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

Plato’s City/Soul Analogy

Steven Arkonovich
November 21, 2005

Outline

Raising the Bar

    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 properly 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.
  2. The City/Soul Analogy
    1. Parts of the Soul
    2. Parts of the City
    3. Difficulties with the analogy
  3. Why do philosopher-kings rule?

Parts of the City

Parts of the Soul

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”; 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.