Please submit your answers to the discussion questions here.
What is Justice?
According to:
- Thrasymachus?
- Glaucon?
- Socrates?
Who has the most convincing definition?
Use the text, (Paragraph Numbers: 327-329d, 336b-344c, 357-362c, 419a-423a, 427d-435b, 443a-445e, 449a- 465c, 484a-489a, 500c-521c) and your own interpretation to develop an answer to this question. A good answer will include a quotation, or paraphrase, with a quick page citation, as well as an interpretation. The purpose of this is to think about the text in a critical way, and allow you to develop your own ideas and critiques. This also helps set up the writing assignments.
A bad answer to the discussion question would be something like:
“Thrasymachus’ definition of justice is confusing, I don’t understand it”
A better answer would look something like:
“Thrasymachus defines justice as “the advantage of the stronger” at 338c. This seems to mean that justice requires the use of force. Socrates disputes this definition but he seems to focus on the question of justice as advantage. Is there any problem with forcing someone to be just? I don’t think that Socrates provides an adequate response to this idea, and his later definition of justice seems to fall short on this account.”
You also must read and elaborate on two other discussion posts. These should be as developed as your own answer, and should also involve direct references to the text.
A bad response would be something like:
“I agree with your idea, good job!”
A better response would be something like:
“I agree that Thrasymachus focuses on the stronger as a seat of justice, but it seems like his argument falls apart later at 440e. I’m not sure that this makes his argument better than Socrates because ….”
Remember, the purpose of this is to encourage discussion, not conflict. We are all trying to develop better understandings of the text, and everyone’s interpretation is valid. We can agree and disagree without becoming disagreeable.
The responses should be critical evaluations and interpretations of the text and should utilize direct references and quotations. They are not mere “topics for class discussion.
