[Solved] Ethics 1

Assignment Prompt & Instructions

Attached below

https://youtu.be/Owj2_ti_K_Q

https://youtu.be/BlT5SdLeXtM

**files (1)**

– ## RingofGyges.pdf

**## RingofGyges.pdf**

1

CTP/PHL 194 – Ethics and the Information Age
Ring of Gyges

The son of a wealthy and noble family, Plato (427-347 B.C.) was preparing for a career in politics when
the trial and eventual execution of Socrates (399 B.C.) changed the course of his life. He abandoned his
political career and turned to philosophy, opening a school on the outskirts of Athens dedicated to the
Socratic search for wisdom. Plato's school, then known as the Academy, was the first university in
western history and operated from 387 B.C. until A.D. 529, when it was closed by Justinian.

Socrates believed that the unexamined life was not worth living, and so he would force everyone he
encountered to reflect on their lives, their beliefs, and their motivations. Plato took over this mission
when Socrates died. He too wanted to combat immorality and selfishness, which were still widespread.
He also wanted to combat the Sophists’ other skeptical claims: their avowal that there is no such thing
as objective truth, no possibility of objective knowledge.

Unlike his mentor Socrates, Plato was both a writer and a teacher. His writings are in the form of
dialogues, with Socrates as the principal speaker. Socrates mostly lectures, pausing intermittently to
respond to objections raised by his students, Plato’s two half-brothers, Glaucon and Adeimantus.

In The Republic, Socrates sets out to discuss the nature of justice: Why do men behave justly? Is it
because they fear societal punishment? Are they trembling before notions of divine retribution? Do the
stronger elements of society scare the weak into submission in the name of law? Or do men behave
justly because it is good for them to do so? Is justice, regardless of its rewards and punishments, a good
thing in and of itself? How do we define justice? Ultimately Socrates believes justice is good for its own
sake, regardless of the consequences. It is good in the same way that health or knowledge is good. Plato
uses the ten books in The Republic to develop a rich and complex theory of justice.

Glaucon’s Argument

As we enter Book II of Plato's Republic, Thrasymachus, a philosopher, has just pointed out that the
unjust man is the successful man. The unjust man is more intelligent and uses injustice as a source of
strength, which in turn brings happiness.

Glaucon comments that he has never heard an argument which has convinced him that the just life is
really better than the unjust life. It appears the just life is a difficult one and only worthwhile for its
rewards. Glaucon wants to hear Socrates' comment to these popular claims, not that he himself
necessarily believes these claims.

Glaucon states that all goods can be divided into three classes: things that we desire only for their
consequences, such as physical training and medical treatment; things that we desire only for their own
sake, such as joy; and, the highest class, things we desire both for their own sake and for what we get
from them, such as knowledge, sight, and health. What Glaucon and the rest would like Socrates to
prove is that justice is not only desirable, but that it belongs to the highest class of desirable things:
those desired both for their own sake and their consequences.

Glaucon points out that most people class justice among the first group. They view justice as a necessary
evil, which we allow ourselves to suffer in order to avoid the greater evil that would befall us if we did

2

away with it. Justice stems from human weakness and vulnerability. Since we can all suffer from each
other’s injustices, we make a social contract agreeing to be just to one another. We only suffer under
the burden of justice because we know we would suffer worse without it. Justice is not something
practiced for its own sake but something one engages in out of fear and weakness.

The Ring of Gyges Story

To emphasize his point, Glaucon appeals to a thought experiment, using the legend of the Ring of Gyges.
The story of Gyges the Lydian is part of Glaucon's initial speech in book II of Plato’s Republic. Glaucon
steps in when Thrasymachus has been silenced by Socrates to defend the opinion that people don't
practice justice for itself, but only for fear of what would befall them if they don't.

According to the legend, Gyges was a shepherd in the service of King Candaules of Lydia. There was a
great storm and an earthquake that revealed a cave in the mountainside where Gyges was attending his
flock. Entering the cave, Gyges discovered that it was in fact the tomb of an enthroned corpse who wore
a golden ring, which Gyges pocketed

Now the shepherds met together, according to custom, that they might send their monthly report about
the flocks to the king; into their assembly Gyges came having the ring on his finger, and as he was sitting
among them he chanced to turn the collet of the ring inside his hand, when instantly he became
invisible to the rest of the company and they began to speak of him as if he were no longer present. He
was astonished at this, and again touching the ring he turned the collet outwards and reappeared; he
made several trials of the ring, and always with the same result-when he turned the collet inwards he
became invisible, when outwards he reappeared. Whereupon he contrived to be chosen one of the
messengers who were sent to the court; where as soon as he arrived he seduced the queen, and with
her help conspired against the king and slew him, and took the kingdom.

