Exploring The Theme Of 'Injustice In Socrates'

For instance, were I to possess the ring of Gyges during a final exam, it would certainly be possible to use its power to learn the answers either before or during the exam. In a situation like this, where no one is being physically harmed, it can be easy to see this unjust action as being neutral, rather than actively malevolent. I admit to being susceptible to my desires, however, I believe that – even when fulfilling our desires in what Socrates would consider to be unjust ways – I can still be moral. For me, injustice towards those who are unjust themselves is acceptable. While the saying goes that two wrongs don’t make a right, reality shows that wrongdoings go unpunished all the time, and that committing an act of injustice against such unjust people may not actually make things any worse.

A person who can do wrong without punishment will not see themselves as doing wrong, but rather, as righting perceived injustices committed against either themselves or society. While a person could use the ring for genuinely ‘good’ reasons, through their ability to commit rights and wrongs, a different notion of morality would emerge. I feel that, if I truly did have this power, while I would try and do good things with it, injustice would inevitably occur, just as Gandalf predicted would occur in Lord of the