The Republic by Plato Essay Example for Free

The Republic by Plato Essay In the book The Republic, Plato explores the mystery contained in living a good life where he looks at living a just life and what it entails. He also looks at life when there are philosopher kings ruling. The main character in the book is Socrates who is engaged in a discussion by some friends he meets when coming from the Piraeus to offer his prayers. He is walking with Glaucon on his way to the city when Polemarchus catches sight of him and invites him to walk with him along with Adeimantus who is the brother to Glaucon and they end up going to his house. Once they get to the home of Polemarchus, there they find Cephalus his father, his brothers Lysias and Euthademus and also Thrasymachus, Cleitophon and Charmantides. Cephalus admonishes Socrates for not visiting him often yet he is an old man who cannot be able to travel as he would wish. He however appreciates old age since it has given him peace that he could not have gotten when he was younger. He exhorts the goodness of old age instead of complaining as his peers did about the ills of old age. Socrates becomes intrigued and asks him whether his position is affected by the fact that he is wealthy and there starts the discussion of what makes one content with his life. Cephalus is convinced that ones disposition determines how contented or discontented one is with his life. According to him riches whether acquired or inherited does not play a part in ones happiness instead how you have decided to live your life is what matters (Jowett B. pg 11). He is of the idea that a good man whether poor or rich is a happy man while a bad man whether rich or poor is an unhappy man. He defined a good man as he who is just to others. Socrates wants to know what justice is and thus the beginning of the discussion about justice. Since they defined justice as speaking the truth and paying off debts, Socrates wants to know whether there are any exceptions to these rules. He also wants to know if one becomes less just if he decides that it is for the best not to do exactly as required by the rule of justice if it causes more harm than good to obey the rule. Socrates is of the opinion that justice must have a much broader definition than the one currently in use. At this point Cephalus exits and leave his son to take over the conversation on his behalf. Polemarchus is of the same opinion as Socrates but still quotes a respected man and a poet (Simonides) as having said differently but excuses him by assuming that he had not considered all the scenarios that are possible.   Polemarchus is however of the opinion that this rule only applies to those people who are considered to be ones friends. To those who are enemies, the rule of returning what is owed applies strictly even if by doing so one cause harm to the one receiving what is owed. He interprets what Simonides meant when he wrote about justice and assumes it to mean that one should give to each what they deserve meaning that to a friend one should do that which is good and to an enemy one should give evil. If by repaying a debt one is doing evil to a friend, then one should not repay it but if it is to an enemy one ought to be able to do so gladly. In their discussion, it emerges that there are times that injustice is preferred to justice and that in most cases it is considered useless when other things are useful and vice versa (Jowett B. pg 17). After much discussion they seem to agree that a just man cannot cause harm to others whether they are enemies or friends. This then leaves them with no definition of what justice is yet they require knowing what it is. At this point, Thrasymachus enters the conversation but for him to give his opinion of what he thinks justice is, he demands that he be paid some money. He introduces to the reader the third definition of justice which he claims to be the interest of the stronger (Jowett B. pg21). This is because the laws governing people’s deeds are formulated by the government which in turn is made up of the strong people regardless of what sort of government it is. Socrates questions this definition since the rulers may be wrong in formulating the laws and make some which may cause injury to them. If the subjects in being just must obey the law, the question then becomes whether by causing injury to the ruler they are still supposed to be just. At this point, Cleitophon contributes by saying that as long as the stronger thought that whatever was being done was to his interest, then it was justice to go ahead and do it despite its assumed harm to him. Thrasymachus defines the ruler or the stronger man as he who cannot make a mistake and if one does make a mistake, he ceases to be a ruler. Socrates asks him who is the master of an art and after it is established that the one who does something best is the master of the trade. In agreeing to this, Thrasmychus finds himself cornered by Socrates because then it means that the ruler defines justice as that which serves the interest of his subjects and not his own interests. This is because a master of an art does all he can for the benefit of those under him and one of the examples given is that of a physician who does all he can for the benefit of the patient yet he is the master of the art. It seems in this case that the ruler has made a law that affects him negatively because it has reduced his social standing. In this way then, the ruler has made a mistake and hence stops becoming a ruler because he has not put his interests first in making the law. Thrasymachus is of the opinion that the unjust man benefits more than the just one does and he defines justice as â€Å" the interest of the stronger whereas injustice is a man’s own profit an