I know we have not yet begun our
discussion on Plato’s Republic, but I
just finished Book I and wanted to reference a point I thought was interesting.
In Book I, Socrates discusses with multiple men the definition of justice, the
character of a just man, and whether justice is truly the advantage of the
stronger. Towards the beginning of his persuasive discussion about justice with
Polemarchus, Socrates makes the assertion that wealth is good for men. He states that “the possession of money
contributes a great deal to not cheating or lying to any man against one’s
will” and that having more money makes dying more peaceful (pg 7).
Do many of you agree with this
argument? I have often grown up under the belief that a materialistic view on
life can be harmful. In my opinion, having more money can take one’s focus off
of being virtuous- for often times it is easier for those who have money to
want to gain more of it, becoming what we call greedy. One who is greedy may
certainly fear the world that comes after death, then, for they have lacked
many virtues of selflessness, generosity, and humbleness. Of course, I am very
much open to hearing what everyone else thinks on the topic! Post away!
-Ali Swoish
I would have to agree with your argument in that I believe possessing a substantial amount of money doesn't necessarily correlate to one's inner peace. The possession of wealth is something that often causes people to stray from a moral (in a contemporary sense) path. However, depending on what one uses and does with their fortune, their inner peace may be affected. For example, if someone gives back to those in need it can have an outcome on their mental state in that they are thinking they're doing good. So ultimately, I disagree with the point brought up that it prevents from lying, but I agree that in a certain way it can affect inner peace if it is used in a certain way.
ReplyDeleteI can see that money could create peace in someone if we're talking about peace of mind. Having money means having security and knowing that you don't have to worry about paying for things would make someone happier. To me it seems that Socrates is saying that when a man has money he doesn't have to cheat or lie to get it. I do agree with the idea that having too much money can lead people to stray from doing the right thing, but I don't think Socrates is talking about being rich, just having enough money to create financial stablity/security.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I agree with Emily. When I first read this post, I instantly thought of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. While material wealth doesn't automatically pave the way to righteousness or wisdom, one who doesn't need to focus on the bottoms tiers of the Hierarchy of Needs such as physiological needs and personal safety, is able to focus their attention on bettering their minds. That being said, I do believe that with security comes laziness. If one doesn't need to worry about things in life such as food, shelter and safety, its easy to fall into contentment.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Book 4 and hearing yesterday's discussion, I think Socrates asserts a new idea about wealth that does not align with the one made in Book 1. In many ways, I agree with Ali about her understanding of wealth in Book 1; it makes sense that a wealthy person might lose sight of all other purposes besides money-making. However, I think that that is one of the extremes of the effect of wealth on people, the other extreme would be the opinion offered by Socrates in Book 4. Wealth may make people idle and without the need to innovate or work, but in reality it provides financial security for people, and enables them to pursue the things that give them pleasure.
ReplyDeleteI think that having a certain amount of money does indeed "make dying more peaceful", simply because one doesn't need to worry about many monetary needs in life. However, there cliche phrase that "money can't buy happiness" is a phrase that I agree with: money can definitely make life easier, but true happiness will never ask for or require material wealth. The perceived happiness that one gets from buying an object, for example, is a form of infatuation that wears off shortly. In the same sense that true happiness should not be related to monetary or material wealth, peace of mind should be brought upon in more ways then simply having money.
ReplyDeleteAmy Shih
When Socrates says that "the possession of money contributes a great deal to not cheating or lying to any man against one’s will”, I personally feel as if he means that the more money you have the less greedy you are. If you're poor, you're hungry for money in order to survive; you don't know what wealth feels like, so you desire it more, whereas when you inherit wealth, you are already well off and have the capacity to survive off of that wealth. Because of this, I feel as if Socrates meant that you will not be inclined to cheat or lie in order to steal money because you are already at a leisure and comfortable state. Same goes to the notion of a peaceful death, since you aren't spending your time and efforts in order to acquire money, but simply trying to secure the wealth rather than get more and more in an excessive way.
ReplyDeleteMoney itself has both its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of money is that it motivates people to work hard. The reason I say this is because with hard work and money comes much reward. With money one could practically do anything they want from an legal and illegal standpoint. The downside of money is that many of the worlds current and past problems have been because of money. Not only that but money could also greatly influence an individual in a negative manner. Ultimately, the positives outweigh the negatives. In other words, the world needs capital!
ReplyDelete