"But let us consider this further
point: Is not he who can best strike a blow in a boxing match or in any
kind of fighting best able to ward off a blow?
Certainly.
And he who is most skilful in preventing or escaping from a disease is best able to create one?
True.
And he is the best guard of a camp who is best able to steal a march upon the enemy?
Certainly.
Then he who is a good keeper of anything is also a good thief?
That, I suppose, is to be inferred.
Then if the just man is good at keeping money, he is good at stealing it."
Certainly.
And he who is most skilful in preventing or escaping from a disease is best able to create one?
True.
And he is the best guard of a camp who is best able to steal a march upon the enemy?
Certainly.
Then he who is a good keeper of anything is also a good thief?
That, I suppose, is to be inferred.
Then if the just man is good at keeping money, he is good at stealing it."
I've read Plato for several classes and I have always been a huge fan. Socrates is one of my favorite non-fictional characters EVER and I never get tired of these first chapters of the republic. I love him chiefly for his sassiness but I also can't get enough of his logical pathways. The quote above is just one of the many times that Socrates' logic blew my mind. I love reading it because you start out wondering what he's getting at, then you slowly start to see it, and then when he makes his final conclusion you're still like "WOAH!" even though you saw what was coming three lines back. Yeah, I'll say it. I love Socrates <3
P.s. I commented on Sydni's post
I agree completely. Just sitting back and watching the logic happen was one of my favorite parts of this first reading. That by itself taught me a lot.
ReplyDeleteI also love how his logic is so blatantly full of misconceptions in order to distract readers from some of the more profound thoughts. He does not do it so much in this passage, but does so in the short passage where you twists justice to meaning harm the good and do good to the bad.
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