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What Is Glaucon's View Of The Nature Of Justice

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Glaucon begins with a challenge to Socrates to praise justice instead of condemning it as Thrasymachus has previously done during the discussion. Glaucon poses three claims: the nature of justice is a means between extremes, justice is a necessary evil and is not practiced willingly, and an unjust life is richer than a just life. Glaucon uses the story of the Ring of Gyges to support his claim that an unjust life is richer. The shepherd in the story fulfills all of his desires and receives impunity for his crimes. A just man or unjust man would not differ in behavior with the power of the ring, as man’s goal is to appear just but gain the rewards of injustice. Socrates counters Glaucon’s claims and defines justice in two parts: Justice is harmony. Justice is doing one’s own job. …show more content…

Socrates argues each is made of 3 essential parts; “a rational part, a spirited part and an appetitive or passionate part.” (Pojman & Tramel, 2009, p. 64) These three interrelated parts and the harmony that is produced when each part does what is correct by nature is what Socrates defines as justice. As each part of the soul is to maintain harmony by doing what is correct by nature each man is to maintain harmony by doing what is correct by his nature. “…that is was right for one who is by nature cobbler to cobble and to do nothing else…” (Pojman & Tramel, 2009, p.

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