The Uses of the Power of Invisibility: What Would You Do?

Given the power of invisibility, what would you use it for? Would you use it for good? Would you use it for evil, or your own benefit? This is the question that irks philosophers to this day and was brought up in the story of the Ring of Gyges. Socrates and Plato both agreed that if a philosopher were properly educated than he would be able to use this power justly and for good. Two of Socrates' students however seem to take a different approach. Glaucon and Adeimantus seem to concur that if a person could get away with such acts what would misuse the power. Although not answered directly by any philosopher to be mentioned, their works and ideas do reflect in a sense what their stance would be on this issue.

First, we take St. Thomas Aquinas. According to Aquinas' work On Kingship, he describes man as a social animal. Like Plato and Socrates, he believes that if one man posses the superior ability to rule, it is logical that indeed he should. In this case then, man does posses reason. If man can possesses reason and is logical in his decisions and has the ability to rule, he would not misuse this power and would use the said power of invisibility justly.

Next, we take a tangent approach in away with Rousseau. Based on the Ring of Gyges and Rousseau's take would be that men by nature are good by instinct and not moral reason and is facilitated by empathy. Then, if the holder of the Ring of Gyges were in power he must use it according to the general will or the common moral good. Moral reason conquers self-interest in this case because if the ruler used the will of all, in turn it would turn to be used for self-interest and therefore be self-destructive. Fittingly, Rousseau sides more with Plato and Socrates then.

Lastly, we take a look at the opposite view. Thomas Hobbes would indeed side with the two students Glaucon and Adeimantus that the Ring of Gyges would be misused. Hobbes had three laws of nature: to endeavor peace or to avoid the state of war, renounce right to all other things in the social covenant in self-defense, and third to keep covenants. However, the right of nature is self-preservation and authority is the right of doing any action and to use power. Hobbes says that subjects cannot change the form of government in a monarchy and it as well cannot be forfeited. The ruler would not necessarily abuse the power, but according to the right of nature he would use the power for self-preservation first and his community second.