Thrasymachus\'s Definition of Justice Creative Writing Thrasymachus\'s

Thrasymachus's Definition Of Justice

Creative Writing

Thrasymachus's Definition of Justice

In Book I of Plato's The Republic Thrasymavhus definition of justice as nothing more than the advantage of the stronger. He offers this concept not as a definition, but as a way of pointing out that justice is irrelevant. It does not pay to be just. Just behavior works to the advantage of other people, not to the person who behaves justly.

Thrasymavhus is saying that justice is the unnatural restraint on our natural desire to have more. In other words greed is a natural act and is therefore good. Justice is a principle imposed on us and does not benefit those who follow its tenets. A rational man will ignore justice completely.

There is ample evidence in today's world to support Thrasymavhus's definition of justice. If we just look around we can observe a country where 90% of the wealth is controlled by 1% of the people. Certainly with the recent events on Wall Street, the Enron scandal, as well as Bernie Madoff just to mention a few it is evident that greed is pervasive and justice is the advantage of the stronger. The current price of gasoline is outrageous, and I fully expect oil companies to announce record profits shortly.

Our elected officials are finger pointing and seem to be nothing more than lackeys for special interests and big business. Their collective impotency in the face of this on-going economic struggle is mind blowing. It is interesting to note that Plato said that the tyrant's would start wars in order to distract the people. Today we are still involved in Afghanistan, and to some degree in Iraq, and appear to be flirting with starting a war with Iran and North Korea.

Further distraction can be seen in the topics of illegal aliens crossing our boarders, the issue gay marriage, and the never ending "war on drugs." While these issues may have their place they are used to create a state of fear so as to keep people from addressing the real issues. Namely what is our government doing to create a level playing field with equal opportunity and equal access for all?

There appears to be an ethical void in among today's business and political leaders that seems to have trickled down to the common man. There's the attitude of "it's not cheating if you don't get caught," or "if you're not cheating you're not really trying," or the Bart Simpson defense, "I didn't do it, you didn't see me, you can't prove it anyway." There is a general lack of trust of our elected officials and big business in general.

The Occupy Wall Street movement has spread throughout the world. People are becoming disenchanted and disengaged with the process because they do not see the justice for all, only for the wealthy. We are quickly becoming a country and a world of the haves and the have nots.