Plato
The Republic
“So where is Justice, then, in this polis?”
f our polis is perfect, it must contain not only justice - but the other virtues: wisdom (sophia), courage (euthumia) and self-discipline (sophrosyne). The rulers have wisdom, the auxiliaries courage and the workers discipline (because they agree that the rulers should rule). [Are these all the virtues?]. If each of the classes does its own job properly - then this is what justice is and the search is over. [1 man 1 job]
Returning to the other original assumption - that a polis is a magnified individual, we can therefore now see justice in the individual as well. Each individual's 'soul' or personality (psyche) has three modes (probably Socrates didn't really mean three physical parts).
Reason corresponding to the wisdom exercised by the rulers of the polis, the Guardians. This must also rule in the just individual.
Spirit corresponding to the courage needed by the Auxiliaries in the polis: spirit must be controlled by reason in a just person.
Desires corresponding to the self-discipline of the workers in the polis: The instinctive desires and appetites will be under self-control in the just individual.
Glaucon's question about the value of justice for itself is now answered - it's like health in the body, and self-evidently good.
Socrates now suggests that we should now look at some bad and unhealthy communities and individuals - there's only one kind of goodness, but infinite varieties of bad. But he is again interrupted …
Before you do that, what about women? ![[Next Page?]](next.gif)