The Republic, Books I-
This
is a composite outline of Plato’s Republic created from my personal notes
and study. Specifically, I would like to thank John Paynter,
Leo Paul S. de Alvarez, and David Sweet of the
[Replication
of this outline is strictly forbidden without prior consent.]
**First Definition of Justice: paying your
debts or giving to each what is owed.
C.
331E-336A: Polemarchus section
**Second Definition: Justice is doing good to friends and harm to enemies.
1. 331E-334B:
what is fitting for a friend? The political view of justice
a.332C-333E: justice is reduced to guarding useless things
b.333E-334B: justice is reduced to stealing
2. 334C-335B:
who is a friend? Debunking the political view of justice
3.335B-E: what
is fitting for an enemy? Does justice harm anyone?
1. 336B-338B:
initial confrontation between Thrasymachus and
Socrates
2. 338C-347D:
Third Definition of justice - Justice is the advantage of the stronger.
a. 338-340C: case
of mistakes in rule.
b.
340C-343A: case of perfect knowledge in ruler
3. Justice as an art
Books II-IV: The Search for Justice:
Individual and city.
A.
357a- 367e G&A challenge Soc to defend justice for its own sake.
B. 367c-381b Socrates states the terms for
inquire
C. 369b-427d The
discussants found cities
1.
369b-372c
emergence of the “city of souls” (city of utmost necessity {369d} of the “true
City” [372c] or healthy city [372e]
2.
Emergence
of the luxurious (feverish city)
3.
372e-427e
the transformation “purging’ of the luxurious city
a.
the
need for warriors (373c-374d)
a1. the nature of warriors
(374d-376c)
a2. the education of
warriors (37d-412b)
1.
Music
(376e-403c)
a.
speeches
& tales (376e-398c)
1.
Reasons
for censorship (376c-377c e 379a)
2.what must be said (377 e-392c)
a. speeches about the gods
(377c-383e)
1.
gods
as source of good , not evil
2.
gods
as unchanging, truthful
b. (Book III) Speeches about
Hades or death (382a-387c)
c. speeches about hero’s and
demons (387d-392a)
d. speeches about human
beings (392a-C)
3.How things must be said
(392c-398c)
a. SONG & melody (398c-403c)
4. Gymnastic (403C-412B)
4. (Book IV)
the one great thing and how to achieve it (412-427C)
D. 427D-449A: Once the city is founded, the
discussants search for justice in it and in the individual
1.
427E-434D:
Justice of the city
2.
434D-444A:
Justice of the individual
3.
444A-445A:
The question of injustice
Books V-
Book
V: A. 449A-451B: The New Challenge to Socrates
B.
451C-457C: The first wave: the equality of the sexes
C. 457C-471E:
The second wave: the communalization of the
family
D.
472A-541B: The third wave: the problem of philosophy
and politics
1.
The
claim: Philosophy should rule (472A-474B)
2.
The
city attacks Socrates via Glaucon (473G-487A)
Book
VI (484A) a. Whom
do we mean by philosopher (474B-484B)
b. Whether the philosopher
should rule (484B-502C)
(1) The paradoxical requirements of rule: Two
distinct sets of qualities (484B-485A)
(2) The nature of philosophy (485B-487B)
3.
The
city attacks Socrates via Adeimantus (487B-502C)
a.
philosophy
as useless (ship image: 487E-490E)
b.
philosophy
as vicious (490E-497A)
c.
the
city tamed (497A-502C)
4. Educating the philosopher: the new model of
education (502D-540C)
a.
critique
of the earlier education and warriors (502D-504D)
b.
the
new element in the philosopher’s education: the idea of the good and the power
of soul to grasp it (504D-540C)
(1)
Book
(2)
Bringing
such a person into existence (521B-540B)
(a)
the
course of studies
1. number and calculation
2. plane geometry
3. solid geometry
4. astronomy
5. harmonic movement
6. dialectic