Socrates and Plato
-At the beginning of the Republic,Socrates states that in examining the nature of communities he hopes to

Question

Socrates and Plato 
-At the beginning of the Republic,Socrates states that in examining the nature of communities he hopes to

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Socrates explicitly states in the opening of Plato's Republic that his ultimate goal is to examine the nature of justice in both individuals and in society as a whole, which suggests that he hopes to illustrate what justice is. This examination may involve comparing the relationship between individuals and the group, but this is not the central goal of the inquiry. The goal is also not to found a utopian society, as Socrates is primarily interested in understanding the nature of justice rather than constructing an ideal society. Likewise, he does not aim to show that individuals are unimportant, as his focus is on the role of individuals in creating a just society.