People will not cease striving to make their planet a better one, even if they appear uninterested in doing so. Humans, on the other hand, are unsure of what constitutes their best or worst performance or scale measurement. Socrates highlights the human confusion of desires notions to be ideal and actual in the Republic, and further establishes that focus and reconciliation can take people to that secure haven they so desire (Griswold, 2007). As the Republic grows, the finest city appears to be an impossible undertaking because its standards are far from reaching, such as removing all inhabitants above the age of 10. Many questions that come to mind including like who would perform the compelling and which parents would voluntarily cooperate (Nichols, 1987).
The society has equality issues that range from gender to resources available. The author explores why his city that is the central symbol in the philosophical piece would benefit on a communist ground. He explains why sharing and distribution are good for everyone and a solution to present evils of humanity. The other others quoted in Notes to Mary Nichols book on Plato explore justice. Some quote the need to erase justice others feel justice is the fiber of human living in harmony (Nichols, 1984). The existence of a city with satisfied inhabitants is not easy to set up. It can either thrive if the residents are superb and care for the common good or have a strong background of laws governing their existence and punishing those who do not abide by the rules.
The Republic topic is widely explored as in the articles by Charles L. Griswold, Jr, and Mary P. Nichols, with valid reasons as based on historical and contemporary events of the past or their time. However, the topic has not been solely unbiased as some have expressed their opinions and view of the republic rather than the true concept. This essay seeks to give an in-depth argumentative review of the scholarly articles provided on the Republic from the various authors.
It all began with a revolution quest and thirst. There was a need for distribution of power and the people or citizens having a choice. A republic nation would be an innovative hope of the political revolution. Charles L. Griswold argues that the Republic is a representation of Plato's "utopian" or "optimistic" stage, and the Laws and his anti-utopianism and old age pessimism (Griswold, 2007). In his opinion, the Republic is a despair and resignation box at a political and personal level, and pessimism is the mood in the air. He further states that the purpose of a Republic is to draft a "second best sailing." The idea was to channel aspirations to create a city that might seem too good in speech than the actual thing. The aspirations are then directed and moderated to the perfection of self. Socrates, however, in his political perfection alternative holds no hope for this sought of moderation of political emendation aspiration. He advises not to adopt the political domain which is he follows with a resignation. The Republic thus from Socrates' view offers no political reconciliation thereby contradicting the interpreters' 'second sailing opinion,'
In the Political Philosophy (The Republic), Socrates discusses many issues, including domestic, women and children, and education (Nichols, 1987). In his, discussion on the issue of government, he portrays the five kinds of government. He then suggests that these types of governments; the aristocracy, the timocracy which is one that is all about honor, the oligarchy, the democracy, and the tyranny are all developed circularly out of one another. On elaboration of the best government, the debaters in the book choose to converse about desire, but Socrates ultimately condemns and terms poetry as a distortion of the truth.
Socrates, however, in his arguments and dialogues employs the use of fictive art like stories and images. He, for instance, illustrates the divided situation of a man with an image of the realm of a cave whereby man will only tend to look at what is in front of them rather than the burning situations behind. In the same explanation, Socrates defends himself as not being like other philosophers who rule their cities or express pressing issues in a speech which is synonymous to hiding in a cave (Nichols, 1987).
In Plato's The Republic the main intention of the debate is establishing an extensive definition of the constitution of Justice in a given nation or state despite who determines the concept of justice be it the citizens in the state and the accomplishment of the defined justice (Nichols, 1984). Plato's writings centered on the of a just enactment of the laws to serve the citizens of a just state in their law courts. The conversation in the Republic, therefore, develops from a definition question on the justice system to argumentative questions of facts like possibilities if justice in the actions of men, and the questions of policy on laws to the effect that would ensure carrying out justice. Well, a state founded on such perceptions and ground will be themed ideal, and Plato acknowledges to being an idealistic philosopher.
Plato's argument advances to try outline possible realistic policy that secures the good life of happy concord and well-being for citizens of a state and only those dwelling in the state. Having in mind that The Republic, is a translation from a dialogue that was first written in ancient Greek; then perhaps the better translation of its title may be the State or the Ideal State. Further advancement with the dialogue will need Plato to incorporate the discussions on education, the position of fictive arts of poetry, music, drama, among others of the ideal citizens. The concept of ideal on broader and deeper leap into the real state and community issues will require major philosophical understandings to maintain its idealist nature.
On the Friendship and Community, a full analysis, and reflection that is a quite sensitive focus on comparing a couple of different thinking characters from the modern time who are Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. The book digs into the role of friendship, particularly on Socrates' conception of philosophy from a study of three of Plato's renowned and treasured dialogues which are the Symposium, the Phaedrus, and the Lysis. These dialogues insight the book of what is experienced in friendship. Nichols realizes the model of friendships highlighted in the book as those used in Socrates' practice of getting others in discussions thereby setting herself in the book by uncovering it as the major interpretive project.
In the book, philosophy is established as the heart of politics. Philosophy maintains in the political sphere taking friendship as its model. In Socrates's attempt or nature of indulging Athenians in the discussion, he was attempting to foster a bond with his political community. The arguments on the philosophies, politics, and communism centering on the issue of a republic are varied from the various authors and philosophers. Socrates's in his works identifies his firm ground of the idea of a republic being rather too ideal or a build up from the previous ruling forms. Plato on his part seems to be positive on the possibility of a republic on it's on true state basing on an ideal situation of a state and its citizens.
The image built around the republic from Plato's perception is one that is created; it does not exist already, it must be built. The architects of a republic will be Socrates, Plato's fictional persona. Socrates takes charge through the establishment of great communication skills and involving people in his dialogues and channels the whole discussion to justice. The topic of just receives consent from many philosophers but comes with the acknowledgment of what an ambitious and enormous topic it is. Therefore, one cannot talk of a republic without justice popping up.
In the other forms of government, the one to enact and enforce justice and laws is well known as maybe the king or delegates from the ruler. In a republic set-up, the power is within the people; they, therefore, choose a representative basing on various aspects like qualifications or preference. Evidently, the elected leader has received favor through say getting the most votes; this leader will thereby behave in a manner that favors their image in the public site to remain in leadership for a substantial time and may even bend the extremes of justice requirements on law-breakers to protect the political seat.
Plato, therefore, is right to argue that the real concept of a republic is in an ideal state with ideal citizens. Socrates, on the other hand, has a point with the question of the position of justice in a republic and the possibilities of traits from previous forms of government being carried on to the republic form of government.
Works Cited
Tushar, Irani. “Socrates on Friendship and Community: Reflections on Plato's Symposium, Phaedrus, and Lysis” Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 2017,
http://ndpr.nd.edu/news/24145-socrates-on-friendship-and-community-reflections-on-plato-s-symposium-phaedrus-and-lysis/. Accessed 25 March. 2017.
Griswold, Charles. “Longing for the Best: Plato on Reconciliation with Imperfection.” A Journal of Humanities and the Classics, no. 3, 2003, pp. 101-136.
N.d. “Definition of Republic.” Merriam-webster, 2017,
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/republic. Accessed 25 March. 2017.
N.d. “The Republic Summary.” Gradesaver, 2017,
http://www.gradesaver.com/the-republic/study-guide/summary. Accessed 25 March. 2017.
N.d. “SparkNotes: The Republic: Book I.” Sparknotes, 2017
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/republic/section1.rhtml. . Accessed 25 March.
Nicholas, Mary. Socrates and the Political Community. State University of New York: N.d.
