Philosophy Quiz 2

"Now, no one, it seems, would be so incorruptible that he would stay on the path of justice or stay away from other people's property, when he could take whatever he wanted from the marketplace with impunity, go into people's houses and have sex with anyone he wished, kill or release from prison anyone he wished, and do all the other things that would make him like a god among humans. Rather his actions would be in no way different from those of an unjust person, and both would follow the same path"(Republic360b-c).

-Explaining the Ring of Gyges example -If men could get away with injustice then there would be nothing stopping him from being unjust -it is more profitable to be unjust than just if there were no consequences

Socrates gives three reasons for staying in prison rather than escaping. Pick two and explain them.

-Persuade or obey: (51b) This is the idea that one either must convince the other party that their ideas are correct- or they must obey the decisions of said party. Because Socrates could not convince the jury that he was innocent then he must accept his punishment. -Erosion: those who live in a state must follow the rules of that state because if no one follows the rules then the state will erode. -Tacit Consent: The idea that if you live in a state you are consenting to be governed by the state. -Filial piety: The idea that you must obey your state like a son obeys his father

"Consider that I tell you this because I would inform you about the origin of the slander. When I heard of this reply I asked myself: 'Whatever does the god mean? What is his riddle? I am very conscious that I am not wise at all; what then does he mean by saying that I am the wisest? For surely he does not lie; it is not legitimate for him to do so'"(Apology21b).

-Socrates is questioning the Oracle -the Oracle says that Socrates is the wisest of all men but he says that he is not wise -He knows that he does not know, which is what makes him the most wise

"Be sure that if you kill the sort of man I say I am, you will not harm me more than yourselves. Neither Meletus nor Anytus can harm me in any way; he could not harm me, for I do not thinkit is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse; certainly he might kill me, or perhaps banish or disenfranchise me, which he and maybe others think to be a great harm, but I do not think so"(Apology30d).

-Socrates is saying that putting him to death will not harm him, but cause harm upon the people that are putting him to death -He says this because he is sentenced unjustly so the harm that is being caused is to the city since injustices are allowed to happen -represents his "persuade or obey" doctrine

"Therefore, since we aren't clever people, we should adopt the method of investigation that we'd use if, lacking keen eyesight, we were told to read small letters from a distance and then noticed that the same letters existed elsewhere in a larger size and on a larger surface. We'd consider it a godsend, I think, to be allowed to read the larger ones first and then to examine the smaller ones, to see whether they really are the same"(Republic368d).

-Socrates is talking about how it is easier to look holistically at a thing that is larger than one that is smaller, then it will be easier to read the smaller thing after reading the big thing -He is talking about justice, must look at the whole of justice then focus on the specifics of justice to know what it is -Socrates is saying that in order to identify what justice is at an individual level, they should look at the big picture and examine the justice of a whole city.

"Polemarchus and I were frightened and flustered as [Thrasymachus] roared into our midst: What nonsense have you two been talking, Socrates? Why do you act like idiots by giving way to one another? If you truly want to know what justice is, don't just ask questions and then refute the answers simply to satisfy your competitiveness or love of honor. You know very well that it is easier to ask questions than answer them. Give an answer yourself, and tell us what you say the just is"(Republic336c).

-Thrasymachus is upset with Socrates only asking questions instead of answers -shows Thrasymachus' frustration with Socratic Dialogue -This is Thrasymachus basically telling Socrates that he needs to do more than find counter arguments. If he's so good at finding problems with other people's arguments he better come up with his own infallible definition of justice.

What is the Myth of the Metals?

All people were born into three classes, gold, silver, iron, and bronze classes. These people are meant to marry others of their own kind and produce offspring of their own kind. This creates a balance in the city since those of a certain metal have a certain aptitude for a trade, Also known as the Noble Lie, "The myth contends that all citizens of the city were born out of the earth. This fiction persuades people to be patriotic. They have reason to swear loyalty to their particular plot of ground and their fellow citizens. That plot of ground is their mother, and their fellow citizens are their brothers and sisters. The myth holds that each citizen has a certain sort of metal mixed in with his soul. In the souls of those fittest to rule there is gold, in those suited to be auxiliaries there is silver, and in those suited to be producers, there is either bronze or iron. The city must never be ruled by someone whose soul is mixed with the wrong metal; according to an oracle, the city will be ruined if that ever happens"

According to __________ in the Republic, it is difficult to be poor and just, and the worst thing to worry about is not to repay one's debts

Cephalus

Socrates decides that we should examine the justice of the ________ in order to identify justice in the individual.

