Understanding book 9 of The Republic
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Hi...I'm trying to understand a concept my teacher said would be on our next quiz which is on The Republic, by Plato, Book 9. The question I'm trying to make certain I get is: why is the unjust man more miserable than a just man? This seems easy but when I read this book 9 Plato is talking about a terrified slave, and that the tyrant (miserable man) is unable to really judge true pleasure and so he can't know pure pleasure...well, I don't know if I'm really digging deeply enough...probably not, could anyone explain this concept to me? Somehow I never trust my own judgment re this class!
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You are certainly on the right track!
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<br><br><br>Here are some key points to keep clear in your mind when reading and analyzing Plato's Republic. The following should help you to understand why Socrates argues that the unjust man will always be more miserable than the just man.
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<br><br><br>* To begin, let's take a step back and analyze the question being posed in class. Why does Socrates feel that it is so important to prove that the unjust man is more miserable than a just man?
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<br><br><br>Think about the following quote:
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<br><br><br>"...(B)ut this is the most important of all questions, the choice between a good and an evil life; and we must be content with nothing short of a reasoned conviction." (ix. 577)
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<br><br><br>This should help to get you started by understanding the import that Socrates places on the question. What is so important about examining people who have many slaves or, as would be the case today, have many material goods? Think back to his arguments about what justice is in the state (i.e. all parts of the state doing what they are meant to do) and in the individual (each part of the soul working as it should). The main thrust of this argument stemmed from people being quick to assume that if one has lots of material goods and external rewards, the importance of being of 'just' character is left to the wayside. Socrates, therefore, is attempting to prove that being a just individual is more important (and beneficial) than being unjust.
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<br><br><br>* Always remember that Socrates will make use of analogies to make his point clear to those he is conversing with. It is for this reason that you are reading about slaves, tyrants, and despotic types early in Book 9.
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<br><br><br>* When Socrates begins '... considering those wealthy private individuals who own a large number of slaves...' (ix. 577), what does his analysis uncover? Most importantly, Socrates shows that though the private individual may be wealthy and therefore able to afford many slaves, he/ ...
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