the nature and superiority of justice?

Question

what does that mean...what is the nature and superiority of justice? what is the nature of philosophy, when it comes to knowledge and opinon? what is the Parable of the Ship on the philosopher-ruler? what is the Simile of the Sun? all of this has to do with Plato's The Republic; i just cannot seem to understand it...can some one please help me

Answer 1

That's a lot of questions.

"What is the nature and superiority of justice?" Justice is never adequately defined in "The Republic", but some it's characteristics are discussed. Thrasymachus tries to define justice but is shot down by Socrates.

What is the Parable of the Ship on the philosopher-ruler? Please read the wiki article. The ship is a symbol for a country. The country should only be controled by Philosophy kings.

Answer 2

Ok, I don't know about a lot of these things you ask, but I do know that right prevails over wrong for a reason... That is, justice will always prevail, in the end it has to because the correct method is to do the right thing, and only by doing the right thing can we successfully argue our point. Which, if you did something wrong, you may have some argument in your favor, but experience teaches us that time and again he who is right ultimately wins, and doing the right thing has everything to do with common sense and the why and the how of it, when things don't make sense we lose the argument, plain and simple, and wrongdoing just makes no sense.

For example, say we do something wrong, I guarantee at this point there is something within the action(s) that led up to this or the wrong doing itself that makes no sense. We might have had our plan so well wrapped up that it all looked really good, but a careful review would sooner or later reveal at least one inconsistency or something that makes no sense. It is in the review of actions or events that folks who determine the difference between right and wrong will find said inconsistency, and it is at this point where we lose the argument, even if all the rest of it made perfect sense.

So, in a wrongful act there exists at least one thing or action along the line (of either what led up to it or the thing or action itself) that does not make sense, either it is illogical or it does not stand up to reason, hence he who is right wins.

Justice is ultimately based on that which makes sense, that which works, and so justice wins the argument in the end, and it prevails.