Friday, September 4, 2015
Justice is the Advantage of the Strongest
While I agree that none of the three definitions of justice offered by Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus were correct, I believe that Thrasymachus makes the best point. While Socrates deciphers and shoots down each definition in the hopes of creating his own to embody the quality of justice, I believe that Thrasymachus's statement is not only true but evident in the modern world. Justice is the advantage of the strongest. Those who possess power, money, or influence have every say in the matter when it comes to what is or isn't just action. I am making a HUGE generalization here but the majority if not all cultures around the world acknowledge that murder, theft, and rape are all immoral acts or qualities. Furthermore each culture's ruling class or powerful elite have a unique 'just' response to each of these acts. Perpetrators of rape in the United States would face a far different consequence than they would in Thailand or Colombia. One would involve a hefty prison sentence while the other would involve removal of body parts of simply execution. This is a brief argument, but Thrasymachus was completely correct when he argues that justice is the advantage of the strong. Each culture's ruling apparatus has a set of laws and boundaries governing themselves as to what is a just punishment for certain crimes and all those who live within the culture must conform to the standards of those who made the laws (i.e. the wealthy and powerful). Socrates goes on to argue about whether justice is inherently good or evil but I think it is necessary to always include the note that justice is most certainly an advantage to those who hold power.
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As a whole, I agree with the argument that Thrasymachus presents. It is true that justice is the advantage of the strong. I wouldn't particularly say it is the advantage of the wealthy, however, as strength (in this case) is based on power and prestige. An example of this is the Kwakiutl, a Native American tribe located in Caliifornia. Their leader (holder of power, prestige, and justice) gives away all of his possessions in a ceremony called a potlatch. These possessions are distributed to the people and in return he receives their respect and the highest prestige possible. Although this leader has no wealth at all, he is the voice of reason and justice in the community showing how power and prestige are key factors in strength. I am not discrediting the fact that wealth also has a great deal to do with strength and justice in other communities; however, I do believe that prestige is far more important than wealth.
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