DUE FRI 3/16 Personal Reflection and Plato Assignment

Personal Reflection:

good friend:
A good friend is someone who you hang out with and have fun. At least that it what I think of. Some people say it is someone you can trust, others say it someone you have known for a long time. You define what a friend is and what makes them 'good'. I have a good friend and I can't trust him. Some people say that doesn't make him my friend, but I hang out with him and have a fun time so thats all that matters for me. (can any of you guess who he is?)
bad friend:
A bad friend is someone you don't have fun with because their annoying and/or a jerk. You may be able to trust them but that doesn't make them a good friend. I mean what kind of friend is hard to be around and have fun with?
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Q:
Amongst other things, Socrates strategy includes an attempt to define a friend (Section 334c-335b) and a critique of the idea that a just man can do harm (Section 335b-336a). Why did he start this line of questioning? What questions does he ask and what responses does he get that leads him to win the argument?Are his points valid and convincing?

A:
Socrates started that line of questioning so he could prove Polemarchus wrong. He asks specific questions like can you punish someone who seems bad, or only if they are bad. Polemarchus keeps agreeing with Socrates untill he gets his point. I think that Socrates points are valid except when he cherry picks around stuff just to make his point.

Q:
List 3-5 of the questions that Socrates asks that you think are the most useful in arguing against Polemarchus. Why are these questions useful for Socrates purposes?

A:
1. "But which do you reckon are a mans friends or enemies? Those he thinks good, honest men and the reverse, or those who really are even though he may not think so?"
2. "If we harm a horse do we make it better or worse?"
3. "Worse, that is, by the standard of excellence by which we judge horses, not dogs?"

Socrates gives these questions to find loopholes or week undefined points in Polemarchus's definition of justice. I think this helped Socrates change the definiton of justice a lot.

Q:
What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not? Short answer response.

A:
I thin khe might be trying to prove that all though they are father and son that they do not agree with eachother. Im not so sure if this is right but its all I could think of.