Glaucon’s Conclusion

1. The origin of justice
Originally there was no law. People did as they wanted. The stronger took advantage of the weaker,
but they lived in fear of each other. Eventually people decided it would be better if there were laws
to protect each other from harm: "I won't harm you & you don't harm me." Whatever is ordained by
law becomes "lawful and just." Right conduct means following these (arbitrary) laws. Justice is
really a compromise – between doing injustice and not being punished and suffering injustice
without the power of retaliation. Justice arises from expedience from the need for protection
rather than from eternal truths.

2. The Difference Between the Just and the Unjust Man
Glaucon claims if the just and unjust man were each given a ring of invisibility, both would act
exactly alike. The unjust man would continue to act unjustly. The just man would be a fool to
continue to act justly because he could not be caught or punished. The just man would have no
reason to continue acting justly. Just men act justly because of the consequences.

3. Glaucon's Third Point: It is Better (and Happier) to Seem Just Than To Be Just
Glaucon paints a scenario of a persecuted just man who people think is unjust, and stupid – as
contrasted to an unjust Machiavellian man whom people think is kind, just, wise, helpful,
courageous, resourceful… Glaucon asks, "Which man is happier?"

3

As The Republic continues Socrates claims for a life to be good it must be just. Without goodness, there
is no happiness. Socrates’ later point is that what is really harmful to a man is not pain or suffering or
injustice inflicted by others, but one's own injustice.

Plato's Ring of Gyges answers the age-old question: "Why do people do what they do?” Do people act
as they do because of the pleasure it eventually yields ( there is a joy in giving, in loving…study leads to a
refined intellect and a good position in the working world) OR do people do what they do out of fear of
getting caught?

Which leads us to the question – What would we do if we had the ring?

The behaviorist theory of morality states we act according to reward and punishment. Certainly, being
corporeal we are inclined by pleasure and pain. So this is partly true. Some say we are more than body;
we have a rational intellect and will that rises above physical pain and may even be willing to endure
physical pain for a greater good. We may endure a sacrifice for those we love.

Gyges says the just and unjust man would act exactly the same if both possessed the ring. Why would
this be? Is it because the just man would no longer fear getting caught for doing evil? The only thing that
keeps people straight, according to Glaucon, is the fear of getting caught, of being thought less of.
Goodness is nothing but a show. It is also cowardness to get caught. Man's inherent nature is not to be
good, but he is only good out of fear.

**## RingofGyges.pdf**

1

CTP/PHL 194 – Ethics and the Information Age
Ring of Gyges

The son of a wealthy and noble family, Plato (427-347 B.C.) was preparing for a career in politics when
the trial and eventual execution of Socrates (399 B.C.) changed the course of his life. He abandoned his
political career and turned to philosophy, opening a school on the outskirts of Athens dedicated to the
Socratic search for wisdom. Plato's school, then known as the Academy, was the first university in
western history and operated from 387 B.C. until A.D. 529, when it was closed by Justinian.

Socrates believed that the unexamined life was not worth living, and so he would force everyone he
encountered to reflect on their lives, their beliefs, and their motivations. Plato took over this mission
when Socrates died. He too wanted to combat immorality and selfishness, which were still widespread.
He also wanted to combat the Sophists’ other skeptical claims: their avowal that there is no such thing
as objective truth, no possibility of objective knowledge.

Unlike his mentor Socrates, Plato was both a writer and a teacher. His writings are in the form of
dialogues, with Socrates as the principal speaker. Socrates mostly lectures, pausing intermittently to
respond to objections raised by his students, Plato’s two half-brothers, Glaucon and Adeimantus.

In The Republic, Socrates sets out to discuss the nature of justice: Why do men behave justly? Is it
because they fear societal punishment? Are they trembling before notions of divine retribution? Do the
stronger elements of society scare the weak into submission in the name of law? Or do men behave
justly because it is good for them to do so? Is justice, regardless of its rewards and punishments, a good
thing in and of itself? How do we define justice? Ultimately Socrates believes justice is good for its own
sake, regardless of the consequences. It is good in the same way that health or knowledge is good. Plato
uses the ten books in The Republic to develop a rich and complex theory of justice.

Glaucon’s Argument

As we enter Book II of Plato's Republic, Thrasymachus, a philosopher, has just pointed out that the
unjust man is the successful man. The unjust man is more intelligent and uses injustice as a source of
strength, which in turn brings happiness.

Glaucon comments that he has never heard an argument which has convinced him that the just life is
really better than the unjust life. It appears the just life is a difficult one and only worthwhile for its
rewards. Glaucon wants to hear Socrates' comment to these popular claims, not that he himself
necessarily believes these claims.

