Jaymie Ticknor Intro Philosophy 1050 Sect 003 29 and 31 January 2014 Lecture 5 most famous work longer works more than 450 pages in length Republic Plato s One of the first works of Political Philosophy written in dialogue form as are most of Plato s books wrote on scrolls so when scroll ran out end of book Plato did not agree with either of the accepted political systems at the time Tyranny rule of one Democracy mob rule everyone secretly desire to rule and Oligarchy Aristocracy rule of the some he promoted a system of Meritocracy rule of the most capable who decides who is capable Plato thought the educated more specifically philosophers were capable Philosopher King governed by reason Thought that it was not power but the desire for power that was the biggest danger in the political system attempted to devise a system where the desire for power would be non existent Wanting to create eutopia perfect society and political system but may end up as utopia no place very little free will controling society what is justice looking for an objective definition of Leading Question in the Republic justice Morality as a Social Construct Moral Relativists justice comes from obeying political system not because one possesses justice Ring of Gyges two rings that can make one invisible one just man and one unjust man would they do unjust things because they get away with things injustice is far more profitable to the individual than justice if one does not do unjust things then will be thought as a fool since he can get away with anything Thrasymachus s Challenge Plato claimed that the way to achieving eudaimonia happiness flourishing was by cultivating a virtuous character arete you must be moral to be happy Thrasymachus sophist denied this and claimed that sometimes it is beneficial to be immoral Justice is Psychic Harmony according to Plato when a persons actions are governed by his her reason can never be happy if governed by appetites Plato s Society those who are ruled moved governed by mostly reason gold guardians leaders rulers philosopher kings those who are ruled moved governed by mostly spirit emotion silver auxiliaries soldiers warriors police those who are ruled moved governed by mostly their appetite bronze producers laborers carpenters artisans farmers best outcome for society as a whole Soul made up of three components reason emotion and appetite ideal soul man philosopher like ideal state Kallipos Two Realms transcendental world world of forms stays the same access through reason and mind physical material world changes ideas on things everything in this world is a shadow of its Ideal Form in the world of ideas universals do not make sense in an everchanging world senses have access to imperfect things in physical world and opinions reason has access to transcendental world and knowledge Analogy of the Cave cave being physical world reality left cave to reach the light forms must come back to cave to tell people about the other realm of forms metaphor of the effect of education on others demonstrates in a metaphor the enlightened life vs the unenlightened life Philosophers Must Rule philosophers are born with driving passion to learn naturally capable given their love of learning to be educated inherently reluctant rulers because they are powerfully motivated by their love of knowledge so they will never be motivated to seek or exploit power for the sake of gratification