Plato's Republic: Book II Synopsis

 Hello, 

Today, I am going to write a synopsis on Republic Book II as a means of testing my understanding of what I've read.

Book II picks up where Book I left off with Socrates feeling as if he has competently attended to Thrasymachus' claim that justice is the advantage of the stronger. However, the other interlocutors in the room are not so satisfied. To begin, Glaucon describes three categories that goods are divided into: things we desire for their consequences (physical training, medical treatment), things we desire for their own sake (joy), and things we desire for their own sake and their consequences. This last category is determined to be the "highest" category. Thus, Glaucon wants Socrates to make an argument for justice belonging to this category. 

Glaucon posits that most people believe justice belongs to the first category, as a necessary evil. People go along with what is just out of fear of greater evil being done without it. This gets at the social contract, which will be better defined a few thousand years after Plato's writing. Thus, justice is acted out of fear and weakness. 

To further illustrate this claim, Glaucon uses the legend of the Ring of Gyges . The ring allows its bearer to turn invisible at will. With invisibility, the bearer could be as unjust as they would like with no fear of repercussion. Glaucon argues that anyone with this ring would utilize it this way. To end, Glaucon argues that being unjust is better for living a pleasant life. Adeimantus bolsters this claim by adding that no one is just for justice's sake, but for the benefits reaped in the afterlife. 

Initially, Socrates is reluctant to argue that justice is desirable in and of itself. Socrates comes to lay out his plan of attack by describing two kinds of justice - justice belonging to the city and justice belonging to the individual. Since the city is made up of individuals, Socrates examines justice at this level first. In order to locate political justice, Socrates decides to describe the perfectly just city or kallipolis.

To begin, Socrates introduces the principle of specialization. This states that individuals must perform the role they are best suited for and nothing more. So, a farmer must always be a farmer, a doctor must always be a doctor, and so on. Socrates believes that if this policy was in place, everything needed to be done in a city would be done in the best way. With these specialized roles established, the rest of the city can be built. The first task is to ensure the necessities of life are accounted for (clothing, food, shelter). The individuals providing these necessities are in the "producing class". 

Socrates believes this is the "healthy city", as it is governed only by necessary desires. Glaucon is quick to point out that this city is not realistic because people have unnecessary desires like luxury and art. Socrates then gets to work on building the "luxurious city". Merchants, actors, poets, musicians would be required to bring luxury to the city. However, with this luxury and wealth, the city would be envied and sought for plunder. Warriors would be needed to defend the city, Socrates refers to this class as guardians. 

From here, there is a significant discussion on the nature and education of the guardians. Their training would begin when they are very young.  They must be gentle towards their civilians, yet tough enough to defend themselves against any enemies. They should also be honor loving and physically mighty. As for education, Socrates argues that they should only be taught myths about the Greek gods that show their benevolence. The myths should never depict the gods as shapeshifters, as these could not provide guardians with a stable reference of truth.