Friday 3/16 Class Work

1) Answer the questions below:

A) In your opinion, is Polemarchus definition of justice, derived from the poet Simonedes, an improvement from his father’s definition?
I’m not really sure, but if I had to pick I guess I would say it’s deriving from Simonedes.

B) What is Simonides definition of justice? Has Polemarchus interpreted him correctly?

Simonedes believes that justice is to help your friends and hurt your enemies. Polemarchus did interpreted him correctly.

C) What problem does Socrates see in the phrase, “helping one’s friends and harming ones enemies”? Why is this not an accurate definition of justice?

Socates sees that a friend may not be good and an enemy might not be bad, it’s just what humans like and dislike. Though this may be the case it doesn’t stop someone from helping your friends and hurting your enemies.

D) What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not?

I think Socates/Plato is trying to prove that the less experienced are more likely to give in on something that and the more experienced.

E) Whose argument do you find more convincing, Polemarchus or Socrates? Why? (This should be a longer response, short paragraph, about 5 sentences).

Well, I didn’t see it much as an argument because all Socrates was doing wass saying Polemarchus was wrong. He just kind of persuaded Polemarchus into thinking he was wrong.