Plato's Concept Of Justice In Antigone
“Justice is served” is the cliché line heard in courtrooms throughout the world of fantasy. What justice is proves to be more difficult to define. Many definitions state it as an action that is the result or punishment for a negative action. The trouble lies in what defines what is just, the law, society or morality. Plato’s use of Socrates in “Crito” argues that justice is defined as the laws of a city or state as well as what a person’s own perception of justice is. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin Molière’s play Tartuffe argues that justice is both a moral concept as well as a way of reprimanding wrongdoing by a higher political power. Antigone is Sophocles’ description of justice which lies in the social repercussions for those who break the laws
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Socrates often debated on the definition of justice, but in essence it was to not cause harm or commit unjust actions upon others. Those who have performed unjust actions have caused self-harm by corrupting their body and soul. “One should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you” (Plato 52). This harm leads to the destruction of one’s virtue, and the destruction of virtue is the loss of understanding what is just. The obligation to adhere to the concepts of justice by following the laws of the state is yet another aspect of the arguments. Even though the laws are often written by a majority who does not understand the true meaning of justice it is still just to follow these laws. When someone voluntarily decides to live in a city or state they therefore agree to abide by the laws of said city. One is obliged to follow the laws when, “So decisively did you choose us and agree to be a citizen under us” (Plato 55). This argument is referring to Socrate’s refusal to flee Athens after he is sentenced to death in a court of law for corrupting the youth of Athens and for his supposed impiety. He decided to be a citizen of Athens and will adhere to their laws and decisions in a court. Even though many
Socrates often debated on the definition of justice, but in essence it was to not cause harm or commit unjust actions upon others. Those who have performed unjust actions have caused self-harm by corrupting their body and soul. “One should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you” (Plato 52). This harm leads to the destruction of one’s virtue, and the destruction of virtue is the loss of understanding what is just. The obligation to adhere to the concepts of justice by following the laws of the state is yet another aspect of the arguments. Even though the laws are often written by a majority who does not understand the true meaning of justice it is still just to follow these laws. When someone voluntarily decides to live in a city or state they therefore agree to abide by the laws of said city. One is obliged to follow the laws when, “So decisively did you choose us and agree to be a citizen under us” (Plato 55). This argument is referring to Socrate’s refusal to flee Athens after he is sentenced to death in a court of law for corrupting the youth of Athens and for his supposed impiety. He decided to be a citizen of Athens and will adhere to their laws and decisions in a court. Even though many