MID-TERM EXAMINATION - Coursework Example

CORE 103: MID-TERM EXAMINATION (ELECTRONIC) Hussam Refaai Summarize the reasons for reading ‘The Republic’ as a work which throws light onhuman behavior. Write at least one paragraph.This works explores the concept of justice as a critical aspect of order in the society. The books explains the socio-economic and political stratification which categorizes the society into three i.e. rulers, Auxiliaries and producers. The book asserts that society is just when relations between these three classes are right and each individual plays his assigned role.

This explains that justice appeals to human psychology, rather than to perceived behaviors. 2. While Cephalus accepts that his wealth has been useful, particularly in his old age, he rejects the suggestion that it is essential. What other quality does he rate more highly? He points out that being just is the most important aspect of an individual through meeting legal obligations and being honest. Wealth in this case puts one at a better position to meet such obligation provided there is strong positive attitude towards the specific goals in life.

_3. Identify the meaning of the word techne and give some illustrations of how Socrates makes use of the idea behind this word in the Introduction. Write at least one paragraph.This term is referred to as the show of practical skill and for the systematic knowledge or experience which underlies it. In the case of Socrates in this book the republic, introduction of justice has been given critical analysis and definition such that it makes meaning to any individual from different perspectives of reasoning due to the elements of rhetoric tools underlying the statements.

Socrates suggests that the ability to adapt arguments to various types of people is central to a true art or techne of rhetoric. The speaker must discover the kind of speech that matches each type of nature .Picking up another theme in Platos dialogues, the Stoics develop the idea that virtue is a kind of technê or craft of life, one that is based on an understanding of the universe. 4. How does Polymarchus define what it means to be just?According to Polymarchus being just is giving each what is due and of giving to each what is appropriate.

In other words, justice means that one owe friends help, and one owe enemies harm. 5. What school of philosophical thinking does Thrasymachus represent? Thrasymachus belong to Sophist school of thought who explained that an action is taken from the view of being advantageous or disadvantageous rather than being right or wrong. This means that morality and law was a subjective issue to the rich who believed in getting away with illegal and immoral actions on the basis of the advantage aspect of the outcome. 6. Using just a few words, describe Thrasymachus’s view of justice and morality generally.

Thrasymachus argues that the right thing is to act unjustly or immorally, because one should always act in ones own self-interest. He asserts that that law and morality are nothing but mere convention, and that one ought to choose injustice whenever such action would be to one’s advantage. 7. What criticism does Thrasymachus make of Socrates’s method of engaging in dialogue?Thrasymachus seeks to be convinced by Socrates on the reason as to why being unjust and immoral is not the right thing if one is to achieve the best in the society.

He expressly criticizes the stand of Socrates concerning the truth on justice and its fruits. In essence, the act of immorality gives some group of people a competitive edge over the poor and they consider such unjustly undertaking to be right based on the outcome. He concludes that justice is the interest of the stronger – essentially that might makes right.8. According to Thrasymachus, do rulers make mistakes?Rulers use law and morality to oppress the poor and weak so that they defend the socio-economic and political position in the society.

They therefore commit several mistakes in contravention of justice to their advantage which amounts to sophist ideology and this is not considered mistake by them. Thrasymachus therefore declares that rulers don’t do mistake. 9. In Socrates’s view, whose interests would rulers need to fully satisfy in order to be rulers?Rulers must satisfy the needs of the people by recognizing their potential and respective socio-economic classes in the society so that they can mobilize various resources towards managing the subjects and realizing productivity.

This is done with disguised motive of amassing significant amount of wealth and concentrating power around themselves for security reasons. 10. In the ‘Second Statement…,’ what analogy does Thrasymachus use to argue that those in control exploit the things under their control?Thrasymachus claim that ruling is an art in which the strong uses propaganda to manipulate the poor and trample over the law for their own personal interests. 11. Does Socrates think that the wage-earning potential of any profession defines it as a profession?

No; profession is a product of an individual potential to do a particular job and is not merely defined by its wage-earning potential. 12. According to Socrates, what would lead a ‘good and just person’, however reluctantly, to accept power?Justice is an onerous task pursued for gain rather than for its own sake. It is therefore sensible for any person even if good and just person to take power with the inner motive of practicing the either starting from personal interests. 13. According to Socrates, what qualities of the just person lead that person to compete only against the unjust?

Wisdom is the quality that gives a just person strength to displace the unjust with the motive of promoting equality and justice to all. 14. Glaucon argues against Socrates’s interpretation of justice and morality by giving his view about “what most people think”. Identify the main qualities of justice as Glaucon reports how the majority sees it. Write at least one paragraph.Most people see justice as oppressive to the poor but limits mistakes as humanity is characterized by defects that calls for control measures.

The problem in this case is that justice serves less gain especially to the weaker while the fruits of injustice are lucrative. This explains the reason behind the rich people having more access to power and limiting actions of the poor towards the elite ladder in the society.Glaucon also asserts that many people see justice as a tool used by the powerful to advance their desires against the poor and weak. It serves the interest of the rich who perpetrates various atrocities to force their way into good life at the expense of the mass in the society. 15. What two principles, or pillars, of any social contract can be traced back to Glaucon’s description of the reasons why men come together to form a compact?

Obedience to the state, Justice and Self Interest are the key pillars of any social contract that can be traced back to Glaucon’s description of the reasons why men come together to form a compact . 16. According to Adeimantus, what quality of character is treasured so much by ordinary people that it doesn’t matter whether one is actually just or unjust?Self Esteem is the greatest quality treasured by ordinary people in the society as it expresses the moral position and perceived general acceptance in the society. 17. Describe the main features of the division of labor in simple society and then complex society by employing the terminology used by Emile Durkheim.

Write at least one paragraph.Division of labor classifies people to their various areas of assignment based on what they can do best. This defines the job description in any organization. On the other hand, there is a complex division in terms of socio-economic power which assigns managers, workers and the subordinate staff to their various groups. So far Durkheim asserted that division of labor is responsible for more than mere economic productivity of the society, he had shown also that, in advanced societies, there is a social solidarity derived from the division of labor, something already obvious from two facts which included; that the division of labor does produce a kind of solidarity, and that the division of labor is highly developed in advanced societies as experienced in modern economies.

Work citedPlaton, , and Reginald E. Allen. The Republic. New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press, 2006. Print.