The Importance of Thrasymachus in Plato’s Republic Essays -- Plato Rep

The Importance of Thrasymachus in Platos Republic Dr. Malterss comments This student does two things quite remarkable for an undergraduate student. In his compact essay, not only does he display an in-depth understanding of complex perspectives on justice put forth by the protagonist Socrates, he dexterously explains how Plato has artfully made rude objections by a seemingly minor character early in the dialogue function as a structuring stratagem for nearly all the important ideas examined thereafter. In Platos Republic, the character Thrasymachus provides an intense yet short-lived appearance in the discussion of justice early in the story. though he seems to almost completely withdraw from the discussion for the remainder of the book, his early businesss provide a major impetus in Socrates search for justice and take the stand to be an ever-present force contributing throughout the entirety of the work. After Socrates refutes the primary arguments of Justi ce from Cephalus and Polemarchus, Thrasymachus jumps into the discussion as a wild beast as if to tear Socrates apart. He quickly insults the interlocutors and shows a high disdain for philosophy. He claims to know what justice really is without having to go through all the asinine arguments, merely stating it as the interests of the stronger. He is clearly basing this view on simple observations of various rulers of his time. After Socrates refutes this argument by using examples of doctors and captains working for the benefit of their patients and sailors, respectively, Thrasymachus comes back with the argument of shepherds fattening sheep up for their own profit instead of for the benefit of the sheep. After this, Thrasymachus seems to w... ...onceived notions of philosophy determined by the mere appearance of things. After Socrates examines the five regimes of the person as they move from aristocracy to tyranny, he is eventually able to show how the tyrant becomes a slave to his own appetites and proves most wretched of all leaders. This at long last completely refutes Thrasymachus argument that the unjust is better off than the just. He sums up the matter when he says that they break away smartly.. .but in the end trot off uncrowned. He goes on to say as for the unjust, at the end of the race, most will be caught and whipped. Thrasymachus is indeed caught by Socrates in the beginning of the Republic, and by the end is whipped into wisdom of real justice from Socrates enduring argument. Work CitedPlato, the Republic, translated by Allan Bloom. New York Basic Books, 1991.