The History of Philosophy|S01E32-The Ethical Problem-3

The Ethical Problem-3

How does Socrates—i.e., Plato—meet the challenge of this theory? 

meet the challenge of。。。，回应。。。的挑战

At first he does not meet it at all. 

He points out that justice is a relation among individuals, depending on social organization; and that in consequence it can be studied better as part of the structure of a community than as a quality of personal conduct. 

If, he suggests, we can picture a just state, we shall be in a better position to describe a just individual. 

Plato excuses himself for this digression on the score that in testing a man's vision we make him read first large type, then smaller; so, he argues, it is easier to analyze justice on a large scale than on the small scale of individual behavior. 

But we need not be deceived: in truth the Master is patching two books together, and uses the argument as a seam. 

He wishes not only to discuss the problems of personal morality, but the problems of social and political reconstruction as well. 

He has a Utopia up his sleeve, and is resolved to produce it. 

It is easy to forgive him, for the digression forms the core and value of his book.

[ 00’45” ] meet the challenge of... (回应……挑战)

[ 01’41” ] depend on (具体情况具体分析)

[ 04’45” ] digression (离题)

[ 05’13” ] on the score of (because of， due to，就什么而言，在…方面)

[ 09’31” ] deconstruction (解构)

[ 09’52” ] general picture (概貌)

[ 10’09” ] construct (建构)

[ 10’23” ] reconstruction (重构)

[ 11’03” ] sleeve (袖子)

[ 11’13” ] up one's sleeve (ace up one's sleeve，准备在适当时机或有需要的时候才讲出来或做出来。)

[ 11’46” ] resolved (下定决心的)

[ 11’58” ] easy (合理的)

[ 12’39” ] caste (印度社会中的种姓制度)