Choosing justice: Socrates' model city and the practice of dialectic.

The discussion of a model city in Plato's 'Republic' is interpreted as being aimed at facilitating an ability for synoptic thinking, or viewing both appearances and 'what is' as a whole. Synoptic thinking, in turn, is necessary for engaging in fruitful dialectic argument in general and for recognizing the virtue of justice in particular.

Socrates launches the effort to construct a model city, which includes discussions of education, deception and ownership of property, as a response to Glaucon's demand to be shown the inherent virtue of justice, independent of circumstances. This approach to ...

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