Justice
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- Date Submitted: 06/20/2014 01:39 PM
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WHAT IS JUSTICE?
BY MELEAH BYRD
In this paper I will use the Republic, one of the books of Plato, to define justice. The
first part of the paper I will examine and discuss the nature of justice and the significance
to human action using this ethical theory. In the second part of my paper I will offer my
critical evaluation of the argument where I will give reasons and examples supporting my
critique.
For Plato, justice is a virtue establishing rational order, with each part acting out its
appropriate role and not interfering with the functioning of other parts. Plato uses
Socrates in his arguement for justice that includes both the just person and the just state.
Plato's definition of justice is that justice is the having and doing of what is one's own.
A person's soul has three parts – reason, spirit, and desires/appetites. Reason is the
highest part of the soul. It dictates our thoughts, awarness, goals, and choices. This part
of the soul is the only part that knows what is just or unjust. Reason is what gives the
other two parts of the soul direction. Spirit is the middle part of the soul and it oversees
emotions, motivations, feelings, and passions. The lowest part of the soul is
appetites/desires. Our appetites/desires direct our voluntary and involuntary processes of
life. Once all three parts of the soul are in complete harmony, then and only then justice
is achieved.
“It's not at all uncommon to find a person's desires compelling him to go against his reason, and to see him cursing himself and venting his passion on the source of the compulsion within him. It's as if there were two warring factions, with passion fighting on the side of reason. But I'm sure you won't claim that you had ever, in yourself or in anyone else, met a case of passion siding with his desires against the rational mind, when the rational mind...
BY MELEAH BYRD
In this paper I will use the Republic, one of the books of Plato, to define justice. The
first part of the paper I will examine and discuss the nature of justice and the significance
to human action using this ethical theory. In the second part of my paper I will offer my
critical evaluation of the argument where I will give reasons and examples supporting my
critique.
For Plato, justice is a virtue establishing rational order, with each part acting out its
appropriate role and not interfering with the functioning of other parts. Plato uses
Socrates in his arguement for justice that includes both the just person and the just state.
Plato's definition of justice is that justice is the having and doing of what is one's own.
A person's soul has three parts – reason, spirit, and desires/appetites. Reason is the
highest part of the soul. It dictates our thoughts, awarness, goals, and choices. This part
of the soul is the only part that knows what is just or unjust. Reason is what gives the
other two parts of the soul direction. Spirit is the middle part of the soul and it oversees
emotions, motivations, feelings, and passions. The lowest part of the soul is
appetites/desires. Our appetites/desires direct our voluntary and involuntary processes of
life. Once all three parts of the soul are in complete harmony, then and only then justice
is achieved.
“It's not at all uncommon to find a person's desires compelling him to go against his reason, and to see him cursing himself and venting his passion on the source of the compulsion within him. It's as if there were two warring factions, with passion fighting on the side of reason. But I'm sure you won't claim that you had ever, in yourself or in anyone else, met a case of passion siding with his desires against the rational mind, when the rational mind...