Ethics 1

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.