TY - JOUR AU - Barros da Cunha, Silvia Regina da Silva PY - 2018/04/17 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Plato's theory of punishment in book IX of Laws JF - Revista Archai JA - Rev. Archai VL - 0 IS - 23 SE - Articles DO - 10.14195/1984-249X_23_2 UR - https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/archai/article/view/8762 SP - 45 AB - <p>The basis of moral responsibility is the central issue of Book IX of <em>Laws</em>, where Plato develops his theory of punishment, conciliating the Socratic thesis that no one is voluntarily bad (οὐδεὶς ἑκὼν κακός), with the practical necessity for a gradation of penalties, the latter being derived from the traditional distinction between voluntary and involuntary offences. Distinguishing two independent aspects of crimes ”“ injury (βλάβη) and injustice (ἀδικί́α) ”“ Plato argues that the former requires only restitution, whereas injustice calls for punishment, conceived as a measure to improve the soul, affected by disordered emotions or ignorance, causes of injustice.</p> ER -