Question

Answer the following questions at least in 200 words each. Please do NOT copy and paste from another source (Looking for answers not plagiarism). Please include any sources which were used.

1- According to Socrates, what is the value of justice? Why should we go to the trouble of being just? Is this discussion of justice still relevant today? How it affects economics?

2- Socrates believed that the "ideal city" should be comprised of three classes. What are these classes, and what does he believe are their proper roles?

Answer 1

Socrates believes in intrinsic value of justice.According to socrates each thing has it's own function and it's own virtue.Socrates asserts that justice has both extrinsic and intrinsic values.Intrinsinci value refers to the inner values that a thing possess.In socrates words justice is the finest good.According to him soul has three parts namely rational part ,spirited part and the appetite part.Each part has it's own distinct functions to perform.Each parts has got it's own virtues and it is these virtues that help soul to function well.Justice happens when each part understand its function properly and perform accordingly.The harmony of the parts is also important.Socrate equates health to justice.For healthy soul virtue of justice is very important and for the well being health of the soul is very crucial.Thus if one performs just actions he will have a healthy soul.According to Socrates one should perform activities that he is best at and that suits him naturally. The idea of justice lies in one fulfilling his own role and realizing ones own potential. Any kind of excess and deficiency is considered to be unjust.Thus being just is very important for the proper functioning of the soul and for attaining good health according to Socrates.When Socrates value of justice is applied to economics value of justice is very important to attain an socio economic order.Fine and just economic order is very important to reduce the inequalities.The distribution of wealth and income has been deeply influenced by the way social,economic and political actors view what is just and unjust.

2. According to Socrates the ideal society should be comprised of three classes ideal to three parts of the soul namely the producers,the auxiliaries and the guardians.The guardians are the ones who goven the city and who regulates the proper functioning of society. Auxilirians are basically the soldiers who are supposed to guard the society and the producers are the lowest class which consists of farmers and artisans.The guardians and Auxiliarians had same access to knowledge.Music ,literature ,gymnastics etc where part of their curriculum. The arts were censored .Only those kind of poetry which nourished the values of students were part of the curriculum. Guardian should excell in justice ,artisans should excell in their crafts.Like wise each classes had it's own distinct function to perform.Guardian valued knowledge and truth above all.The Auxiliaries who protected the state valued courage ,honor and their homeland above all.The major role of the producers was to provide material functions of the state and hence they valued material well being above all.