Phil 1301 - Exploration of Plato

Regan Howle

Professor Morgan

PHIL- 1301

20 June 2011

Exploration of Plato

Plato was an extraordinary philosopher from the western tradition that influences society and peoples beliefs to this day about what the true meaning of justice or as Plato would call it "dikaisyne" (Bhandari) really is. Or what it is to have justice in a situation. Plato became aware that the Athens democracy was spiraling down at an extreme rate and was on the verge of ruins. He was very out spoken about tragedy at hand, and the lack of justice that was being shown. He believed that justice would truly fix the situation at hand and turn all of the evils away. Plato said that justice is a "human virtue, that one makes a person self consistent and good; socially, justice is a social consciousness that makes a society internally harmonious and good. (Bhandari) In result of his views being voiced that were coturary to Cephalus, Polymarchus, Thrasymachus, and Glaucon it is thought that, that is one of the main reasons why his life was terminated.

When the three parts of the mind exist harmoniously and perform their function accordingly there is justice. Justice is a virtue which is no longer concerned with mans external actions but with ones inner self.

Cephalus believed that justice consist in speaking the truth and paying ones debt. Basically he believes that if you owe something to the government then you should pay it back in an acceptable amount of time to maintain justice within the government system.