Plato’s Republic

Books 9 - 10

I. Overview

1. Recap

2. The Philosopher and the City– The Cave– So What?

3. Autonomy & Political Authority

4. Tyrannical vs Philosophical Lives

I. Recap

Guardians can make sure you perform your jobs correctly -- (contra freedom)

Celebration of freedom increases only when distinction between Right/Wrong decreases.

If we truly care about morality, then we will want to limit individual freedom

II. The Philosopher & The City:Allegory of the Cave

II. The Philosopher & The City:Allegory of the Cave

Allegory of The Cave (VII, 514a-518)

II. The Philosopher & The City:Allegory of the Cave

Point of the story? – Plato suggesting that it is wrong to treat best

moral specimen as equal to average ditch digger

Tie to Plato’s defense of Socrates– Athens needed to tolerate Socrates

Note, philosopher has nothing to gain by going back to rule city… philosopher must be forced to rule

II. The Philosopher & The City:Allegory of the Cave

So What?– How would ideal city come about?– Philosopher would have to convince city that they

need philosophers to rule, and philosophers don’t want to rule

– Not likely proposition -- city in speech unlikely to come up

– So no major problem, right?

II. The Philosopher & The City:So What?

What is at issue between city and philosopher?

Philosopher assumes that nothing can be accepted without question

Philosophy undermines the necessary social/cultural mores of city since

III. Autonomy & Political Authority

We need to figure things out for ourselves -- do the right thing for the right reason

But lawgiver (political authority) depends on our unreflected acceptance of authority

Authority means doing whatever lawgiver says without questioning. Not making decision based on our own reason

Political association is based on authority

III. Autonomy & Political Authority

Can’t both think for yourself and have political authority

Tension between being good citizen and good person

We can’t say “so what” because the plight of Socrates is our plight

III. Autonomy & Political Authority

How to assess which should come first in guiding our behavior?

Myth of Er Moral man should tell city to take a hike,

since soul is more important than city

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Why not become a tyrant since city is trying to tyrannize us?

Answer is not based on altruism (do it because it’s good for everyone else, even if it does mean sacrificing me)

Tyrant is the biggest slave of all because…

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Tyrant is slave to other people– Tyrant is subordinate of people he is enslaving

since he needs to buy off henchmen to enslave other

– Needs to make it worthwhile for henchmen to do his bidding

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Tyrant is attempting self-defeating enterprise– tyrant is governed by spirited part of soul – can’t stand appearing subordinate, so he/she wants to be

experienced in a certain way– wants to reduce everyone to Lowest Common Denominator – but that would mean he would get recognition of a bunch of

bozos (i.e., people for whom he has no respect)– anyone who could appreciate his virtue would need to be

killed as rival

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Not only is the tyrant A slave to other people and Engaged in a silly self-defeating enterprise,

but …

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Slave to own passions– if freedom means doing what you want to do, then

the tyrant isn’t free– philosopher is free because he is slave only to

reason

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Tyrant’s Life

Philosopher’s Life

Life choices

Reflects on the kind of life one ought to live and then lives it

Makes choices at specific moments in life, but never reflects on the overall quality of that life

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

Lifestyle choice Freedom is doing what you want to do upon

reflection, not what want to do particular moments

That’s impossible when either the spirited or appetitive part of the soul dominates

IV. Philosophical vs. Tyrannical Lives

To return to Socrates, Socrates most free because he is living the kind of life he most wants to live, it is an expression of his own informed choices

You could not choose to be any different than Socrates if you want freedom

That’s the final apology for Socrates

Coming Attractions

Start on Aristotle