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Socrates Justice

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The answer to this question is no. Socrates’ definition of justice is a two-part definition. Justice of the city requires that all people do their part or job that they were born to do and individual justice, which is concerned with the wellbeing and development of the soul. Justice of the city holds true for 99% of the city, however the philosopher king is asked to be a philosopher and a ruler at the same time violating Socrates’ own definition of what justice is. Although this is the most significant contradiction, it is not the only one when analyzing the philosopher king position, however not everyone is suited for the philosopher king position.
The nature of the philosopher king is one of pursuit of knowledge and purity of the soul. Philosophers …show more content…

This knowledge is a blessing and a curse. A philosopher king has such a deep understanding and vast knowledge that he wants to share, but he cannot because those around him just cannot comprehend because their reality does not align with his. A major contradiction arises because of this problem and the solution is telling medicinal lies. The lies and stories help break down the complex knowledge to his people in parts so they get the same information, but in a way they can comprehend and still use. This is absolutely necessary as usually a person with different ideas or opinions lose out to the mob. The lies and stories help people come around slowly to the philosopher king’s way of thinking. His medicinal lies give simple meanings for complex ideas to those that do not have the formal education or knowledge so they can still be relayed important morals and lessons from the stories. The allegory of the cave is a perfect example of what the philosopher king went through and what he needs to do to slowly bring about his people. The cave also illustrates what can go wrong. If the process is rushed trust will be all but lost and the philosopher king endangers himself against the

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