interest† (Jowett B. pg 27). He seems not be consistent in his view since he attributes different qualities to different professions as the definition of justice. The discussion takes a turn at towards perfect societies where the perfectly unjust society is seen as being more profitable than the perfectly just society. Thrasymachus is of the opinion that just people want equality with the just but want to have more than the unjust while the unjust wants more than everyone (Jowett B. pg 32). Socrates asks if an unjust society can be able to rule without exercising any form of justice. He however does not receive a precise answer. The first book ends with the question whether justice is good or evil. Thrasymachus remains silent from this moment on. Glaucon enters the scene with questioning Socrates about the types of goods there are and how they can be classified. They come up with three types of goods an justice is placed at the level of goods which are accepted because by practicing them one gains but if they had another choice would rather not engage in them thus preferring injustice to it (Jowett B. pg 38). In doing this he seems to be supporting the position of Thrasmychus but still wants to hear the opinion of Socrates on the true nature of justice. He believes that people do that which is good because they are afraid of the repercussions of doing evil and if they had a choice they would opt for evil other than good. To support his position, he tells the story of Gyges, a shepherd, who got a ring from a dead mans body that had the power to make one invisible. The ring allowed him to do things that he would otherwise not do with people seeing him. People obey the rules of justice because others can see them but if there is a chance that they will not be seen, then their true feelings emerge and most often than not they (the feelings) will be inclined towards injustice and evil. As the story is told, Gyges uses the ring to become invisible and seduce the queen who helped him eliminate the king and he became the king. It is obvious that prior to his having the ring, he could not have done so but under the guise of invisibility he was able to do much evil (Jowett B. pg 39). Glaucon wants the unjust man to be totally unjust and the just man to be totally just because total injustice can be misconstrued to mean justice. Adeimantus his brother supports him by adding that parents teach their children to be just so that in future they may be able to get good jobs and marriages and not necessarily to make them good. However Socrates is convinced that they are arguing for injustice yet they do not believe in being unjust (Jowett B. pg 45). According to Socrates, a state arises as a result of the needs that people have and it must be comprised of different categories of people who all work together to ensure the goodness of all. Justice is supposed to have led to the existence of three classes of people namely: the rulers, the producers and the soldiers. They all have specified duties and none should try to do another’s because that would be deemed as being unjust. They all have their roles and to assume another’s role is to rob the individual of his way of earning a living hence becoming unwittingly unjust. Also in trying to add another person’s load onto your own, it would lead to doing a shoddy job hence becoming unjust to those who trusted you to do the job for them (Jowett B. pg 47). Socrates takes both Glaucon and Adeimantus through the formation of a state where the three categories of people exist with justice being defined as minding ones business and letting others do the same up to the point where out of increased needs, the roles start to intermingle leading to a breakdown of justice. People in the state require that which does not belong to them to make their lives comfortable and in so doing become unjust. He then decides to create an ideal city where there is no private property or even wives and children. This is done for the common good and in such a city justice is not required. The discussion changes from whether a city is just to the question of whether there is any possibility of such a city existing. It is at this point that he introduces the idea of philosopher kings. The philosopher king is supposed to be just, a lover of wisdom and of truth. He rules not because he gains but because he wants to help the people who are his subjects. In this state, there is no discrimination among sexes and neither are there classes of people since all are considered to be equal. Philosophers are assumed to be the only people who can be able to decide which pleasures are good for the citizens and hence the need to have one as a ruler. He believes that power corrupts a ruler and the only one who is incorruptible is the philosopher and hence the need to give him the power to rule. He finishes off by criticizing the forms of governments that arise as a result of corrupted rulers. According to him, the least threatening of the governments is what he calls timocracy which is an authoritarian rule that is headed by an unstable minded man who wants to avenge the humiliation suffered by his father at the hands of his mother. Oligarchy is worse than timocracy and is characterized by having a band of few rich men who are the leaders and respect nothing other than money. Democracy follows and is seen as the rule by demagogues who are not even fit to be doing so. The worst of all the governments is tyranny where the ruler has absolute power and rules by dictating his desires and making them into laws to be followed by the citizens. The book ends without any conclusion on the definition of justice but before Socrates leaves his friends, they agree that to live a just life is better than to live an unjust life.

