PSCI 2301 Lecture Notes - Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, Positive Law
7 Jul 2014
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About question what is justice : setting the scene (characters, cephalus (elder merchant, represents tradition and authority, polemarchus (son) inherits fathers beliefs. Justice = giving what is owed, helping friends/harming enemies. Socrates says justice is something useful, has a certain skill/expertise. Tyrant, thrasymachus, says justice is what the stronger person says it is. Strong do what they will, weak do what they must. Socrates says are you strong on your own, or must you live in a community. Tyrant says as long as he can manipulate mob. Socrates says it is a kind of knowledge, and if you have to manipulate the mob, you are a slave to the mob. Justice in political sense as helping friends, harming enemies eg western countries and allies having nukes but none for iran. What is the good, who are friends, who are enemies, how are they related to justice.
