The Ideal CityThe Ideal City

Three classes: GuardiansThree classes: Guardians

AuxiliariesAuxiliaries

ProducersProducers

The noble lieThe noble lie

Everybody in the city will be taught Everybody in the city will be taught that their soul’s are made of a metal that their soul’s are made of a metal depending on the class they belong depending on the class they belong to . Gold for rulers, silver for to . Gold for rulers, silver for auxiliaries, and bronze and iron for auxiliaries, and bronze and iron for the producers.the producers.

Each is to stay in its own class.Each is to stay in its own class.

Each class is determined by merit. Each class is determined by merit. Those best suited to soldiers will be Those best suited to soldiers will be soldiers, those best suited to soldiers, those best suited to guardians (rulers) will be guardiansguardians (rulers) will be guardians

The prospective rulers will be tested The prospective rulers will be tested to determine their ability to rule and to determine their ability to rule and loyalty to the city.loyalty to the city.

How do the guardians and How do the guardians and the auxiliaries live?the auxiliaries live?

There will be no wealth allowed for There will be no wealth allowed for the upper classesthe upper classes

They will live communally, allowed They will live communally, allowed only food, shelter, basic clothes and only food, shelter, basic clothes and weapons.weapons.

Adeimantus: But Socrates, won’t Adeimantus: But Socrates, won’t these best citizens of the city be these best citizens of the city be unhappy?unhappy?

Two responses:Two responses:

We are trying to make the city as We are trying to make the city as good as possible, not focus on what good as possible, not focus on what makes an individual as happy as makes an individual as happy as possible. To do this each part must possible. To do this each part must have what is appropriate to it—as in have what is appropriate to it—as in a paintinga painting

It will turn out in fact that these It will turn out in fact that these rulers and auxiliaries will be the rulers and auxiliaries will be the happiest people in the Republic.happiest people in the Republic.

The four virtuesThe four virtues

WisdomWisdom CourageCourage ModerationModeration JusticeJustice The city has each of these. The city has each of these.

The city is wise because the The city is wise because the guardians are wiseguardians are wise

The city is courageous because of The city is courageous because of the courage of the Auxilliariesthe courage of the Auxilliaries

It is moderate because each of the It is moderate because each of the classes are in harmony and agree as classes are in harmony and agree as to who should rule and who should to who should rule and who should be ruledbe ruled

The justice of the city consists in the The justice of the city consists in the principle of specialization. Each part principle of specialization. Each part of the city performs that task that it of the city performs that task that it is naturally suited to perform.is naturally suited to perform.

It is this principle that explains why It is this principle that explains why the city has all the other virtues, the city has all the other virtues, what makes it an ideal (and what makes it an ideal (and differentiates it from other, less just differentiates it from other, less just cities)cities)

Justice in the city Justice in the city and Justice in the and Justice in the

individualindividual

Justice in the city: each part of the Justice in the city: each part of the city performing the function it is city performing the function it is naturally suited for.naturally suited for.

Guardians ruling, Auxiliaries aiding Guardians ruling, Auxiliaries aiding the rulers, the producers obeying the rulers, the producers obeying the rulers.the rulers.

The other virtues of the city, The other virtues of the city, wisdom, courage, and moderation wisdom, courage, and moderation follow directly from justice. follow directly from justice.

The argument for the The argument for the tripartite soultripartite soul

No one thing can have opposite No one thing can have opposite characteristics.characteristics.

If one thing seems to have opposite If one thing seems to have opposite characteristics this is because it has characteristics this is because it has different partsdifferent parts

Example: Socrates is moving and not Example: Socrates is moving and not moving. This is only possible if one part is moving. This is only possible if one part is moving and another is not moving (his moving and another is not moving (his arms might be moving, and his legs not arms might be moving, and his legs not moving)moving)

If the soul has opposite If the soul has opposite characteristics, then it can be shown characteristics, then it can be shown that the soul has parts.that the soul has parts.

Socrates claims the soul does Socrates claims the soul does sometimes have opposite sometimes have opposite characteristics (at the same time) characteristics (at the same time) therefore the soul is divided into therefore the soul is divided into parts.parts.

What are the opposite characteristics?What are the opposite characteristics?

The soul has opposite The soul has opposite desiresdesires

I desire ice cream and desire not to I desire ice cream and desire not to eat ice cream.eat ice cream.

This example shows that there are at This example shows that there are at least two parts of the soul . The part least two parts of the soul . The part that wants ice cream (appetite) and that wants ice cream (appetite) and the part that desires not to eat ice the part that desires not to eat ice cream (reason)cream (reason)

But what of the third part of the But what of the third part of the soul, spirit?soul, spirit?

Leontius and the dead Leontius and the dead bodiesbodies

Leontious was walking along one day and Leontious was walking along one day and saw some dead bodies and was overcome saw some dead bodies and was overcome with a strong desire to look at them. He with a strong desire to look at them. He gave into his desire and at the same time gave into his desire and at the same time felt anger at himself.felt anger at himself.

This shows that spirit, the seat of anger, is This shows that spirit, the seat of anger, is separate from appetite.separate from appetite.

But what of reason and spirit? What But what of reason and spirit? What reason is there to think that these are reason is there to think that these are distinct?distinct?

Animals and small children are Animals and small children are highly spirited and are irrationalhighly spirited and are irrational

Therefore spirit cannot be the same Therefore spirit cannot be the same part of the soul as reason.part of the soul as reason.

Also Reason and Spirit conflict when Also Reason and Spirit conflict when one is about to lose one’s temper. one is about to lose one’s temper. Reason holds back the desire to get Reason holds back the desire to get into a fight.into a fight.

The just individualThe just individual

The individual is just if each part of The individual is just if each part of the soul performs its natural the soul performs its natural function. Reason will be in control, function. Reason will be in control, spirit will aid reason, and the spirit will aid reason, and the appetites will be kept under controlappetites will be kept under control

There is an analogy between justice There is an analogy between justice in the city and justice in the soul. It’s in the city and justice in the soul. It’s the same property applied to the same property applied to different thingsdifferent things

The just citizen and the Just The just citizen and the Just individualindividual

In the just city, each person In the just city, each person performs their natural functionperforms their natural function

A just citizen, is one who does their A just citizen, is one who does their proper roleproper role

Are the just citizens also just people?Are the just citizens also just people?

The citizens of the just city The citizens of the just city are like just peopleare like just people

They are not themselves just (except They are not themselves just (except for the rulers)for the rulers)

But they are like just people in that But they are like just people in that they obey reason– the reason of the they obey reason– the reason of the guardians.guardians.

The citizens in the city obey reason, The citizens in the city obey reason, but unless they are the rulers the but unless they are the rulers the reason they obey is external to them.reason they obey is external to them.

What about conventional What about conventional morality?morality?

Socrates claims that a person who is Socrates claims that a person who is just in his sense will also act just in his sense will also act “justly”—that is not steal, lie, “justly”—that is not steal, lie, murder.murder.

But why? The definition of justice But why? The definition of justice says nothing about how a just person says nothing about how a just person will act.will act.

Possible solutionsPossible solutions

Unjust acts are usually motivated by Unjust acts are usually motivated by physical desires—the sorts of desires physical desires—the sorts of desires that do not dominate a just person.that do not dominate a just person.

Perhaps a rational person would also Perhaps a rational person would also possess moral knowledge, possess moral knowledge, knowledge of the GOOD. More on knowledge of the GOOD. More on this in Book VI and VII.this in Book VI and VII.