Thrasymachus Definition Of Justice In Plato's Republic

Justice is a concept that great thinkers alike have failed to assign one concrete definition to for centuries. Some define justice in terms of equality, where everyone should have the same amount no matter how hard they work or how much effort they put in. Others define justice as distributing benefits in proportion to the person’s social and economic standing. For example, the poor need more assistance than the rich, therefore the benefits should more numerous and higher in value. However, if one looks back centuries to a time where the question was endlessly pondered, the question of what justice truly is brings forth a different class of answers set in different parameters. In Plato’s great work “Republic”, Justice involves a more ethical

When Socrates begins his analysis, he aims his focus at Thrasymachus mention of the phrase, “of the stronger.” For this is where Socrates finds the contradiction in Thrasymachus’ definition of Justice, specifically in Thrasymachus’ trust in the “stronger’s” judgement. Socrates starts off his analysis of Thrasymachus’ argument looking at whether one can truly trust the judgement of all rulers. Thrasymachus firmly believes it is only just to obey all rulers. Socrates uses this to form his counterpoint saying, “Are the rulers in all cities infallible, or are they liable to error” (Socrates 15). By making this statement, Socrates challenges Thrasymachus indirect belief that all rulers are infallible in the laws that they enforce, and the ways they use to enforce them. Socrates questions Thrasymachus’ thesis saying if it is just for a citizen of a society to always obey laws put in place by a ruler, is it still just to obey laws put in place that benefit neither the ruler or the citizen? By asking Thrasymachus more and more questions, Socrates was able to sit back and let Thrasymachus point out the contradiction in his own thesis. Socrates really never interjected Thrasymachus when he was wrong, he just forced Thrasymachus to repeat what he had said and find the flaws in his own