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Plato's Republic Summary And Analysis

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In Plato’s dialogue Republic, Book X, the main topic discussed is what type of republic would produce the best people and the best way of life. By having this written in dialogue format, readers are given the ability to think, with the speakers, about these ideas being put forth. The main idea Socrates discusses and believes in is that art should be banned from the republic because it’s imagery is imitated, unreal, and by the end of the dialogue he calls it out to be the works of wizards. To understand Socrates ideas of this topic, we must first understand the classification of objects and producers. According to him, the three types of producers are gods, craftspeople, and imitators (artists). To Socrates, the gods are not the God, rather higher beings compared to humans. Each producer is only capable of producing one type object. The gods create ideas/laws. There are only ever one of these, once it is created, everything else is a copy. These are used by the crafts people to make particulars. These particulars are made from a solid understanding of the ideas provided to the crafts people from the gods. The imitators are copying and making representations of the crafts people’s goods. These representations are made without proper knowledge of the subjects as they are created solely off looks, …show more content…

He boasted of how strong Italy was as a power. Through censorship, in which he controlled everything in the media, he was able to use the arts as a mask of superiority. However, as the war went on, Italian citizens discovered the truth, that they were not half as powerful as they had thought they were. Mussolini was a wizard who used his language and imagery as a spell on the Italian people. Had they not fallen for this Wizards magic, they could have been a better republic for it. If only Socrates was there to warn them to be wary of the arts, they may have been able to flourish in that time

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His exceptional talents and intense nature as a youth was an advantage for a party that accomplished so little over the past years. When Italy entered the World War I, Mussolini was against it but he changed his attitude with the alleged reason of making Italy a great power and regain Austro-Hungarian territory.

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He believed that only a strong leader like himself could defeat conflicts caused by other political parties (especially communists/socialists) and post-war problems (World War I). Mussolini’s first call to action was creating a group called the “Blackshirts” that would carry out beatings against communist leaders and throwing them out of office. People of all different backgrounds joined including teachers, business people, and store owners (Document 5). Mussolini constantly told his people that he was going to restore Italy back to its glorious Roman Empire era. He backed up his sayings by invading Ethiopia.

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Sydney Leopard Philosophy 105 3-5-2018 What is pious and impious and who, on the off chance that anybody, is to decide equity? In The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato relates the dialog amongst Crito and Socrates in his correctional facility cell. Crito is doing what he supposes is just and intends to convince Socrates to escape execution. Socrates, however, doesn 't rush to take Crito 's offer.

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Benito Mussolini made a huge impact on western civilization, one that would make the books. He not only did he become Italy’s Prime Minister but also the dictator. He also created the birth of fascism, which was a political movement. From having his own political movement he was also in the war and had a role in it. He also was involved in some economic projects.

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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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PHIL-401A: Writing Assignment #2 In the second book of the The Republic by Plato, Socrates, ancient Greek philosopher and mentor of the author, attempts to define justice with the help of Adeimantus, and Glaucon. Socrates suggests beginning the expedition by first identifying justice within a city to then hopefully identify justice within a single individual. In order to effectively commence the search for justice within a city, however, the group must explore the birth of cities. The passage of concern is section 369b - 369d with Socrates and Adeimantus as the main interlocutors where Plato argues that cities are formed from need, more specifically basic needs.

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Part A- Socrates In thinking of Socrates we must recognize that what we have is four secondhand sources depicting him. That of Plato, Xenophanes, Aristophanes, and Aristotle. All having radically different accounts on Socrates and his views. Out of all them we consider Plato’s to be the most possible account, even though we face a problem of different versions of Socrates.

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What is justice? This is the crucial question that Plato attempts to answer in his dialogue, The Republic. He conjures up an allegory that justice can be found in a person, and a person can represent a city. Thus, his entire dialogue focuses on this ‘just’ city and the mechanics of how the city would operate. His dialogue covers a myriad of topics about justice in addition to the human soul, politics, goodness and truth.

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Socrates is quoted as stating, “An unexamined life is a life not worth living” (38 a). Socrates was a founding figure of western philosophy, and a stable for many ideas. He lived in Athens, Greece teaching his students, like Plato, questioning politics, ethical choices, and many other things in Greek society. In the Trial and death of Socrates: Four Dialogues by Plato, it explores the abstract questioning Socrates had towards many of the normal social properties, which led to his trial, resulting in his death. The most important aspects discussed in the dialogues is the questioning of what is pious and impious, what it means to be wise, and good life.

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Adeimantus' early objection falls into the category of luxury, where an object no longer only serves its purpose, but has become an end in itself. His complaint for the perceived lack of enjoyment in the lives of the guardians, while human, has no place in the debate at this point. Guardians are objectified, in the sense that they have an essential role , or purpose within the State, and are educated and trained to serve its greater causes. Throughout the discourse on guardians, defense, and legislature, Plato, through his mouthpiece Socrates, continually reiterates the importance of education, of the harmonious balance between music and gymnastics that will guide the citizens through life.

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In The Republic, Plato writes about his thoughts on good, justice, and how we can achieve it. He starts off by stating that for human happiness and to live the best life philosopher-kings are needed. Not everyone can become a philosopher; certain people simply are non-philosophers also called lovers of sights and sounds. Plato makes the distinction between lovers of wisdom(philosophers) and lovers of sights and sounds clear using beauty as an example. Non-philosophers see ''fine tones and colours and forms and all the artificial products that are made out of them''(476b) but are unable to see or to understand absolute beauty.

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In Plato’s Republic, Socrates comes to the conclusion that we need to have a strong just society that is in the right order. In Books IV, V, and VI, Socrates explains that every society needs to be built on justice, everyone needs to have an occupation, and what a male and female household should look like. These are my prerequisites to what I consider essential to create a just society. Because without these qualities in an established society, you can hurt an entire civilization. And to Socrates argument, with an ideal king will come forms of co-operated citizens of a city.

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During the 399 B.C., Socrates for rejecting the Greek gods and for putting wrong moral ideas in his student 's minds was sentenced to death. But Socrates’ goal wasn 't that, his goal was to encourage his disciples to find any reason by themselves for what is true and real. After Socrates’ death, Plato, who was one of his best students, opened the Academy- school that continued Socrates 's ideas. In this School, Plato wrote The Republic, where he states that each individual’s perspective of reality is changing, and can change more every time. People get more knowledge about the world and their surroundings.

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Joseph Daunis Three Classes and the Soul In Book IV of Plato’s The Republic, Socrates draws a comparison between the classes evident in their fictional city to the human soul. Socrates clearly defines the three forms he finds in the city as being the appetites of mankind, or in other words, all human desires, such as pleasure, comforts, and physical satisfaction. The second form discussed by Socrates is the spirit or the component of the soul which deals with anger and perceptions of injustice. The third and final form is the mind or reason, which analyzes and rationally weighs options and solutions to problems. Socrates compares these three forms of the soul to the three classes in the city: producers, auxiliaries, and guardians.

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Plato's Republic is centered on one simple question: is it always better to be just than unjust? This is something that Socrates addresses both in terms of political communities and the individual person. Plato argues that being just is advantageous to the individual independent of any societal benefits that the individual may incur in virtue of being just. I feel as if Plato’s argument is problematic. There are not enough compelling reasons to make this argument.

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