Ring of Gyges

Ring of Gyges

As I read the Republic and the story of the ring of Gyges, it intrigued me in various ways. I realized the story is based on a question of ethics, questions that we as humans must ask ourselves on a regular basis. These ethical questions ask, are you a good person? Is the human race inherently selfish? Thirdly, how would one act if he suddenly gained an enormous amount of power? With these questions in mind, I believe the point that the story of Gyges ring is trying to assert, genuinely questions the legitimacy any human beings commitment to justice actually is. The ring is used to point out that no man is so virtuous that he could resist the temptation of being able to steal after being granted the power of invisibility by the ring. Although Glaucon does not actually hold this belief, he argues that morality is a social construction, which in other words could be defined as a perception that is constructed through cultural or social practices. In this case the social construct is the desire to maintain one's reputation for virtue and honesty, but when this sanction is removed moral character would evaporate. This story is a matter of what we can expect humans to do with power over others. In politics, we give power to others in hopes they will do what is best. If Plato’s allegory of the ring is right, anyone who gains power without accountability is liable to use it unjustly. All in all, secrecy is a form of invisibility, and can strongly be used for the purposes of power. Essentially, leaving us to ask ourselves one final question, what is justice?