Hum 110 | Reed Classics | Reed Library | Reed | Perseus

Polis, Psyche and Philosopher-Kings

Steven Arkonovich

November 14th 2001

 

Polis, Psyche and Philosopher-Kings

 

 

Outline:
  1. Raising the Stakes
    1. Division of Goods
    2. Gyges’s Ring
    3. Tale of Two Lives
  1. Two Principles
    1. "Same term, same property" principle. "If two things are both called ‘F’, then they are ‘F’ in exactly the same way.
    2. "Part-whole" principle. If a group has a certain property, then its members have that property.
  1. The City/Soul Analogy
    1. Parts of the city
    2. Parts of the Soul
    3. Difficulties with the analogy

IV. Philosopher-Kings

 

 

Parts of the City:

  • Productive Class
  • Auxiliary Class
  • Guardians

Parts of the Soul:

  • Desiring part
  • Spirited part
  • Reasoning Part

 

Virtues in City and Soul:

Virtue

City

Soul

Courage

Members of the army (auxiliaries) are courageous

Spirited part dominates

Wisdom

Wisdom in guardians; guardians rule

Reason rules

Moderation

Classes accept who is to rule.

Part of the soul "accept" which desires are to rule.

Justice

Each class "does its own": it accepts its role in the city. Harmony between classes.

Each part of the soul "does its own." No conflict between desires of different parts of the soul.

 

 

Bibliography:

Annas, Julia, An Introduction to Plato’s Republic, Claredon Press, Oxford (1981).

Williams, Bernard, "The Analogy of City and Soul in Plato’s Republic," in Exegesis and Argument, Phronesis, supplement 1.

Hum 110 | Reed Classics | Reed Library | Reed | Perseus