Gorgias by Plato as being related to Constitution Law Two (Bill of Rights)

The Philosophy of Socrates is evident in the Philippine Constitution especially

the Bill of rights. The wisdom of Socrates became the basis of the individual rights for
which the Philippines may have adopted directly or indirectly.

In the conversation of Socrates, as one of the main characters in the literature of

Plato, he persuaded his audience through the use of logical questioning and reasoning,
the claims of his colleagues, especially Gorgias, that justice can be obtained through
the use of rhetoric is not true and is nothing near the truth that is being claimed. Socrates
pointed out that learning the use of ones persuading words to defend or evade himself
and others from punishment or injustice is not right and just but rather an act of tyranny
susceptible to misuse or abuse.

Socrates contends that such art which makes a person escape or evade
punishment is bad not only for the society but for the person himself as this would only
give the person temporary pleasure but of not being able to fix his soul. He illustrates
through an analogy of the use of medicine at the olden times that for a person to be
healed he has to endure the bitterness of such medicine. The punishment imposed for
the wrong doing of a person is the same as to the bitter medicine to fix his soul.

For order in the society to be achieved, Socrates maintains that it is not for the
people to impose what is just or unjust nor what is good or what is evil. To satisfy the
pleasure of the people is not good but on the contrary is evil. The pleasure of the people,
ones satisfied, will no longer bring happiness. Such policies are not for a matter of what
is good or evil but a matter of what is evil and what is lesser evil.

The subject of Constitutional Law Two tackles about the Bill of Rights or the
individual rights of every citizen of the nation. Basically speaking this rights limit our
natural rights to harmonize every individual person’s rights. Intrusion to such
individual rights is where the law intervenes and imposes punishment.

The philosophy of Socrates is evident in the composition of the Bill of Rights

of the Philippines. Such Bill of Rights being included in the fundamental law of the
land which is written and difficult to amend, that it cannot be easily bent or to meet the
temporary fancies of the moment. The Bill of Rights has been created as a policy of
lesser evil than that of human pleasure which is of greater evil. This is so because the
logic of Socrates illustrates that the pleasure is only temporary happiness and ones
satisfied no longer becomes one.

The main goal of the law is for the equal happiness of every individual. If such
law is created only because of the moment’s situation or only for a certain individual
then such is not good for the person or the individual or the society as a whole. Such
temporary relief of the situation is vulnerable to abuse and such would result to chaos.

We as individuals and members of the society deserve to be happy and to live

life to the fullest but too much of pleasure may be an encroachment to another person’s
happiness. If such encroachment is tolerated retaliation from the other person is
inevitable and would eventually result to disorder. Hence pleasure should be set aside
and what is good for all should be followed.
 Reflection Paper
Gorgias by Plato as being related to Constitution Law Two (Bill of Rights)

Prepared by: Leo Cipriano N. Felicilda III

Student #: 1551-17

Section: Plato

Submitted to: Atty. Dinnes Pantua

 Reflection Paper

Is revocation of Rappler's SEC registration a violation of press freedom?

Student #: 1551-17

Section: Plato

Submitted to: Atty. Dinnes Pantua