STUDY QUESTION FOR PLATO'S REPUBLIC
R. N.
Johnson
BOOK II
1.
What
are the three categories of good things, according to Glaucon?
(357b-d) In what categories do clean air, a fishing rod,
a wrench, good music, and love belong? Why? Do you think this is a clear
categorization? Why or why not?
2.
In
which category of good things does Glaucon believe
that the just life belongs? Where does Socrates believe that it belongs?
Explain precisely how they disagree. (357a-358a)
3.
Explain
the origin of the rules of justice according to Glaucon.
What does this show about justice, according to Glaucon,
and is he right? Why or why not? (358e-359c)
4.
Explain
the myth of Gyges and why Glaucon
brings it up. (359d-360e) What is it supposed to show about being just?
Does it show this? Why or why not?
5.
Explain
how Glaucon proposes to separate the just from the
unjust life, in order to judge which is the better life (360e-361d). What purpose does this separation serve for Glaucon's overall challenge?
6.
Summarize
Adiemantus' replies (there are several) to the
objection that one cannot get the benefits of being just simply by appearing to
be just, since it is much too difficult to appear just when one is actually
unjust. (365c-d)
7.
Summarize
Adiemantus' reply to the objection that, even if we
manage to appear just to other people, surely we cannot fool the gods. (365d-366b) Try to extend his reply to more familiar
religious views. Can it be extended to all that you know of? Why or why not?
8.
What
method does Socrates propose for discovering what justice is? Why does he think
this is a good method? (368c-369b)
9.
What
is the origin of the state, according to Socrates? (369b-d)
10.
What
is the reasoning behind the division of labor Socrates proposes? (369d-370c)
11.
Explain
how a "guardian" class emerges in a state. (373d-375)
12.
Socrates
seems to think that the character of a dog is somehow related to the ideal
Guardian's character. (376a-c) Explain.
13.
What
is the difference between a "true" falsehood, and a falsehood in
words? (382a-e) Which is worse, according to Socrates? Why?
BOOK III
1.
What
qualities must the rulers have and why? Which quality seems to be the most
important? (412c-414)
2.
Socrates
claims that "one loves something when one
believes that what is good for it is good for oneself". (412d) Is this true? What role does it play in Socrates'
discussion?
3.
What
role does the "myth of the metals" play in Socrates' ideal state? (414b-416a) Explain why this is what Socrates calls a
falsehood in word only (as opposed to a "true" falsehood). Think of
some contemporary analogues of this myth, and discuss some of the concerns one might
have about a government deploying such a device.
4.
Summarize the nature of the guardians' lives. Why can't the guardians
have private property or touch gold and silver? (415d-417a)
BOOK IV
1.
What
is Adiemantus' objection to communal property for the
guardians? How does Socrates respond to this? Are you
convinced by Socrates? Why or why not? (419a-421c)
2.
What's
wrong with the existence of extreme wealth in the Ideal State? With the
existence of poverty? (421d-422a)
3.
The
Ideal State will not have to worry about being conquered. Why? (421a-423a)
4.
What
is the "one great thing" the guardians must always guard? Why is this
so important? Do you agree? Why or why not?
5.
Socrates
proposes a process of elimination to find justice in the ideal state. (427e-428a) What problems do you see with this approach?
6.
Describe
the three cardinal virtues other than justice and explain how they are
exemplified in the ideal state. (427e-432b)
7.
Socrates
wants Glaucon and Adiemantus
to accept his account of courage as an account of "civic" courage.
Evidently, he believes that a full account of the virtue of courage would be
somewhat different, or at least fuller, than his account. What do you think his
account of civic courage leaves out of a full account of courage? (429b-430c)
8.
Explain
Socrates conception of justice in the state and why he believes that his
account gives us the essence of justice. (433a-434d) Can you think of elements of justice that have
been left out of his account? Do you think that Socrates could bring them into
his account? Explain.
9.
What
principle does Socrates invoke to defend the view that the feature of states
that makes them just will be the same as the feature that makes individual
people just? (435a-b) Think of some examples that fit this principle
and some that don't. Do you think this is a sufficient reason to agree with
Socrates that there is such a correspondence? Why or why not?
10.
Socrates
argues that the individual soul must have three parts because the state does. (435d-e) What is his argument and what is wrong with it?
11.
Explain
the principle that "the same thing will not be willing to do or undergo
opposites in the same part of itself, in relation to the same thing, at the
same time." (436b)
12.
What
is Socrates' argument for there being at least two parts of the soul? (436b-439d) What are his arguments for there
being another part in addition to these two? (439d-441c) Do you think that he has successfully shown that
there are really "parts" to the soul, and that there are exactly
three of them? Explain your answer.
13.
Explain
how each of the three cardinal virtues other than justice are
exemplified in the individual soul. (441c-442d)
14.
What
makes an action, as opposed to a soul, unjust or just, according to Socrates?
Do you agree with Socrates? Why or why not? (443c-444d)
15.
Glaucon & Socrates agree on an argument
which will show in a preliminary way that the just life is better than
the unjust at the end of Book IV. What is the argument? Is it a good one? Why
or why not?
BOOK VIII
1.
At
544e (see also 435e-436) Socrates argues that there are just as many
types of people as there are types of cities or states. What is his argument?
What is wrong with that argument?
2.
Explain
what the four kinds of corrupt governments and characters are. Why does each
kind of government collapse and lead to the next kind?
3.
Why
will even the ideal state deteriorate?
4.
"When
wealth and the wealthy are honoured in a city, virtue
and the virtuous are prized less." (551a) What arguments might support this claim?
5.
What
is the difference between necessary and unnecessary desires? (558d-559c) What role does this distinction play in
Socrates' views?
6.
What
are Socrates' objections to democracy? Do you agree with him that it is one of
the worst forms of government? Why or why not? What sort of argument might one
come up with to defend democracy against his attacks?
7.
Why
is a "democratic' state of the soul objectionable? If you agree with
Socrates' criticisms of the democratic soul, he would insist that you must also
agree with his criticisms of the democratic state. Explain why. Do you think
that you must? Why or why not?
BOOK IX
1.
What
are lawless desires? Explain Socrates' conception of the "tyrannical"
personality. (571a-579e)
2.
How
is it that a tyranical personality who becomes a real
tyrant is really "in greatest need, and is truly poor" (579e)? True?
3.
Summarize
and critically evaluate the first "proof" for thinking that the truly
just man, independent of reputation, will be happier than the truly unjust man.
(580d)
4.
Summarize
and evaluate the second "proof". (580-583b)
5.
Why
is pure pleasure not merely the absence of pain, and pure pain not merely the
absence of pleasure? (583c-584c)
6.
Summarize
the third "proof". (583c-588b)
7.
Why
does it make no difference to Socrates' argument whether the ideal state
exists? (592a-b)
