/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.7484015]

Plato, Republic, book 3

Then will you not establish by law in your city such an art of medicine as we have described in conjunction with this kind of justice? And these arts will care for the bodies and souls of such of your citizens as are truly well born, but of those who are not, such as are defective in body they will suffer to die and those who are evil-natured and incurable in soul they will themselves put to death.

everyone should care for the state, but the state should not care for everyone. what a major arse

[Anonymous No.7484026]

>Zeus!

[Anonymous No.7484174]

>>7484015
That translation decided not to translate the fact that the latter "statement" is actually a question.

Let's fill that out:

"Will you set down a law in the city providing as well for an art of medicine such as we described along with such an art of judging, which will care for those of your citizens who have good natures in body and soul; while as for those who haven't, they'll let die the ones whose bodies are as such, and the ones whose souls have bad natures and are incurable, they themselves kill?"
"Well," [Glaucon] said, "that's the way it looked best for those who undergo it and for the city."
(409e-410a, Bloom trans.)

Note that firstly agreement with this would depend on prior agreements and suggestions by Glaucon.

Secondly, when Socrates makes it clear what's necessary to satisfy Glaucon's interests, Glaucon responds a bit warily.

Thirdly, in the broader context of the discussion (what is Justice?), and the slightly narrower path the discussion has taken up (what must the most Just city look like), it's indicated that even the nominally or theoretically best city is rife with violence; that's not Plato saying, "yep, let's do it this way," but rather, "uh, maybe you guys should rethink utopian ideals?"

[Anonymous No.7484810]