Does Plato's “Ring of Gyges” have a corrupting influence on its wearer?












3















In Plato's Republic, a simple shepherd finds a magical ring, places it on his finger, turns invisible and then immediately sets about a campaign of murder, rape and treason. This seems like behaviour that would be out of character for anyone who isn't a Lannister.



Does the Ring have a specific corrupting influence (like Tolkien's 'One Ring' corrupts those who wear it) or is it simply Plato's opinion that anyone who can become invisible is basically mere hours away from being a murderous rapist?










share|improve this question























  • How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago
















3















In Plato's Republic, a simple shepherd finds a magical ring, places it on his finger, turns invisible and then immediately sets about a campaign of murder, rape and treason. This seems like behaviour that would be out of character for anyone who isn't a Lannister.



Does the Ring have a specific corrupting influence (like Tolkien's 'One Ring' corrupts those who wear it) or is it simply Plato's opinion that anyone who can become invisible is basically mere hours away from being a murderous rapist?










share|improve this question























  • How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago














3












3








3








In Plato's Republic, a simple shepherd finds a magical ring, places it on his finger, turns invisible and then immediately sets about a campaign of murder, rape and treason. This seems like behaviour that would be out of character for anyone who isn't a Lannister.



Does the Ring have a specific corrupting influence (like Tolkien's 'One Ring' corrupts those who wear it) or is it simply Plato's opinion that anyone who can become invisible is basically mere hours away from being a murderous rapist?










share|improve this question














In Plato's Republic, a simple shepherd finds a magical ring, places it on his finger, turns invisible and then immediately sets about a campaign of murder, rape and treason. This seems like behaviour that would be out of character for anyone who isn't a Lannister.



Does the Ring have a specific corrupting influence (like Tolkien's 'One Ring' corrupts those who wear it) or is it simply Plato's opinion that anyone who can become invisible is basically mere hours away from being a murderous rapist?







the-republic






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 5 hours ago









ValorumValorum

405k10829463171




405k10829463171













  • How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago



















  • How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago

















How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

– DavidW
4 hours ago





How quaint simple invisibility seems now! These days you'd need to hide your thermal signature (not just emissive, but transferred/conducted), sound, incidental contacts, respiration traces, not to mention any of the ways to accidentally shed DNA...

– DavidW
4 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















5














It does not. And Plato doesn't actually commit himself to a position on the subject. Instead he puts the story of the ring of Gyges into the mouth of his brother Glaucon who argues that being placed in a position where one is no longer answerable for ones deeds, very few if any people would refrain from abusing such a position of immunity. They might not murder, but would they steal or spy? Would they behave in every way the same as they would if they were still to some degree answerable for their actions? Glaucon doubts it. But Plato also has Socrates say that the man who refused to use such power would be a happier and freer man while the man who used it would a slave to his appetites.



But the philosophical issue being discussed is invalidated if the ring also has some kind of mind control power. The only corrupting power of the Ring of Gyges is the power it gives the user. I might add that it's probably a metaphor being some kind of absolute monarch.






share|improve this answer

































    2














    It seems it's as simple as Plato believing that nobody who has power can avoid being corrupted if nobody is able to see them abusing it. So the ring would be as much a force for corruption as any other means of gaining power without any oversight.



    For example: "If Plato's allegory of the ring is right, then we had better watch out. Anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly."
    reference This is typical of the usual analysis of this allegory.






    share|improve this answer

























      Your Answer








      StackExchange.ready(function() {
      var channelOptions = {
      tags: "".split(" "),
      id: "186"
      };
      initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

      StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
      // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
      if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
      StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
      createEditor();
      });
      }
      else {
      createEditor();
      }
      });

      function createEditor() {
      StackExchange.prepareEditor({
      heartbeatType: 'answer',
      autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
      convertImagesToLinks: false,
      noModals: true,
      showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
      reputationToPostImages: null,
      bindNavPrevention: true,
      postfix: "",
      imageUploader: {
      brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
      contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
      allowUrls: true
      },
      noCode: true, onDemand: true,
      discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
      ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
      });


      }
      });














      draft saved

      draft discarded


















      StackExchange.ready(
      function () {
      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f205931%2fdoes-platos-ring-of-gyges-have-a-corrupting-influence-on-its-wearer%23new-answer', 'question_page');
      }
      );

      Post as a guest















      Required, but never shown

























      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes








      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      5














      It does not. And Plato doesn't actually commit himself to a position on the subject. Instead he puts the story of the ring of Gyges into the mouth of his brother Glaucon who argues that being placed in a position where one is no longer answerable for ones deeds, very few if any people would refrain from abusing such a position of immunity. They might not murder, but would they steal or spy? Would they behave in every way the same as they would if they were still to some degree answerable for their actions? Glaucon doubts it. But Plato also has Socrates say that the man who refused to use such power would be a happier and freer man while the man who used it would a slave to his appetites.



