Plato: Women in the Ideal State - Part I Plato's book, The
Republic, deals with practical issues such as the nature of
justice, the human condition, and the basis of societal order
and political power. It is a treasure trove of ideas and has
long been a central work in Western literature. In The Republic,
Plato speaks through Socrates who is holding forth in discussion
at a dinner party. In the course of the discussion, Socrates and
his young companions, Glaucon and Adeimantus, establish by
careful argument that Justice is something real and objective
(not merely a social convention or personal convenience).
Present throughout this work is the juxtaposition of appearance
and reality. Plato is ever eager to show us that we cannot judge
truth on the basis of what appears to be so. We need reason and
questioning to get beyond appearance and closer to truth. Often
in the dialogues it becomes clear that getting beyond
appearances will require reforming our lives. For Socrates and
Plato, the search for truth is not