Arête In The Republic
Plato is considered one of the greatest philosophers in history. After Socrates' death in 399, Plato devoted his life to philosophy and the pursuit of the perfect state. In his book, The Republic, Plato focuses on trying to define what justice is. This leads to Plato outlining his ideas on the perfect state. He outlines a society split into three distinct groups, the governors, soldiers and producers who are all working at their highest ability level. By working at their highest ability level all three groups are achieving arête in their own fields. Arête is the ability of a thing to do whatever it is best at, and the arête of the soul is to live and be happy. As he tries to define justice, Plato often uses the concept of arête. Thrasymachus says that justice is simply what the ruling party calls right or just (might makes right). Socrates responds by saying that the rulers should only be regarded by how well they perform their function, and their function is to serve the interests of their constituency. Socrates says that everything has a function, the function of a pruning knife is to prune tr
The producers are the basest group, as they are the least smart. They are put to work producing goods to support the two upper classes and themselves. This is where they are assumed to be happiest as well, because this is what they are best at. Due to the fact that they are not as smart as the upper two classes, they would not be happiest doing the jobs of the upper classes. They are not cut out to do the work of the guardians and they would not be happy if they were guardians. Their arête is in producing. ees; the function of the eye is to see. He says "but you can cut off a vine branch with a dagger or a chisel, and in many other ways...and yet not so well as with a pruning knife." (Bk.1 Ln.353) The function of man is to live and be happy, and therefore, justice must be present to make people happy. Without justice, a man cannot be happy. Without even using the word "arête," he has just defined it. If the soul is living and happy, then it has achieved arête, but without justice, arête cannot be achieved. Plato's suggested society makes everyone achieve arête. Plato's idea of the perfect state is
Some common words found in the essay are:
Bk1 Ln353, Republic Plato, , upper classes, achieving arête, governors soldiers, ability level, governors soldiers producers, happy justice, job suited, live happy, happy doing, soldiers producers, plato's philosophy,
Approximate Word count = 747
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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