Politics and Justice

Write an essay in which you analyze the problem of justice and its bearing on the best constitution as developed in Plato’s “Republic.”
OR Write an essay in which you analyze the problem of justice and its bearing on the best practicable constitution as developed in
Aristotle’s “PoliticsPlease select and respond to one topic from those listed below.
Each essay response should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
In the introduction, students should make a commitment, at the very least, to address the matter at hand in terms of a clear thesis statement accompanied
by supporting reasons for it. While assessment must obviously be based on the overall execution of the essay (i.e., its analytic depth and precision, along
with the degree to which it develops its discussion as a whole, namely, by advancing reasons for its various claims and also, whenever appropriate or
desirable, examples and illustrations in the body of the essay itself), failing to provide an argument in the introduction, as described above, will most likely
lead to disappointing results from the very outset.
In the body of the essay, students should proceed to advance their introductory argument by way of clear and distinct thematic blocks. To this end, it may
prove advisable for students to indicate, oftentimes at the end of the introductory paragraph, the thematic headings of each block as the various stages
through which the argument will be advanced in the body of the essay; at their very best, each thematic block will serve to fortify the introductory argument,
building the case for it at every step of the way.
In the conclusion, students should, by all means, avoid contradicting their introductory argument; at its very best, a conclusion will serve more a revelatory
than merely repetitive function in relation to the introductory argument.
Nota bene: Students are reminded that it is altogether impossible to address any of the topics fully in the absence of sufficient consideration of the author’s
metaphysical (ontological) assumptions, which means students should proceed accordingly.
All essays should be of roughly seven full pages in length (presuming 250 words per double-spaced page, each essay should be of roughly 1,750 words),
double-spaced, and in size 12 font. All essays should include the student’s name and the question number at the head of the essay; any essay failing to
include this information at its head will be returned to the student, with a corresponding reduction of 10 points resulting from the necessity of its
resubmission, which will be treated as a late submission (see penultimate paragraph, below).
All essays should include a bibliography and citations. Any essay submitted without a bibliography and citations will be returned to the student, with a
corresponding reduction of up to 10 points resulting from its late submission. The bibliography should include the full name of the author(s), the full title of
the publication, place of publication, publisher, and date of publication (student are advised to follow the model used for the texts listed in the syllabus).
Citations may be done in whatever manner students elect to employ (footnotes, MLA, etc.); provided each citation contains all the information necessary for
the reader readily to locate the exact passage—for example, Aristotle, 1992, V:i, p. 296—in the text(s) listed in the bibliography, no further information is
necessary.
Aristotle. The Politics. Trans. T.A. Sinclair and Trevor J. Saunders. London: Penguin: 1981.
ISBN 978-0140444216
Plato. The Republic (Second Edition). Trans. Desmond Lee. London: Penguin, 2007.
ISBN 978-0140455113