Socrates Idea Made By Glaucon

Socrates claimed that morality enables us to prosper and that it is simply not a lesser evil. On the other hand, Glaucon claims that it is in fact a lesser evil and even goes to say that justice restricts immoral people’s liberties. Socrates understood that by principle, morality and virtuousness were in direct relation to the happiness of a person. Consequentially, a person who had no morals or virtue had no chance in attaining true happiness. In Glaucon’s argument he states that there are three different kinds of goods. There are goods that we desire for their consequences, goods we desire for their own sake, and goods that we desire for their consequences and their own sake. Glaucon ultimately wanted to contend the idea made by Socrates
In order to further explain his views, Glaucon used the story of The Ring of Gyges. This story illustrated a man who had a powerful ring that allowed the user to become invisible. He used Gyges’ story to point out that we chose to be moral out of fear of the punishment or the damage made to our reputation and the consequences set by society. However, being invisible and consequentially immoral only brought Gyges gains that would only be of instrumental value. Glaucon does not undermine the goodness of morality, but he makes the point that morality prevents people from attaining the maximum amount of freedom that could come by being immoral or
In his examples he offers two views of the moral and immoral. The man who partakes in all his desires regardless of whether they are considered moral or not, will be regarded as an intelligent and witty person, while the person who restrained themselves from urges and had the ability to without consequences is often deemed as a fool. Although he suggests that he respects a very just man, he explains how most others in the society would not feel the same. Glaucon explains that people would not necessarily respect and honor a very just man as they regard him a fool. The same aspect of reputation would prevent a person from being immoral. This could be very well the same reason why people would still prefer to be unjust rather than just, as it is rational for them to do