Plato's Republic: First Draft - Essay Example

Number: Plato’s Republic: First Draft In the first draft (Book of The Republic, Plato is speaking through thevoice of his teacher, Socrates, and he is determined to answer two questions, which include what is Justice? And Why should we be just? (Plato, 9). Other than Socrates’ aporia that hit deadlock because he was unable to give a clear definition of what justice is, yet he criticized all the suggestions given by other scholars, The Republic goes beyond this deadlock because Plato was capable of explaining the meaning of justice.

In the first draft, Socrates argues that justice can make a person destroy the good and support the bad because people’s judgment regarding friends and enemies is fallible (Plato, Ferrari & Griffith, 56). Additionally, he argues that not everyone is a friend with the most virtuous persons, nor is the enemy always the problem of society (Plato, Ferrari & Griffith, 56). After a long argument with Thrasymachus, on the meaning of justice, Socrates finally accepts that justice is vital because it signifies health of the soul (Plato, 24).

The first draft ends when Socrates and his antagonists make no significant consensus in defining justice. Instead, Socrates has only prospered in developing weak arguments about the worthiness of justice. In summary, The Republican: First Draft is not merely about the definition of justice, but it is also a defense of Socrates’ Philosophy; a second apology. This implies that Plato is only striving to defend the works of his teacher. He is primarily concerned to reveal why Socrates was a successful philosopher and what his relationship with the society should be.

In the First Draft, Plato is trying to show the significance of philosophy to their city. Works CitedTop of FormBottom of FormPlato. The Republic,trans. Desmond Lee, New York: Penguin, 1979, ISBN = 978-0-1140-45511 -3. Plato, G R. F. Ferrari, and Tom Griffith. The Republic. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.