In summary, the core argument in the Republic is about justice. Throughout the book, main points is what the virtue justice is and why a person should be just. Now, we are going to track the discussion about them.
In the first part of the book, it says that returning debts owed, and helping friends while harming enemies are justice. But Socrates think the definition is not adequate. In the next step, one of philosophers says justice is the benefit for strongers more than anything else. Socrates does not agree with his idea. After some discussion, Socrates succeedes in persuading him to admit his statement was wrong.
After that, Plato's two brothers challenge Socrates to define justice. One of Plato's brother, Glaucon, uses the legend in which a man discovered a ring that gave him the power to become invisible. Glaucon argue that every man would do unjust things if he had the opportunity like that. Thus, no man would be just by his nature. Graucon's statement is that the just person is forced to be just because he is just afraid of doing injustice for fear of being punished. He defend the position that the just life is better than the unjust life with the legend.
The story continues on and on. I will show you the next time.
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