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The Just Man vs. Unjust Man At first it is necessary to admit that Plato was a famous and well-known philosopher, who always thought of the morality practice as the most useful art of craft. He tried to speak even about the art of justice. It is a matter of fact that Plato adopted the belief of Socrates that such phenomenon as art of living should exist in every society. This art will be like knowledge and ability to achieve the aimed end. (Bloom 34 a) Georges Burges noticed the following about the republic of Plato: The Republic of Plato is a development of the analogy between the ideas of the perfect man and the perfect state -- the two principles being elaborated throughout the Dialogue, in perfect harmony and mutual dependence on each other. (Burges 45) According to Plato a person lives well in case he knows everything about the end of the life. Plato also stated that a person had to know the real value of things.
It is a moral virtue and is a constituent of living art. And if a person knows these facts he is just man. But if a person thinks that the greatest achievements in the life are money and wealth he will be punished in future and will achieve nothing. Plato mentioned that justice is the principle, cause, and uniting bond of all the other virtues, - one, too, that is essentially of a political character. (Bloom 44 e) Plato mentioned that only experienced man had to rule the just society the man who cognized the truth about the end of life and goodness. It is necessary to admit that society was only a certain stage where all morality virtues of the just man were perfectly seen. The ruler of this society can resist the enemies violence or attacks and at the same time he can punish the wicked citizens. (Bloom 52 a) According to Plato's theory only just men can possess the highest magistrates in the state, because such people will be respected and laborious.
Such people will never commit injustice. (Bloom 35 e) Plato worked out an image of the ideal and complete virtue, which had to lead the whole life of the just man. Plato stated that a person has special relations in society and he performs definite social functions. But the just man is considered only collectively the just man is only a part Republic. Plato made a considerable effort in his times and worked out a theory about the perfect state. He tried to persuade people that it is really much better to be just man than unjust man. If a man obeys to all moral rules and laws he will help the state and can gain the reputation of the just man.
If a person doesnt want to perform his special social functions and even ignore them, he will be unjust man and will have no possibility to become successful. But to Burges mind this perfect state of the just men was only a tyrannous doctrine, because it didnt consider a man as a personality, but only a part of system. So he stated that it was better to be just man than unjust man. (Burges 18) But some people had other thoughts and they stated than it was better to be unjust men than just, because such a person was free and independent from society and imposed functions. But Plato argued that such unjust people had more troubles. The just man and the unjust man go the same way and they want to get more than other people. This trait is considered to be good and natural by the nature.
According to laws this trait leads to respect equality, because everybody desires the same things both just men and unjust men. (Bloom 34 e) Of course it can be mentioned that no men can be fully just, he is only restricted and constrained by some laws and moral values which were of great importance for Plato. Plato realized that a person thought he could do unjust things. And Plato couldnt resign himself with the thought that injustice was more desirable and profitable for men. For example, Aeschylus mentioned that in the end of the life Plato's just man will be be scourged, tortured, fettered, have his eyes burnt out, and lastly, suffer all manner of evils, and be crucified; and he will know too, that a man should desire not to be, but to appear just. (Bloom 35 e) It can be supposed that just man can be as good at saving money as at stealing them. Just man is something like a kind of thief.
Such men should constrain thier inclinations and predilections. Vice verse the unjust man presents his desires without any embarrassment. The predestination of the just man is to support friends and relatives and to hurt enemies. The predestination of the unjust man is to help both friends and enemies. Plato stated that the just man was one who was not given to doing wrong. (Bloom 1991) If the just man is really honest and good, the problem of hurting people (friends or enemies) is the unjust mans business.
But both just and unjust men have no right to hurt people. (Burges 1901) According Plato's theory of perfect state injustice was skill in deceiving people, leading them into delusion. That is why Plato outlined that just life is really the better and the only art of living. But it is a fact that unjust men are superior in intelligence and character, because the just me are afraid of doing something wrong and they never show their real abilities. To sum up it is necessary to mention that philosophy was rather popular in those times and it was a hard-work to works out such theory of perfect state.
It is up to everybody to decide whether it is good or bad, but we should appreciate and remember such personalities as Plato and Socrates. Works cited Burges, George; Plato. The Republic; The Statesman of Plato. New York: M. Walter Dunne, 1901. Bloom, Allan.
The Republic of Plato. New York: New York Press, 1991.
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