POG 235 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Cephalus, Polemarchus, Thrasymachus
14 Dec 2017
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Plato created the first university, where those who could afford it could devote time to philosophical thinking. Opening dialogue (book 1) on justice: telling the truth and paying our debts (cephalus, helping friends/ harming enemies (polemarchus, might is right (thrasymachus) When the poor win, the result is democracy . An equality of a peculiar kind for equals and unequals alike. Citizens, resident aliens, and strangers are all on equal footing. Commercial values: growing division between rich and poor. Solution: an enlightened" aristocracy rooted in polis (vs oikos (political and economic elites)) Ruler will enjoy common property and no family ties. Cooperation is based on innate differences" = social division of labor. Men should do the one thing for which he is naturally fitted naturally = destined to be good at something. Those with only an economic function = farmers, craftsmen, merchants, shopkeepers, laborers.
