RyanJamison

ProfessorScott
Phil181
2/13/15

ShortAssignment2

InPlatosbook,TheRepublic,hedescribesaseriesofstorieswithhisfellow
philosopherstodiscoverthetruemeaningofwhatitmeanstoliveagoodlifeandwhatit
takesaperson,individuallyandwhatittakesacitytolive,govern,andrule.Inhis
attemptstofindthesequestionsout,heistrulyskepticalandquestionshimselfalongwith
theotherphilosopherstofigureouthowsomeonecanlivewithalifeofmoderation,have
peaceandfreedomandtoescapefromthetyrannyofdesires.
ForCephalusconceptionofthegoodlife,itistolivealifefilledwithpeaceand
freedom,moderation,andtoescapefromthetyrannyofdesires.Themoreconfusingof
theconceptionsisthetyrannyofdesiresbecausewhatPlatosaysisthatourhumannature
istooutdoothersandgetmoreandmore.Ourhumannatureandthetyrannyofdesiresgo
sidebysideandunderstandingthatthedesirescancontrolourlivesisimportant.For
exampledesiresarelikedrugsandthefirsttimesomeonetakesthatdrugtheygetahigh
thatmakesthemfeelacertainway.Theykeepusingthedrugwhichissatisfyingatfirst
andtheywanttoreachthathightheygotthefirsttimebuttheirbodywillbuildupa
tolerancetothatdrugandtheywillhavetousemoreandmoretoreachtheleveltheyhad
thefirsttime.Shorttermtalking,itfeelsgoodbutinthelongrunitisbadand
unsatisfyingforthatpersonbecausethedesiresarecontrollingthatpersonslifeandit
goesbacktothetitleoftyranny.Thedesiresareatyrantordictator,wherethedesires
controlthepersonandurgethemtodothingstheyshouldbeabletocontrolthemselves.

Humanbeingsallhavedesiresandthatispartofoursoul,asPlatowould
describe.Hesaysweallhavethreepartstoourhumansoulandtheycontributetous
livingagoodlife.Thelargestpartofthehumansoulisthedesiresofthesoulthatis
appetitive.Thesedesiresofthesouldealwithouremotionsandfeelingsandwill
outweightheothertwopartsofahumansoul.Thenextpartofthehumansoulisthe
spiritofthesoul.Thisspiritislikeacoachonasportsteamwhereitisntthemainpartof
theteambutithelpsguidetheothertwopartsofthesoul,especiallythethirdpart.A
humanneedstobespiritedinordertolive.Thelastaspecttothehumansoulisthe
rationalaspecttoahuman,whichhelpsruleapersontodeterminewhatisrightand
wrongandtofollowthepathtothegoodlife.Theaspectsofthehumansoulconnectwith
Platosdescriptionofhisfunctionsofthehumansoul.Thefunctionsofthehumansoul
tieinwiththedescriptionbecausethefunctionsaretorule,deliberate,andlive.The
humanfunctionshelpguideapersonespeciallyawayfromthetyrannyofdesireswhen
onecanruleovertheirdesiresiswhentheywillbelivingthegoodlifefilledwith
moderation.
Platonotonlydiscussesthefunctionsandconceptionsofagoodlifetoan
individual,buthealsoshowslightonwhatacityorpolisneedstofunctionwithjustice.
Inhisdescriptionofapolishehascraftspeople,wherethereisthemostamountofthem
becausetheyarethefoundationofthecitybecausetheydothejobsandareskilledat
whattheydo.Thenextpartofthepolisistheguardianswhomguardthecityandprotect
whatisinit.Theyactasthehelpersandthebrutestrengthtoguardagainstoutsideforces

andalsoprotectpeoplefromoneanotherandthevirtuesandvaluesthatencompass
humansinsidethecity.Thelastpartofthepolisisthekingorrulerwhogovernsand
deliberatestherulesandregulationsthatthecitywasfoundedon.Wheneveryoneinthe
cityisdoingtheirjob,whichiswherejusticecomesintoplaybecauseeveryoneisdoing
theirpartandtheyarenotmeddlinginthejobsofothers.Ifeachpersondoeswhatthey
wereassignedtodo,thenthecityshouldfunctionsmoothlyandpeoplewillbelivingthe
goodlifeiftheycanindividuallyruleovertheirdesires,anddotheirparttocontributeto
thecity.Platoalsodescribesvirtuesthatarecontainedinacitythatareapartofagood
city.Thevirtuesthatareapartofthecityarejustice,moderation,courage,andwisdom.
Thecraftspeople,guardians,andrulerhavejusticeandmoderationbecauseeveryoneina
cityneedstheminordertoliveagoodlife.Theguardianshavecouragebecausethey
needtoprotectthecityfromoneanother.Therulerhasallvirtuesandheespeciallyhas
wisdombecauseheneedstheknowledgetodeliberateandgovernthepeopleinsidethe
polis.Virtuesaretraitsthathelpthehumanfunctionsandvirtueisdescribedasaknife
whereithasmanytraitsthathelpitcutandfunctionproperly.Virtueshelpothers
functionbetterinordertolivethegoodlife.Ontheindividuallevel,humanshavecrafts
whicharetechniquesthatuseskillsandknowledgetobenefitothersbutnotthe
individualthemselves.
Aseducationisacraft,itisausefulthingthatrequiresskillsandknowledge.Also
educationisacraftthatgivessomeonevirtues.Someonewillgetjusticeandwisdom
througheducation.Theimportanceofeducationisimperativetostudentsasshownin
Platosallegoryofthecave.Peoplewereblindedastheycouldonlyseetheshadowsof

peoplefromoutsideofthecavebyafireonthewallofthecaveandtheythoughtthat
waswhatrealityreallywas.Whenoneofthepeopleshackledinthecavewassetfreeand
sawtheoutsideworldtheydidntwanttogobackdowntofreetheothers.Butthatis
whateducationis,isgoingbackdownintothecaveagaintoteachandshowothersto
findthecitytogether.Thepowerofeducationisalreadyinusandweallneedtoturnthe
soulfromdarknessandleadittolight.