The Challenge Of Graham's

Glaucon’s challenge is an important part in Republic and is important to the process of dialogue, the content, the structure of dialogue and the actors. Glaucon’s challenge shows the central point of dialogue and asks Socrates to explain what is not answered in Book1 to find out what justice is. In response to the challenge, Socrates said that the justice of a single man likes the small letters, and the justice of whole city likes the larger ones. Based on the comparison, we learn what justice is.If we say that the Book1 is the introduction of Republic, then Glaucon’s challenge is the second introduction of the dialogue. After this challenge, there are 9 parts of dialogue. Plato wrote the Book1 earlier than the others. In structure, Book1 is a relatively independent and complete dialogue. Some scholars regard it as a separate dialogue, called Thrasymachus. And as the second introduction, Glaucon’s challenge is very important in the whole book.Why is Glaucon, not Thrasymachus or his follower Kleitophon. It seems more reasonable. Glaucon is Plato’s brother. He was born aristocrat, and well educated. He is very courageous. So he is the challenger. It is well designed. This paper will find Plato’s intention that why the challenger is Glaucon by word and word.The relationship between Glaucon and Thrasymachus from their background have the deep meaning behind the words. From Glaucon to Thrasymachus, the challenger’s virtues improve. And Glaucon wants to know justice itself. That means the dialogue of justice is improved, from nomos to nature. Plato himself did not appear to dialogue. Glaucon, his brother, wants to know justice itself like him. It seems that sometimes Glaucon can represent Plato, like Socrates said that a man’s brother must stand by him. In this paper, I will try to explore the relationship between Glaucon in dialogue and Plato in real life. From this point of view, Glaucon’s challenge, at the beginning of Book2 of Republic, is not only the challenge to Socrates, but also the challenge to Plato. Plato himself is a challenger to himself. And it is important to rise on the way of exploring justice.