Essay --

There is a process in plant agriculture that scientists intentionally make a replica of a gene of a plant or organism and places it into another plant or organism. This produces what we call a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) or sometimes known as genetically engineered food. The modifications of the genetics in plants, livestock, and other organisms go as far back as 10,000 years ago and over time scientists have experimented with cross-breeding, researched how to create plants with desirable traits, and the first actual GMO was introduced to the market. There are currently eight crops commercially available from GMO in the United States. These crops include corn, cotton, soybeans, canola, alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya, and squash. There are several reasons as to why the crops are being genetically altered. Some of the reasons include making crops more resistant to disease, which will then result in a more efficient and higher production of crops, making them taste and look more a ppealing, and an abundance of other reasons. As of now, the labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms aren’t enforced. A major reason people would like foods who have been genetically modified to be labeled is because people feel they have the right to know what they are consuming. Some reasons why people are opposed to requiring the labeling of GMO’s is because there are no significant differences between genetically modified foods and conventional foods. There are people who are in favor of genetically modified foods being labeled for consumers. If the foods that have been modified are labeled, they can inform the people purchasing and consuming them (Debatepedia, 2010). Various bacteria are being used when modifying foods and if taken into the bod... ...t need to be labeled as such. In my opinion, I think genetically modified foods should be labeled. If they label these foods and have nothing to hide, then there shouldn’t be an issue. Yes, people have the choice whether or not they would buy foods that have been modified, but I think it’s best to label them just so people can be in the know of what they are eating and then can make an informed choice. Also, if you are allergic to a certain food, or refuse to eat something due to ethical and religious values, you should be informed. As far as we know now, Genetically Modified Foods can serve no harm to us; it’s just the principle of being informed and aware of what you are putting into your body. As citizens of the United States, I believe we have earned the right to know every ingredient that is in our foods because our health id very dependent on what we consume.

Problem faced by indian farmers and suggestions Essay

Earlier there was a problem for some credit for farmers, now it is easy to some extent. So the credit is not a problem for the farmers but after production there is, because of not having adequate storage facility some perishable vegetables farmers cannot store it for longer times. So the storage facility and the transportation facilities both should be in the modern line. Actually second thing is the price, price of the produce because whenever the farmer product the price now so low so sometimes it is not remunerative business for farmers. Particularly in fruits this thing happens much because if I grow grain crops then I can store for a longer time but for the fruit crops it is not possible for me. So I have to dispose it off in any market at any price or any rate. So marketing is sometimes a problem. So if both problem solves I think farmer have a good day in future. I am selling through the mandis, through the regulated markets I am selling through the APMC, the agriculture produce market committee in Gujarat. But here in this regular market also there is no say for farmers. Farmers have to stand up there, there is no facility available in the local market for grading and storing. Second thing in the present market also the dalals and wholesalers have their more say than farmers, that is the problem. Solution: According to me the solution could be – In the regulated market, the local market government should enhance the facility for storage as well as grading at the market levels so that our produce can be go for export also. There should be a platform for farmers to decide his price on that.

Museum Essay - 916 Words

User generated is used to help describe content such as video, blogs, digital images, audio files and other media which is created by consumers or end-users online which is publicly available for other individuals. It reshaping museum through opening the dialogue, breaking down the walls inaccessibility and making visitor a part of the exhibit. Opening the dialogue is the traditional experience becoming a dialogue which is where individuals share their visit to the museum. Through user content such as social media, the visitor lets other individuals know their highlights of the museum. Through this, it gives museums a new voice but also can give a new perspective of museums such as a behind the scenes of a museum which isn’t access to†¦show more content†¦It helps illustrate as a new way of organising a city through urban culture and modernity. This help changes the relation between the producers and the industries as it focuses on the city the consumption and society especially within a public space which resonates the world of museumization. Arcades are important due to the new design of an industrial luxury feel which has a glass cover and marble flooring. Arcades were important to the changing nature of cities from the 19th century due the change and improvement of technology, art, capital, industries, luxury and excess in a way that is a contrivance. As Benjamin saw societies within industries to have a role of the arcades which would â€Å"become images in the collective consciousness† which would transfigure and transcend which would inspire and enhance the collective towards the service within capitalism which will help change the cities nature (Benjamin 1969:166). 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