Keeping Us Honest:
4-22-03
Let me begin with the end. The final writings of Plato’s Republic is illustrated to us in the form of a myth, a total different approach from that of the preceding 9 books and beginning of the 10th book in Plato’s Republic. While the writing was brought to us via a different method, was the message and overall concept still delivered in a just form?
The purpose of the Myth of the Er is to describe what happens to the soul after death. The early part of the myth talks about the way the souls of the deceased are judged, and punishments or rewards are given. It describes a purgatory state, where there is a period of judgment to decide your destination, heaven or hell. This myth comes from the Brave Er who had a near death experience. He was presumed dead in battle, he had regained consciousness of the funeral pyre and described his experiences.
Using this Myth of Er I will explain some important themes from Socrates’ discussion of morality, the individual and the state in the Republic.
Socrates was one of the most influential philosophers, and his views on morality and immorality were equally beneficial. Trying to understand the concept of moral and immoral behavior can be very tricky. A moral person does not set himself or herself up as superior to people who are like them, but only to people that are unlike them. An immoral person, sets himself up as superior to people who are like them as well as to people who are like them. Socrates proves that justice brings unity to any group of people, since it allows them to trust and rely on each other. Socrates acknowledges that gods are just, so an unjust person is their enemy. A just person will operate in properly, and live happy, while an unjust person will not. He also demonstrates that morality is more beneficial to its possessor. An individual acquires happiness by being moral, whether or not they accumulate anything materialistic. The point of the immorality has a bad name because people are afraid of being at the receiving end of it, not of doing it(344c, The Republic).
In the Myth of the Er we are presented with the idea that there is a result for our actions. That result can be positive or negative. That result can be pain or pleasure. That result can be a wonderful life multiplied by a 1000 times greater or it can be a painful life multiplied by a 1000 times more harmful and pain staking. The Myth of the Er where there were two openings in the earth, they were near together, and over against them were two other openings in the heaven above. In the intermediate space there were judges seated, who commanded the just, after they had given judgment on them and had bound their sentences in front of them, to ascend by the heavenly way on the right hand, and in like manner the unjust were bidden by them to descend by the lower way on the left hand(Republic). The Myth of the Er can be used to explain some of the themes of Socrates’ discussion of morality. Socrates’ was trying to get across the point that to be moral is a choice. It all comes down to we reap what we sew. It has its pros and its cons. Although morality is the “ideal state” it is not always reached, why is that? What causes us to lose sight of our moral behavior? Just as in life, in death, the same wants are yearned upon. The wanting to have the 1000 times greater life and to live a moral life while living is what most want. Since there are results for our actions we can choose exactly what we want. We have that choice to live morally just or not. By us making that choice while we are living, we are then setting up the blueprints to where we will be in death.
Based on Plato’s philosophy, the individual in the Republic that lives just life is happier then the unjust person for this the reasons that the person’s soul is in order, where as the unjust person’s should is in decay and disorder. The just person’s desires are all over the place and extremely out of control. In relation to the Myth of Er, the person that gets to ascend to the right, during the time of judgment lived a just and moral life while on earth. Which allowed them to live a happy life. This happy lifestyle will only carry on when breath is taken out of the body and the souls rises above.
The state in the Republic in Plato’s ideal situation was a just city when everyone is doing the job that best suits their nature. This just city was made up of guardian, auxiliaries, and craftsmen. The guardians lead the city, are fully educated, they represent wisdom. The auxiliaries are less but still somewhat educated, and they fight and represent courage. The rest of the population receives a general education. These 3 classes make up a just polis when each member acting in the polis is at his or her correct location doing his or her correct job. The Myth of Er can be related to this is the sense that there will be those that get the result of 1000 times painful life. Maybe that could not prevent that. Just as a craftsmen could not prevent the he was a craftsmen and not a guardian. Not to say that a craftsmen will automatically live an unjust lifestyle and visa versa, where a guardian will always live a just lifestyle.
Plato being the great salesman for rationality, was it awkward that he resorted to the Myth or Er at the last moment to conclude his literary work? Well, generally myths are really never explained nor do they require an explanation. We as readers, are
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