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Comparing Socrates And Glaucon In Plato's The Republic

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The perfect king must be just that-perfect. As Plato puts together a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon in The Republic, their ideas as well as his own thoughts on the perfect ruler for a perfect society form a tightly knit description of a philosopher-king. Because we, as humans, live in “a cave” (Plato, sect. 514a) of our own understanding, there is a great need for a leader who is escaped from the confinement of that limited understanding. There is an element of perfection in the qualities of “ruling men who are wholly fair” (Plato, sect. 540c) that is unaddressed by the speakers themselves. The conversation is capped with a statement that “those who have been preserved throughout and are in every way best at everything, both in deed and in knowledge, must at last be led to the end” (Plato, sect. 540a). As Socrates and Glaucon speak of a man who is an astronomer (Plato, sect. 527d) and “both warrior and philosopher” (Plato, sect. 525b), it comes to question if they believe that this person of such prestige actually exists? Because I am neither Plato, Socrates, or Glaucon, it’s impossible to know for sure, but there was an element of doubt in their conversation. Socrates questions his own stated ideas as he wonders “in what way do[es] [Glaucon] suppose anyone will be willing both to perform the …show more content…

If the perpetual cave Plato writes of is the confinement of earthly thinking, “it is that ascent to what is which we shall truly affirm to be philosophy” (Plato, sect. 521c). The rise out of the cave is a painful one (Plato, sect. 515c) as eyes are opened to truths that cut deep into an established state of understanding. The key to the climb out of the cave is that a person must then be able to go back into the cave and lead strongly with an outside-of-the-cave wisdom (Plato, sect. 539e). It seems as though that is the true test of true knowledge and

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When someone grows enlightened, they utilize their newfound comprehension and knowledge to unshackle themselves from their lifelong ignorance to pursue a superior understanding of the world around them. This lengthy process often times entails detrimental consequences. It can be a traumatizing experience to disband yourself from a way of thinking that has been deeply ingrained into your psyche. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave showcases how enlightenment and education go hand in hand. His analogy connects directly to the struggles detailed in Frederick Douglass’s essay, Learning to Read and Gwendolyn Brooks poem,

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(20c) Socrates mentions that it was human wisdom and nothing more that has allowed himself to know what he knows. (20d) Socrates even mentions

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In Plato's Gorgias, it is apparent that Socrates has no desire to be a good statesman as it is defined in the eyes of the Athenians. His calculation is that Athenian rhetoricians place no reliance on facts or truth, nor are these their aim. Instead, they rely on the illusion of knowledge, and this morally weakens both themselves and their audiences. It is clear however, that if he wishes, Socrates is able to match most or all of the other statesmen in Athens, as is clearly indicated by his very eloquent speech which ends the dialogue. Additionally, under his own definition of a good statesman, it is evident that Socrates is more than qualified.

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For generations there has been a debate of whether injustice or justice exceeds over the other. Is the quality of being fair and reasonable more superior than a lack of fairness or tyranny? I certainly would assume so. However, we are presented with an argument by Glaucon; that an unjust life is more pleasant than a just life. Despite Socrates persuasion in book I, Glaucon is not convinced that a just life is more desirable than an unjust.

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And so I go about the world, obedient to the god, and search and make inquiry into the wisdom of anyone…who appears to be wise… [and I] show him that he is not wise" (lines 78-81). Socrates

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Socrates was a man that was in search of the truth about wisdom. However, it became more then just a search when it brought him to trail of accusations. As a philosopher Socrates was known to overdrawn ideas and to frustrate anyone he was talking to. He is always in search of a better idea and for anyone who has experienced Socrates could assume he is making up his own actualities. This becomes evident in “ Apology” written by Plato, where Socrates was brought in charges for corrupting the minds of the youth and not believing in the Gods.

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The point of depicting Socrates's ideas in this way, however, is not to make Glaucon look incompetent but rather to connect the reader with the conversation and put themselves in Glaucons shoes. This passage is from the very end of the allegory, which is significant in terms of context as it is a startling and even extreme conclusion to come to. The content of this passage goes much deeper than face value as well, as an allegory is a symbolic narrative that conveys a deeper meaning. To end on such an abrupt note is to show the reality of the situation and change how the reader interprets it. Until this point in the allegory, he doesn’t necessarily show us the

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Socrates was a spirit of great question and determination, living with the perspective that we all know is true, but never truly acknowledged. The human intention in all things is with the knowledge of a

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The prisoner would never want to return to the cave again. Through this powerful image of the cave, Socrates shows the good and suggests how it is to be obtained. The good is beyond perceived reality and is hard to see, but once the good is understood, it is clear that it "is the cause of all that is right and fair in everything.” Socrates is explicating that education should teach men to use their existing realities to grow their knowledge. He explains that the ability to know is always inside a man, it just matters on what knowledge he focuses on.

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The existence and continual study of Socrates’ philosophy regardless of differing accounts is astonishing in itself since it survived not through the specific philosopher, but through other people. Which is a testament of the impact that a man, such as Socrates, can make. When we think of Plato, who is regarded as a father of western philosophy, we are quick to think of his major work The Republic, his student Aristotle, and his writing on Socrates. (We think of his writings on Socrates as mere footnotes in philosophical thought without examining them.) “Nothing comes from nothing,” Parmenides proudly claimed, and this philosophical doctrine applies to Plato’s thought.

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What is justice and what motives one to act justly or unjust? These questions are things we find ourselves needing answers to. Through Plato’s Republic he details a conversation between Glaucon and Socrates. What seems to be displayed are two people on two sides of the idea of morality and what is the idea of good? Plato’s character in the Republic tells the story called “The Ring of Gyges” to share his view point on what he believes is the true nature of good.

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Since a mission which is making now for disliking these demands. Now we are not owner of this place for convicting this kind of tale. Both (Socrates and Glaucon) first of all proved that these demands are not correct and these are used only for spreading wrong or outlaw stories and these are also spreading fake or false tales and views. The claims are such as if any person has a ring of Gyges he can start behave roughly and unjustly and he would include all material which are necessary for him like as power hungry and others also there are also many more other claims on this topic (justice and injustice) which are discussed by Socrates. The claims and the views of Socrates and Glaucon are right on own places and some conditions and movements which are used for examples by Socrates and Glaucon in this text and also in this article of Plato (The Immoralist’s Challenge).

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Searching for the truth is very challenging, as the world today entrenched in lies. Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” briefly tells a story about cavemen being chained on most parts of their body, restring all movement including their head, since childhood. Then, he discussed the consequences inflicted onto the cavemen, specifically their perspective towards the truth after being chained for a long period of time in the dark cave, which resembles many events occurring in a person’s daily life. Based on the discussed effects, the author argues that human beings should always seek the real meaning of truth.

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643 Words | 3 Pages

His student Plato’s story, “The Cave,” emphasizes that humans may independently take the intellectual journey to enlightenment, reach the Realm of Perfect Forms, and discover truth for themselves. Both teacher and student insisted that Man himself had to reach truth, as it is not received from a higher

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1693 Words | 7 Pages

He is required to have a very wide understanding of the different aspects of the state and the philosophy of the human mind. The philosopher that is to be considered king must have earned wisdom that is above any other philosopher of his time had gained. Plato also argues that a specific education, available to few, will allow these few to become philosophers, and in these few philosophers can only then the king can be chosen. The system stands on a firm explanation but this would create a ruling class that is not representative of the ruled. Only those that have the resources to undergo such extensive training have the clear chance to have the seat of the king and this would create complications to those poorly resourced but have the spirit and the mindset to be the leader of the state.

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