Glaucon states that all goods can be divided into three classes: things that we desire only for their
consequences, such as physical training and medical treatment; things that we desire only for their own
sake, such as joy; and, the highest class, things we desire both for their own sake and for what we get
from them, such as knowledge, sight, and health. What Glaucon and the rest would like Socrates to
prove is that justice is not only desirable, but that it belongs to the highest class of desirable things:
those desired both for their own sake and their consequences.

Glaucon points out that most people class justice among the first group. They view justice as a necessary
evil, which we allow ourselves to suffer in order to avoid the greater evil that would befall us if we did

2

away with it. Justice stems from human weakness and vulnerability. Since we can all suffer from each
other’s injustices, we make a social contract agreeing to be just to one another. We only suffer under
the burden of justice because we know we would suffer worse without it. Justice is not something
practiced for its own sake but something one engages in out of fear and weakness.

The Ring of Gyges Story

To emphasize his point, Glaucon appeals to a thought experiment, using the legend of the Ring of Gyges.
The story of Gyges the Lydian is part of Glaucon's initial speech in book II of Plato’s Republic. Glaucon
steps in when Thrasymachus has been silenced by Socrates to defend the opinion that people don't
practice justice for itself, but only for fear of what would befall them if they don't.

According to the legend, Gyges was a shepherd in the service of King Candaules of Lydia. There was a
great storm and an earthquake that revealed a cave in the mountainside where Gyges was attending his
flock. Entering the cave, Gyges discovered that it was in fact the tomb of an enthroned corpse who wore
a golden ring, which Gyges pocketed

Now the shepherds met together, according to custom, that they might send their monthly report about
the flocks to the king; into their assembly Gyges came having the ring on his finger, and as he was sitting
among them he chanced to turn the collet of the ring inside his hand, when instantly he became
invisible to the rest of the company and they began to speak of him as if he were no longer present. He
was astonished at this, and again touching the ring he turned the collet outwards and reappeared; he
made several trials of the ring, and always with the same result-when he turned the collet inwards he
became invisible, when outwards he reappeared. Whereupon he contrived to be chosen one of the
messengers who were sent to the court; where as soon as he arrived he seduced the queen, and with
her help conspired against the king and slew him, and took the kingdom.

Glaucon’s Conclusion

1. The origin of justice
Originally there was no law. People did as they wanted. The stronger took advantage of the weaker,
but they lived in fear of each other. Eventually people decided it would be better if there were laws
to protect each other from harm: "I won't harm you & you don't harm me." Whatever is ordained by
law becomes "lawful and just." Right conduct means following these (arbitrary) laws. Justice is
really a compromise – between doing injustice and not being punished and suffering injustice
without the power of retaliation. Justice arises from expedience from the need for protection
rather than from eternal truths.

2. The Difference Between the Just and the Unjust Man
Glaucon claims if the just and unjust man were each given a ring of invisibility, both would act
exactly alike. The unjust man would continue to act unjustly. The just man would be a fool to
continue to act justly because he could not be caught or punished. The just man would have no
reason to continue acting justly. Just men act justly because of the consequences.

3. Glaucon's Third Point: It is Better (and Happier) to Seem Just Than To Be Just
Glaucon paints a scenario of a persecuted just man who people think is unjust, and stupid – as
contrasted to an unjust Machiavellian man whom people think is kind, just, wise, helpful,
courageous, resourceful… Glaucon asks, "Which man is happier?"

3

As The Republic continues Socrates claims for a life to be good it must be just. Without goodness, there
is no happiness. Socrates’ later point is that what is really harmful to a man is not pain or suffering or
injustice inflicted by others, but one's own injustice.

Plato's Ring of Gyges answers the age-old question: "Why do people do what they do?” Do people act
as they do because of the pleasure it eventually yields ( there is a joy in giving, in loving…study leads to a
refined intellect and a good position in the working world) OR do people do what they do out of fear of
getting caught?

Which leads us to the question – What would we do if we had the ring?

The behaviorist theory of morality states we act according to reward and punishment. Certainly, being
corporeal we are inclined by pleasure and pain. So this is partly true. Some say we are more than body;
we have a rational intellect and will that rises above physical pain and may even be willing to endure
physical pain for a greater good. We may endure a sacrifice for those we love.

Gyges says the just and unjust man would act exactly the same if both possessed the ring. Why would
this be? Is it because the just man would no longer fear getting caught for doing evil? The only thing that
keeps people straight, according to Glaucon, is the fear of getting caught, of being thought less of.
Goodness is nothing but a show. It is also cowardness to get caught. Man's inherent nature is not to be
good, but he is only good out of fear.