The Argument of Plato's Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Argument of Plato's Republic - Essay Example Would he still choose to tell only the truth to a person in such a state? According to Socrates, therefore, saying the truth and retuning what one has received do not qualify to be justice. In that case, truth telling and giving back is not justice. Polemarchus, inheriting the argument from Cephalous went ahead to give his understanding of justice. According to Polemarchus, justice means giving favor to friends and mistreating enemies. That is, it is what renders good to friends when he is good and harms to enemies when he is bad. Socrates contradicts his description on the basis of what circumstances should the just man can benefit from friends and receive evil from enemies. According to him, Polemarchus refers to justice as a kind of stealing to benefit friends and harm enemies. It is just to wrong the unjust. Differentiating between friends and enemies becomes difficult, therefore. Many people who seem good in many cases are not. Socrates gives an example of one who is skilled to give a blow as the one most cautious to secure a guard from a blow. Polemarchus admits the argument saying he did not know what he meant. He still believes, though, that justice benefits friends and harm enemies. Thrasymachus then came into the conversation. According to him, the just is the advantage of the stronger. He points out various regimes of rule such as tyrants, democracy rules, and aristocracy. According to him, the ruling party sets the goals and laws. Justice, therefore, is the advantage obtained by the ruling party.