      But the philosophical issue being discussed is invalidated if the ring also has some kind of mind control power. The only corrupting power of the Ring of Gyges is the power it gives the user. I might add that it's probably a metaphor being some kind of absolute monarch.






      share|improve this answer






























        5














        It does not. And Plato doesn't actually commit himself to a position on the subject. Instead he puts the story of the ring of Gyges into the mouth of his brother Glaucon who argues that being placed in a position where one is no longer answerable for ones deeds, very few if any people would refrain from abusing such a position of immunity. They might not murder, but would they steal or spy? Would they behave in every way the same as they would if they were still to some degree answerable for their actions? Glaucon doubts it. But Plato also has Socrates say that the man who refused to use such power would be a happier and freer man while the man who used it would a slave to his appetites.



        But the philosophical issue being discussed is invalidated if the ring also has some kind of mind control power. The only corrupting power of the Ring of Gyges is the power it gives the user. I might add that it's probably a metaphor being some kind of absolute monarch.






        share|improve this answer




























          5












          5








          5







          It does not. And Plato doesn't actually commit himself to a position on the subject. Instead he puts the story of the ring of Gyges into the mouth of his brother Glaucon who argues that being placed in a position where one is no longer answerable for ones deeds, very few if any people would refrain from abusing such a position of immunity. They might not murder, but would they steal or spy? Would they behave in every way the same as they would if they were still to some degree answerable for their actions? Glaucon doubts it. But Plato also has Socrates say that the man who refused to use such power would be a happier and freer man while the man who used it would a slave to his appetites.



          But the philosophical issue being discussed is invalidated if the ring also has some kind of mind control power. The only corrupting power of the Ring of Gyges is the power it gives the user. I might add that it's probably a metaphor being some kind of absolute monarch.






          share|improve this answer















          It does not. And Plato doesn't actually commit himself to a position on the subject. Instead he puts the story of the ring of Gyges into the mouth of his brother Glaucon who argues that being placed in a position where one is no longer answerable for ones deeds, very few if any people would refrain from abusing such a position of immunity. They might not murder, but would they steal or spy? Would they behave in every way the same as they would if they were still to some degree answerable for their actions? Glaucon doubts it. But Plato also has Socrates say that the man who refused to use such power would be a happier and freer man while the man who used it would a slave to his appetites.



          But the philosophical issue being discussed is invalidated if the ring also has some kind of mind control power. The only corrupting power of the Ring of Gyges is the power it gives the user. I might add that it's probably a metaphor being some kind of absolute monarch.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 58 mins ago

























          answered 4 hours ago









          David JohnstonDavid Johnston

          1,517512




          1,517512

























              2














              It seems it's as simple as Plato believing that nobody who has power can avoid being corrupted if nobody is able to see them abusing it. So the ring would be as much a force for corruption as any other means of gaining power without any oversight.



              For example: "If Plato's allegory of the ring is right, then we had better watch out. Anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly."
              reference This is typical of the usual analysis of this allegory.






              share|improve this answer






























                2














                It seems it's as simple as Plato believing that nobody who has power can avoid being corrupted if nobody is able to see them abusing it. So the ring would be as much a force for corruption as any other means of gaining power without any oversight.



                For example: "If Plato's allegory of the ring is right, then we had better watch out. Anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly."
                reference This is typical of the usual analysis of this allegory.






                share|improve this answer




























                  2












                  2








                  2







                  It seems it's as simple as Plato believing that nobody who has power can avoid being corrupted if nobody is able to see them abusing it. So the ring would be as much a force for corruption as any other means of gaining power without any oversight.



                  For example: "If Plato's allegory of the ring is right, then we had better watch out. Anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly."
                  reference This is typical of the usual analysis of this allegory.






                  share|improve this answer















                  It seems it's as simple as Plato believing that nobody who has power can avoid being corrupted if nobody is able to see them abusing it. So the ring would be as much a force for corruption as any other means of gaining power without any oversight.



                  For example: "If Plato's allegory of the ring is right, then we had better watch out. Anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly."
                  reference This is typical of the usual analysis of this allegory.







                  share|improve this answer














                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer








                  edited 4 hours ago

























                  answered 4 hours ago









                  DavidWDavidW

                  2,1031533




                  2,1031533






























                      draft saved

                      draft discarded




















































                      Thanks for contributing an answer to Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange!


                      • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                      But avoid



                      • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                      • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                      To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                      draft saved


                      draft discarded














                      StackExchange.ready(
                      function () {
                      StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f205931%2fdoes-platos-ring-of-gyges-have-a-corrupting-influence-on-its-wearer%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                      }
                      );

                      Post as a guest















                      Required, but never shown





















































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown

































                      Required, but never shown














                      Required, but never shown












                      Required, but never shown







                      Required, but never shown







                      Popular posts from this blog

                      Liste der Baudenkmale in Friedland (Mecklenburg)

                      Single-Malt-Whisky

                      Czorneboh