City/State

In the Apology, Socrates is being charged with _________ the youth and impiety.

Corrupting

Socrates is ultimately sentenced to _________.

Death

Socrates believes in ________ piety, or the idea that citizens of a state owe the state allegiance just as sons owe allegiance to their fathers.

Filial

Glaucon introduces the Ring of ______, which is meant to show that, absent punishment, "no one ...would be so incorruptible that he would stay on the path of justice.

Gyges

Explain Thrasymachus's view of justice.

He believes that justice is the advantage of the strong over the weak. The strong are allowed to do whatever they want and it will be just because they can get away with it. The weak are allowed to have injustices done to them because they cannot defend themselves against it.

Why does Socrates make appeals to his favorite Presocratic philosopher in both the Apology and the Republic?

His favorite Presocratic Philosopher is Xenophanes. He makes appeals to him because Xenophanes believes that men with true knowledge (philosophers) are superior to other people. Socrates believes that finding true knowledge and devotes his life to this, even if it means that he is poor and put to death

According to the Paradox of Socratic __________, true wisdom consists in knowing that you do not know.

Ignorance

Socrates paradoxically argues that no one ever _________ does wrong; in other words, to know the good is to do the good.

Intentionally

Explain why someone might think that true wisdom consists in knowing that you do not know.

It is wise to know that you can be proven wrong. When one is so stubborn in their ways they do not believe they are wrong, even when they are. Wise men are flexible and can accept they are wrong to open their minds to more truth. When you know that you don't know you completely open yourself up to the truth.

What is the famous Ring example in the Republic meant to show us about human nature and justice?

It means that humans are ultimately unjust to the core. If we knew we could get away with injustice and have good reputations afterwards, there would be no reason why we would not be unjust, if there were no consequences for our actions, human nature would lead us to do injustice because it would benefit us.

The _______ lie separates people into gold, silver, iron, and bronze classes.

Noble

__________ argues that justice is helping one's friends and harming one's enemies

Polemarchus

Explain Socrates'rebuttal to Polemarchus' definition of justice.

Polemarchus believes that justice is giving good things to your friends and harming your enemies. Socrates believes that a just person would never do anything unjust intentionally and doing harm to anyone is unjust, therefore harming your enemies is not justice.

Crito comes to visit Socrates to help him escape from _________.

Prison and his death sentence

How does Socrates test the Oracle's belief that he is the wisest of all men?

Socrates believes that he is wise because he doesn't pretend to know things that he doesn't. Socrates went to politicians, poets, craftsmen and other people throughout Athens and asked them what they knew. They knew things about their craft and therefore thought they were wise. Even they knew about their craft, they did not know everything and therefore Socrates thought he was wiser than them because he knew that he did not know anything.

How does Socrates argue that he is not a Sophist?

Socrates claims that he is not a Sophist because Sophists charge people money to learn from them and Socrates is poor. If Socrates was a Sophist he would be rich. Socrates also claims that he doesn't know anything, therefore he has nothing to teach to people

Socrates' views in the Apology seem inconsistent with his views in the Crito; this inconsistency is called the _______________ problem.

Socratic

In the Crito, Socrates argues that living in a state amounts to consenting to the state's laws; this view is called ________ consent.

Tacit

Explain the great analogy that functions as the center of the Republic.

The great analogy is the kallipolis, or the 'ideal city.' Socrates and Glaucon build the ideal city so they can figure out of justice exists in an ideal city. If it does, then that means that justice must exist in an individual soul.

__________'s first attempted definition of justice is that justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger

Thrasymachus

When Socrates proposes that his punishment be free meals in the Prytaneum, this is a throwback to ____________'s argument about athletes and men of wisdom.

Xenophanes