What does Plato say about tyranny?

The tyrannical man is the son of the democratic man. He is the worst form of man due to his being the most unjust and thus the furthest removed from any joy of the true kind. He is consumed by lawless desires which cause him to do many terrible things such as murdering and plundering.

What is the indefinite dyad?

Plato is said to have described the Indefinite Dyad as ‘the Great and the Small’ (Gk., to méga kai to mikrón). This is the principle or source of more and less, of excess and deficiency, of ambiguity and indefiniteness, and of multiplicity.

Why should philosophers rule?

Plato believed that philosophers would be the best rulers of society because they’re able to understand true goodness and justice in a way that other people cannot. Because they would understand that the greatest self-benefit is living virtuously, they would act out morally and not out of self-interest.

Do philosophers rule willingly?

The philosopher kings have virtue as they have knowledge, and thus, according to Plato, their rule is justified.

Was Cicero a Platonist?

Cicero was not a Platonist. He was not a Stoic, either. He hardly ever described himself as a philosopher at all. But Plato, the writer and thinker himself, was a presence of the greatest importance in Cicero’s own writing and thinking; and Stoic ethics mattered a good deal to him too.

What is the story of the ring of Gyges in Plato?

Plato’s Ring of Gyges. Gyges was a shepherd in the service of the ruler of Lydia. One day there was a violent thunderstorm, and an earthquake broke open the ground and created a crater at the place where Gyges was tending his sheep. Seeing the big hole, Gyges was filled with amazement and went down into it.

What does the ring of Gyges symbolize?

When given a ring, a shepherd named Gyges becomes invisible and anonymous. Through his invisibility he seduces a queen, kills her king, and takes over the kingdom. Plato argues that the Ring of Gyges- invisibility and anonymity- is the only barrier between a just and an unjust person.

What does Plato say about the two magic rings?

With her help he attacked the king, killed him, and took over the kingdom. Plato has us imagine two magic rings, one given to a morally good person and one to a person who is not morally good. Plato contends that there would be no difference in the way the two would behave.

How did Gyges become so confident in his actions?

Gyges became confident in his actions because of his ring. He acted violently on the power gained from the ring. Plato argues that deep inside, we are innately like Gyges– we are rule abiding because it is necessary to live in our society.