Justice in the Soul

Abstract

Right at the outset of his discussion of the soul Socrates raises a doubt about the procedure on which they are embarking. The question they are to answer is whether in a human soul there are to be found the three elements which would correspond to the three classes in the city. The conclusion is going to be that there are, viz. the Appetitive, Spirited and Rational elements, corresponding to the Economic, Auxiliary and Guardian Classes, and that the same four virtues can be found in the individual soul as in the city. But what is his doubt — that the method or argument is not exact enough, or not complete enough, or that the results are not precise enough, or that they are too tentative ?