Comprehension Questions

1.  What is one respect in which Cephalus thinks that old age is a good thing?

2.  Does Cephalus believe that wealth guarantees happiness?

3.  Socrates objects to the view that justice is speaking the truth and repaying debts by presenting an example.  What is the example?

4.  What is the first definition of justice given by Polemarchus?

5.  When Polemarchus says that justice requires benefiting friends and harming enemies, who does he think our friends and enemies are?  Does he think that someone who we believe is useful to us (but who in fact is out to harm us) is our friend?  What about someone who we believe is out to harm us, but who in fact is a benefit to us?

6.  Socrates convinces Polemarchus to change his view of who our friends and enemies are.  How does Socrates convince Polemarchus?

7.  Does Polemarchus think justice is a human excellence (or virtue)?  Does Socrates?

8.  How does Thrasymachus define justice?

9.  Who arethe stronger and what is their interest?

10.  Does Thrasymachus believe justice is a human excellence (or virtue)?

Critical Questions

11.  Cephalus suggests that one benefit of money is that it enables a good and well-balanced man to act justly.  Is Cephalus suggesting that a good and well-balanced man who was poor whould be incapable of acting justly?  Do you think that Socrates would have a problem with that?  Why?

12.  Why does Socrates think that it is never just to harm someone?  Is Socrates' argument convincing?

13.  Thrasymachus seems to hold the following two beliefs:
                a. Justice is the interest of the stronger.
                b. It is just to obey the rulers.
Why might someone think these two beliefs cannot both be true and how does Thrasymachus propose to avoid the difficulty?  Is Thrasymachus' proposal satisfactory?

14.  Thrasymachus is famous for holding that justice is high-minded foolishness (348c).  What does Thrasymachus mean by this?  Why does he believe this and is there anything to what Thrasymachus is saying?

15.  Throughout Book I, Socrates seems to be looking for a definition of justice.  What do you think Socrates expects of a good definition, and how does giving a definition of justice differ from other ways one might say something about justice or give examples of justice?

16.  When Socrates speaks of a soul what do you think he has in mind?  How might what he has in mind be similar to or different from what people today have in mind when they use the word soul?

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