Plato s Republic As A Guide - 883 Words

Let me tell you about â€Å"the perfect republic.† First, I’ll describe it to you using Plato’s Republic as a guide. Then, I’ll explain whether it is better to live in Plato’s republic or in a timarchy, oligarchy, democracy, or a tyranny. Plato’s books create an ideal city where there are the producers (farmers, craftsmen, etc.), the auxiliaries, also known as the warriors, and the guardians, they are the rulers of this city. Each of these groups must perform its job, and only that one job, and each must have the right amount of amount of power in relation to the other groups. This then brings us to the myth of metals, the guardians are gold, the auxiliaries are silver, and the producers are iron and bronze (415a). The reason why the guardians are gold is because they are the most precious and revered, and the quality of the metal or soul goes down the farther you go down the class system. But before I get ahead of myself how are guardians su pposed to be rulers? Are they born knowing how to rule? No, they are tested at a young age, and are brought to terrors and then cast into pleasures testing them to see if they are perfect if they do not pass this test they are to serve under the one who passes the trials (413d). Now Socrates was a daring and creative man, and laid out three ideas known as the three waves of ridiculousness. The first wave was a big one; he suggested that men and women alike should get equal education. â€Å"Is it possible to use any animal for the same thingsShow MoreRelatedPlato, An Ancient Greek Philosopher1458 Words   |  6 Pages Plato, an Ancient Greek Philosopher by Carly Rittenmeyer Bible and the Ancient World Spring 2015 Plato, a Greek Philosopher, is known for his writings that impacted people in the Ancient Greek society. He was a free thinker and lived in a free city, Athens. He was taught by multiple teachers including Socrates who was frequently mentioned in his writings as the central character. Plato’s novel, The Republic, influenced the idea of government and showsRead MoreJustice Is The Legal Or Philosophical Theory Of Justice1503 Words   |  7 Pagesout by the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his work The Republic. Plato was highly dissatisfied with the prevailing degenerating conditions in Athens. The Athenian democracy was on the verge of ruin and was ultimately responsible for Socrates’ death – his mentor. Plato saw in justice the only remedy of saving Athens from decay and ruin. Evidently, factors such as amateurishness, political selfishness and excessive individualism became main targets of Plato s attack which were rampant in the GreekRead MoreThe Republ ic By Plato And The Prince By Machiavelli1617 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough written nearly two centuries apart, The Republic by Plato and The Prince by Machiavelli offer important views on political philosophies of rulers. Plato writes of a perfect society where status as ruler is naturally selected through innate abilities. These abilities are used to sustain the society, better it, and preserve it. Machiavelli writes of a society where anyone can be a prince; which for our purposes is a synonym for ruler, if they follow his instructions. These instructions areRead MoreSocrates s View Of Justice1676 Words   |  7 Pagesfor the first time to definitions, Plato, accepting his teaching, came to the conclusion that it applied to something other than the sensible world: the common definition, he reasoned, could not apply to any of the sensible, since they were always changing,† (Guthrie). Socrates was constantly wrapped up in thought about how the mind works, and of course, how and why the mind changes. These ideas strengthened many of the arguments that Socrates makes in Republic books one through seven. Some of theseRead MorePlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Aristotle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. Plato’s interpretation of Utopia is founded upon the existence of threeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Sun, Line, And Cave 1163 Words   |  5 Pagesworld of senses and moving towards the Forms/world of intellect. Within Plato’s Republic there are three analogies: the sun, line, and cave, which are intended to clarify how things experienced in the sensible world are less real than the Forms. All three analogies are consistent through their descriptions of the differences between the intelligible and sensible worlds. The usage of all three also enables Plato to guide readers through the knowledge process, starting with a simple description of theRead MoreCivility644 Words   |  3 Pagesi.e. optimism for the betterment of society. Plato in The Republic speaks about the ideal virtues of the soul and Davetian goes on to tell us the current problems with American civility. I think what we can take from both readings is a sense that human intellect and virtue can and will ultimately lead us to a better society. To fully understand the basic concepts of societal values that should be understood, and in turn followed, The Republic (Plato, Reprinted 1985) is an important piece of literatureRead MoreThe Allegory Of The Cave1307 Words   |  6 Pagesof the world so once he steps outside; the sun hurts his eyes, and burns his skin. He eventually acclimates, and is able to enjoy everything. Plato uses an Allegory with the relationship between the darkness of the cave and everything that the world has to offer. Plato believed that the human mind has the capability to recognize the ‘ideal forms.’ Plato uses the sun and something good and positive whereas the darkness is dull and haunting. With the sun, there is growth everywhere, light, and colorRead MoreThe Inferno By Dante And The Allegory Of The Cave1169 Words   |  5 Pagesguiding, rather than definite. Through these two examples, I will show that light symbolizing the equivalent of truth or searching for truth yields problems. To support my claim, I will look at The Inferno by Dante and The Allegory of the Cave by Plato, whose interpretations of light appear to work well with one another. First, I will analyze the significance of in a non-religious context. Second, I will analyze the significance of in a religious context. Thirdly, I will show why this metaphor ofRead MorePlato And Aristotle s View On Knowledge Essay1297 Words   |  6 Pagesconflict emanating throughout all mankind questions the significance of knowledge to human nature, regarding knowledge’s definition, acquisition, branches, and value. Major role models in the foundation of philosophy - specifically, in this essay, Plato and Aristotle - obsess over the significance of knowledge and its importance to and relationship with the development of human beings and their mindsets. Although Plato’s view on knowledge describes the internal predisposed essence of all Forms and