PHL100Y1 Lecture Notes - Cephalus, Thrasymachus, Polemarchus
Document Summary
Topic: what is justice: it s important to recognize that justice (greek term) is something that is meant to be a quality that can be possessed by individuals and social institution. Think of it as our fairness : republic is traditional title but not quite right. Human failing to believe that the way things are, is they things ought to be: greeks were the first to realize this. What is the best way for all of us to live together (see topic) From socrates to plato: the project of the republic, justice, and the opening miniature socratic dialogue-a series of proposed definitions, each of which is found lacking in some fashion. Cephalus (conventional morality): justice is to speak the truth and to pay one s debts (331c). Against this, socrates objects that paying one s debts is not always just-hence. Polemarchus (tribal morality): justice is to benefit one s friends and to harm one s enemies (331e-332d).
