Thrasymachus was a Greek sophist born in Chalcedon who was active in the late 5th century BCE. In Plato's Republic, he argues that justice is nothing more than the advantage of the stronger or ruler, and that the just person is simply obedient to the laws of the state, which are designed to benefit the ruler. Thrasymachus claims injustice or acting in one's own self-interest is more beneficial than justice. He believes rulers cannot make mistakes in lawmaking as might makes right.

1. ASSIGNMENT FOR PHILOSOPHY
PHILOSOPHER>
Thrasymachus
Department of English language and literature (BS)
Submitted By ASAD RAZA NAQVI
TO: Ms.GHUNCHA NAQVI
CONTENTS
 INTRODUCTION
 BIRTH and DEATH
 PLACE 0F BIRTH
 LIFEWORK
 PHILOSOPHY
 CONCLUSIONS
INTRODUCTION
 Thrasymachus was sophist.
 A paid teacher of philosophy and rhetoric in Greece in the Classicaland Hellenistic
periods, associated in popular thought with moral scepticismand specious reasoning.
 The most famous representatives of the sophistic movement are Protagoras, Gorgias,
Antiphon, Hippias, Prodicus and Thrasymachus.
Who are sophist
 The sophists were itinerant professional teachers and intellectuals who frequented
Athens and other Greek cities in the second half of the fifth century B.C.E
 A person who reasons with clever but false arguments.
His Life
 Thrasymachus' birth and death are hard to determine.
 According to Dionysius, he is younger than Lysias.
 Dionysius falsely believed to be born in 459 B.C.E.
 Aristotle places him between Tisias and Theodorus, but he does not list any precise
dates.

2.  A precise reference date for Thrasymachus' life is provided by Aristophanes, who makes
fun of him in his first play Banqueters.
 Thrasymachus was most active during the last three decades of the fifth century.
PLACE OF BIRTH
 Thrasymachus was born in Chalcedon, a colony of Megara in Bithynia.
 He had distinguished himself as a teacher of rhetoric and speechwriter in Athens by the
year 427
WORK
 The remaining fragments of Thrasymachus' writings provide few clues about his
philosophical ideas.
 They either deal with rhetorical issues or they are excerpts from speeches (DK 85b1 and
b2) that were (probably) written for others and thus can hardly be seen as the
expression of Thrasymachus' own thoughts.
 The most interesting fragment is DK 85b8. It contains the claimthat the gods do not
care about human affairs since they do not seemto enforce justice.
PLATOS REPUBLIC
 In the first book of the Republic, Thrasymachus attacks Socrates'position
that justice is an important good.
 He claims that 'injustice, if it is on a large enough scale, is stronger, freer,
and more masterly than justice'(344c). In thecourseof arguing for this
conclusion, Thrasymachus makes threecentral claims about justice
 “1)Justiceis nothing but the advantage of the stronger (338c),2) Justiceis
nothing but the advantageof another (343c), 3) Justiceis obedience to
laws”
PHILOSOPHY OF THRASYMACHUS
Thrasymachus attacks Socrates'position that justiceis an important GOOD He
claims that 'injustice, if it is on a large enough scale, is stronger, freer, and more
masterly than justice
Justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger (338c)
EXAMPLES:
 Thrasymachus explains his argument by first stating that :

3.  Ruling class has more power and operates under the assumption that it is the place of
the citizens underneath the ruling class.
 IN Barma Muslims are not considered citizens according to the country 1982 citizenship
Act.
 Muslim businesses have been targeted.
 Mosques burnt down, damaged and closed.
 Homes of Muslim families destroyed.
 Many Muslims have been injured and some killed.
 Muslims face discrimination in educational and employment opportunities.
Justice is obedience to laws (339b)
EXAMPLES
 justice is whatever is in the interest of the stronger party in a given state justice is thus
effected through power by people in power.
 People in power make laws; the weaker party (subjects) are supposed to obey the laws,
and that is justice, obedience to laws made by the rulers in the interest of the rulers.
 Socrates then argues that rulers can pass bad laws, "bad" in the sense that they do not
serve the interest of the rulers.
 Thrasymachus says that a ruler cannot make mistakes. Thrasymachus' argument is that
might makes right.
Justice is nothing but the advantage of another (343c).
EXAMPLES
 Thrasymachus argues that most people are "good" in appearance only.
 They do "right" things or try to pursue dike (the way things ought to be) only because
they are ignorant, or stupid, or afraid of the punishment of the law Strong men and
intelligent men have the courage to do wrong.
 They can out-think simpler citizens and overpower weaker ones
 Weaker in whatever sense. Injustice (adikia) is the best course of action.
 The unjust man can take advantage of his fellows in every instance, he can cheat on his
taxes.
 Rob the public coffers and defraud the public.
 Juggle books in a position of trust (manage books in this way so that people trust him)
CONCLUSIONS
o whether or not a concept of Justice may be determined by citizens in a
given state at the time that Plato is writing
o How Justice may be accomplished in a given state (how laws might be
enacted that would serve the citizens of a just state in courts of law)

4. o Thus it is that the conversation in the Republic proceeds from a question
of meaning (what is Justice?), augmented by questions of fact are there
examples of justice in action or of just men?),
o To a question of policy (what laws may be effected to ensure the carriage
of justice?)
o If a given state could be founded on a resolution and emulation of such
precepts, it would be an ideal state.
o The argument advanced in this BOOK. then, is an attempt to outline a
possible and realistic policy for securing well-being and happy life for the
citizens of the state.