Compare And Contrast Socrates And Objective Truth

Socrates and Thrasymachus varied greatly in their theories on the objectivity of justice. I will argue that there are objective truths about what is just and what is unjust. In the first paragraph, I will elaborate on the difference between a subjective and objective truth . In the second paragraph, I will contrast the views of Thrasymachus and Socrates on the objectivity of justice. Finally, in the third paragraph and following, I will develop and support an argument for the presence of objective truths in the sense of justice. Merriam-Webster defines a truth as a transcendent, fundamental or spiritual reality. A reality can mean many different things. For example, if a person says, â€Å"strawberry milkshakes are the best!† that may be a†¦show more content†¦Socrates believes that there is a form of justice that we all know, but that can only be observed in the intelligible world. This means that nothing in this world will be perfectly just, it will only resemble ju stice. He says that justice in the sensible (physical) world appears as each part of an individual or a society doing that for which it is naturally suited. To explain justice within the individual, he compares each part of the tripartite soul with a social class. He says that the reasoning element of the soul is represented by the rulers, the spirited element by the auxiliaries, and the appetitive element by the craftsmen. Socrates says that just as justice in society can be seen as each class doing that for which they are naturally suited (rulers ruling, auxiliaries being courageous and protective, and craftsmen feeding the appetites of the society) the parts of the soul must do their individual duties to ensure that the entirety of the soul is just. Socrates is correct in his argument that there is objective truth to justice. To clarify, justice can be defined as the maintenance or administration of what is morally upright or good. In the mind of Socrates, the ultimate human good that should be maintained through justice is happiness. In fact, Socrates believes that happiness is the ultimate human good in any case. He defines happiness as aShow MoreRelatedA Critical Analysis Of Citizen Life In Platos The Republic1552 Words   |  7 PagesThis philosophical study will compare the two paradigmatic regimes of the aristocracy and tyranny and also provide a critical analysis of citizen life in Plato’s The Republic. The similarities between Socrates’ definition of the Philosopher King of the aristocracy and the tyrant are that a single ruler governs over the republic. In some ways, the empowerment of a single individual provides a catalyst for an aristocratic engagement of the nobleman to support this form of governance. In these seeminglyRead MoreEthics and Related Philosophies4468 Words   |  18 Pagesfor humans to live, and what kinds of actions are right or wrong in particular circumstances. 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