å"Justice is in the interest of the stronger.† (338c) In other words, rulers make laws from which only they reap the benefits of. Fortunately, thisRead More absolute justice Essay1029 Words   |  5 PagesDoes absolute justice exist or not? This essay will present arguments for the existence of absolute justice. Many people disagree that absolute justice exists. Thus they argue that justice cannot be derived from nature since contradictory and different forms of justice exist in nature; and one cannot derive the greater and perfect from the lesser and imperfect, also they argue that the idea of absolute justice is the ideas of different cultures and times. That is why the idea of justice varies greatlyRead More Justice In Book I Of The Republic Essay example889 Words   |  4 Pagesan accurate description of what justice is. The rest of the first book is a discussion of the definition of justice, mainly that of Thrasymachus definition. Socrates takes his normal role as an interrogator of peoples views. The conversation focuses on justice but actually must be viewed in the context of how each individual can lead the best life possible. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Thrasymachus states that quot;justice is simply the interest of the strongerquot; (338 c). In order to supportRead MoreIn Plato’S Republic, Thrasymachus Asserts That Justice1431 Words   |  6 Pagesthat justice is the interest of the ruling part in a political community. This is proven wrong in many ways in Book II. Socrates disassembles this theory using undisputed definitions of wisdom and virtue. These definitions of wisdom and virtue are rendered by a ruler’s personal biases. A ruler has a natural internal motivation to gain undisputed expertise of their craft. A ruler of a political community does act through personal motivations, but by doing so inherently considers the interest of the