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35 Conn. L. Rev. 1549 (2002-2003)
The Mythic Defense of Justice in Plato's Republic

handle is hein.journals/conlr35 and id is 1559 raw text is: The Mythic Defense of Justice in Plato's Republic JONATHAN LEAR* I want to talk to you today about the concept of justice-in particular, as it makes its first sustained appearance in western philosophy, in Plato's Republic. You have made a life choice to spend your lives in the midst of justice, and The Republic is basically a book which asks what is to be said in favor of that choice. That is the question that Socrates and Thrasymachus raise in Book One. Thrasymachus, a skeptic of sorts, claims that really justice is the ad- vantage of the stronger. Each regime will write laws that favor those in charge: Aristocracies will have laws that favor aristocracies, monarchies will have laws that favor monarchs, democracies will have laws that favor the democratic regime. In each case, the regime will claim that the laws are just. But in every case justice is the strong getting what they want. And, then by the end of his speech, he argues that, in fact, if one were strong enough to do so, one would be unjust. If you could get away with it, injustice would be better for you. But since you cannot, justice is second best. Socrates responds that no matter what situation one is in the just life is the best. The two of them get into a familiar kind of Socratic debate- known as elenchus. But by the end of Book One there is a spectacular breakdown in the argument. In some sense, Socrates wins, but he wins what even he recognizes is a hollow victory. Thrasymachus is sulking because he has not been allowed to argue as he sees fit, Socrates continues to indulge in his refutation--and no one is convinced. It seems to me that what is put on display by the end of Book One is the failure of Socrates' method. (In law schools people talk about the So- cratic method, but the professors actually know the answers they are looking for. I am convinced that Socrates was earnest when he said he genuinely did not know.) But more is at stake that just Socrates' peculiar method of cross-examination. What is being put on display is a kind of breakdown of rational argument itself as a persuasive tool when it comes to Jonathan Lear is John U. Nef Distinguished Service Professor at the Committee on Social Thought, University of Chicago. 1549

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