Imagine you found a magic ring...
...and when you turned it on your finger, you became completely invisible. No one could see you. No one would ever know what you did. What would you do?
About 2,400 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote a story about exactly that. It's called The Ring of Gyges (JY-jeez), and it asks one of the biggest questions in philosophy:
🔒 Earn all 7 badges to unlock the Big Question assignment at the end. This is our fourth philosophy unit. Plato also wrote the Allegory of the Cave!
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The Story of Gyges
From Plato's book, The Republic.
Try the ring!
In the story, turning the ring's jewel toward your palm made Gyges invisible. Turning it outward made him visible again. Try it!
Reading quiz
Big Words for Big Ideas
Philosophers need the right words!
Tap each card to flip it.
Match each word to its meaning
Who said it?
Plato's story is a conversation. Glaucon argues that people are only good because they're watched. Socrates argues that being good is worth it for its own sake.
Puzzles
Put the story in order and unscramble the virtues.
Puzzle 1: Put the story in order
Puzzle 2: Unscramble the virtues
A virtue is a good quality in a person. Unscramble each one using the hint.
Inside or Outside?
Why is each person being good?
Sometimes people do good things because of their 🧭 inner compass: they believe it's right, even when no one would know. Other times, it's because of 👀 outside pressure: they're being watched, they want a reward, or they don't want to get caught.
Sort each example
The Ring Challenge
You're wearing the ring. Nobody can see you. What will you do?
This game has no "wrong" answers. It shows what happens to your reputation (what others think of you) and your character (who you really are). Watch closely... when you're invisible, only ONE of these can change!
The Watching Eyes Experiment
Scientists tested Glaucon's idea in real life!
In 2006, scientists at Newcastle University in England studied an honesty box in an office kitchen. People were supposed to put money in the box when they took coffee or milk, but nobody checked.
Each week, the scientists put a picture above the box. Some weeks it was a picture of flowers 🌼. Other weeks it was a picture of a pair of eyes 👀 looking out.
The result? During the "eyes" weeks, people paid almost three times as much money as during the "flowers" weeks, even though the eyes were just a picture!
🤔 What does this mean for Glaucon's argument? Even a feeling of being watched changed how honest people were. But remember: people still paid something during the flower weeks, too!
Science check
Glaucon vs. Socrates
Pick a side and get ready for our class debate!
Choose the evidence that supports your side:
The Big Question
Your final written response.
Locked!
Earn all 7 badges to unlock your final assignment.
Write a thoughtful response. Don't just answer each part separately. Connect your ideas into one strong piece of writing (at least 3 paragraphs and 12 sentences).