Justice In Plato And Plato's Theory Of Justice

What is Justice? This seems to be the simple question to multiple answers and different opinion on what is it. From the classical days to our current modern day the question is what justice is yet to be answered. Although, the topic being vast and complicated it is somewhat defined or theorized as human virtue that makes a person befitting and good; justice is a social awareness that makes a society peaceful and good. This leads theory leads to so many questions in Plato’s book the Republic, like does absolute justice exist and what is just. The Republic shows a phenomenal importance to Plato’s attachment to Justice. Plato wanted end the widespread of corruption and political greed unrestrained in Athens, so as to save the Athenians from the

To understand the Plato theory of justice it is essential to mention the other theories proposed and defined by Sophists, Plato’s fellow citizens as narrated in the Republic.

The dialogue between Socrates and his fellow citizens in the Republic was spent looking for a definition of what justice is, they all had there different meaning and examples of what justice is and how it could be portrayed. Cephalous defines Justice by stating that Justice is returning what rightfully belongs to someone, that is Justice means living up to your legal obligation and being honest. Socrates refuting what Cephalous had theorized with a counterexample saying it is like returning a weapon to a madman. If you owe a madman his weapon in some sense if it belongs to him legally, and still this would be an unjust act, since it would endanger the lives of others. In other words, Justice cannot be honoring a legal obligation and being honest. Polemarchus son of Cephalous took over his father’s conversation with Socrates and had his definition of Justice which was quite similar to that of Cephalus. Polemarchus own definition of what justice is, he said

He argues we are only moral because it pays us and we have to be. Glaucon describes the historical evolution of the society where justice is a necessity and the strong taking advantage of the weak. The weaker, nonetheless, realized that they suffered more injustice. Faced with this condition they came to an agreement and instituted law and government through a sort of social contract and advocate the philosophy of just. Hence, Justice in a way is artificial and unnatural. It is the product of artificial rule of justice and law that the natural selfishness of man is