The Republic by Plato

It is claimed that Republic is one of Plato's finest works describing a metaphysical dialog debating the act of justice. According to Socrates, living only life is instrumental in one's life. In this book, Socrates uses a set of reasons to help us realize that the propagation of moral values is instrumental in establishing a good society. Socrates' points are comprehensively validated by proof and, in particular, a close study of Plato's texts tells us of the need to promote moral ethics. Indeed, exposure to Republic dialogs enables one to understand the dialect of Socrates and to learn essential factors about leading a happy life.Key Learnings from the Text
The underlining idea of justice is central and vital in the Republic. According to Socrates, justice plays a vital role in leading a good life and that, our interests are always in justice. Plato defines justice to be a state of a person’s psyche or soul. Every part of the soul performs its task in attempts to attain psychological harmony which is crucial to one's happiness. Indeed, Plato aimed to content that an individual’s justice is every person's best interest and that building a good reputation for justice is beneficial. Moreover, Plato alludes that the intrinsic values of justice are critical and that injustice culminates into inner discord and enmity. According to the Socrates argument, discord does occur when reason fails to rule. Also, the construction of the functioning of a good city as described by Socrates is another key aspect of the reading. Here, Socrates is able to identify and define the virtues of a good city. As such, he provides the qualities of a city that would enable it to flourish. In Socrates argument, the qualities that are essential in a city include bravery, wisdom, justice, and moderation. Through the guardian knowledge provided by Socrates, he identifies the wisdom of a city and how to maintain both good external and internal relations (Cross and Woozley 42). The auxiliaries’ ability signifies the bravery of a city and attests to preserving the right beliefs concerning what is right and what is to be feared. Still, Socrates mentions that justice is pivotal if a city wants to develop and goes ahead to argue that moderation of the city identified in the fact of classes enables one to make wise decisions. In a nutshell, the parts of the soul, as argued by Socrates represent the values which motivate an individual’s inner actions. The idea of political philosophy evident and is profoundly educative. Here, Socrates presents discussions about political matters as a way of answering the initial question of ethical morality. Undeniably, Socrates gives dialogues on political matters and particularly how this relates to war, education, property and political classes. Furthermore, Socrates heavily dwells in explaining the causes of political strife along with the changes of the regime signaling a significant contribution to political philosophy. Evidently, Socrates puts more emphasis on the idea of social reforms which he explains using fundamental aspects such as the role of women in the society and provision of education. Elucidating to the importance of social reform, he tells the audience that consideration for political changes from one regime to another helps in realizing the desired changes. For this reason, the role of a woman in a city, the issues relating to class relations, the role of family, political stability, people’s freedom and the role of art are instrumental in political philosophy. Therefore, these ideas warrant Republic to be a seminal work embedded in the ideology of political philosophy.Republic and its Relation to People in Modern WorldThe dialogue of Plato is still influential in the modern world on aspects of the political and moral theory. The connection of Republic to the modern individuals stems from the notion of justice that is described to be an appropriate virtue for a good city. In the current society, the strategy of seeking justice is in the construction of a perfectly good government. Individuals practice this through isolating features that will enable a city to perform well by electing the right leaders. The aspiration of justice in entities explains people’s central place in deliberation. As such, citizens of the modern world will always seek the greatest happiness by calling and promoting good governance. People are well suited for living and developing following their rational capacities portraying truthful guardians who rule a city. Similar to Socrates beliefs, an organized government that attends to the needs of people such as education is fundamental in realizing social reforms (Murphy 12). Every individual in government strives to realize a change that will leave behind a legacy. Also, the call for equality in gender representation relates to the modern world. The Republic highlights the role of women in the society and emphasizes on development and love for traditional ethical ideals such as moderation and courage. ConclusionUndoubtedly, the Republic is a rational reflection of the society and the underlying ideas of moral philosophy as well as the call for justice in guiding people’s interests. Socrates’ arguments are heavily grounded in values and virtues which every person should strive to have. Our actions are inherently significant, and one should be guided by moral values that promote ethical behavior. Socrates uncovers the fundamental factors that create a proper functioning of a city.Works citedCross, R.C. and Woozley, A.D. Plato’s Republic: A Philosophical Commentary. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1964.Murphy, N.R. The Interpretation of Plato’s Republic. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1951.