The Balance Of Criticism In Plato's The Republic

Producers will only make what they do best. Guardians will provide security within the state and defense from external threats. Rulers will be the one who sets the rules of the state. In order to be a ruler, one must go through rigorous training program since young. If deemed unfit at any point of time, a potential ruler will be siphoned out to be a guardian instead. Only the best natured candidate will be the ruler and this ruler is known as the philosopher king. The rigorous training program will eventually impart the concept of Forms to the philosopher

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote “One man’s justice is another’s injustice.” This statement quite adequately describes the relation between definitions of justice presented by Polemarchus and Thrasymachus in Book I of the Republic. Polemarchus initially asserts that justice is “to give to each what is owed” (Republic 331d), a definition he picked up from Simonides. Then, through the unrelenting questioning of Socrates, Polemarchus’ definition evolves into “doing good to friends and harm to enemies” (Republic 332d), but this definition proves insufficient to Socrates also. Eventually, the two agree “that it is never just to harm anyone” (Republic 335d). This definition is fundamental to the idea of a

In Plato’s Republic he has many examples of rhetoric. In regards to the controversial topic of women and eugenics in which Plato is almost forced into mentioning because of Adeimantus and Glaucon, he uses various rhetorical statements to portray his view on the matter. His readers believe women should be equal, so Plato attempts to persuade his readers into thinking he believes the same. For example, in the passage on women and family Plato states, “we shall assign these to each accordingly; but if the only difference apparent between them is that the female bears and the male begets, we shall not admit that this is the difference relevant for our purpose, but shall still maintain that our male and female Guardians ought to follow the same occupations” (164). He uses the women are equal and can do the same things as men strategy in order to make Athenian men understand what he is trying to say while still stroking their egos by using rhetoric. Men are in general are hard to persuade when it comes to power, so as a result Plato gives a sense of gender equality while at the same time still giving men the upper hand.

A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both

In The Republic by Plato, Plato constructed an ideal city where Philosophers would rule. Governed by an aristocratic form of government, it took away some of the most basic rights a normal citizen should deserve, freedom of choice, worship, and assembly were distressed. Though the idea of philosopher kings is good on paper, fundamental flaws of the human kind even described by Plato himself prevent it from being truly successful. The idea of an ideal democratic government like what our founding fathers had envisioned is the most successful and best political form which will ensure individual freedom and keep power struggle to a minimum.

Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils … and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day. (Plato)

At the beginning of Book I, we are introduced to the narrator, Socrates, and his audience of peers. We are made aware, however, of Socrates' special charm and intellectual gifts through the insistence of Polemarchus and the other men for the pleasure of his company. The tone is casual and language and modes of expression rather simple, as is commonly the case in Plato's dialogues. However, Plato's unaffected style serves at least two purposes. For one it belies the complexity and elevation of the ideas, thus it is in accord with Socrates' characteristic irony itself, which draws the "fool" in by feigned ignorance, only so that the master can show that he does not know what he thinks he knows. And second,

The Philosopher In Society by Jacques Maritain focuses on the role that philosophers play in society. Maritain believes that philosophers are important even when they are wrong. He thinks they need to be able to recognize their errors, and to fight against them. He uses the example “A great philosopher in the wrong is like a beacon on the reefs, which says to semen: steer clear of me”. (Maritain, 2) This is a good example, it means a philosopher will crash if he does not steer clear of his errors, he has to stay in “open waters.” Maritain believed that philosophers must never give up searching for the truth even if they never find it. Maritain references Plato when he says that “Plato told us that beautiful things are difficult, and that we should not avoid beautiful dangers”. (Maritain, 2) Maritain believes that disagreements between philosophers are essential to the stability of philosophy, and even called it more stable than science. Maritain says we need philosophy because it is after the truth for its own sake, and not after power. He sees philosophy as contributing to the timeline of history, he defined the primary role of philosophy as a thing, “which is the metaphysical penetration of being.” (Maritain, 4) Maritain believes the greatest threat to modern societies is a weakening of the “sense of truth.” (Maritain, 4) This means if we believe things that aren’t true, our society will be in grave danger. For example, if the entire world doesn't believe in global

Plato creates a seemingly invincible philosopher in The Republic. Socrates is able to refute all arguments presented before him with ease. The discussion on justice in Book I of The Republic is one such example. Socrates successfully refutes each different view of justice presented by Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus. Socrates has not given us a definitive definition of justice, nor has he refuted all views of justice, but as far as we are concerned in Book I, he is able to break down the arguments of his companions.

Aristocrats have led the governing of ancient Athens for centuries, but following the rise of democratic policies after Solon and Cleisthenes, they needed a new way to acquire political power. Aristocrats were unable to seize power through sheer force due to the fact that peasants now held the right to vote and outnumbered the aristocrats, as they were 98% of the population (Trumbach). It was because of this that the focus of wealthy young men turned to training their rhetoric and oratory skills in order to persuade the masses to elect them as a government official. Sophism affected peasants in a different way; it made them question their beliefs and created controversy surrounding sophism. Because sophists use logic and natural philosophy to reach a conclusion, in some cases religion and sophism could not coexist.

This is directly related to Plato’s argument that the Athenian democracy allows for ignorant or unfit leaders to rule; “…he will make no mistake if he likens our present political rulers to the sailors we mentioned a moment ago, and those who are called useless stargazers by them to the true ship’s captain,” (489 c). Plato uses the direct comparison of how Athens authorized unworthy leaders to hold office because he believes that one could not learn the necessary skills to become a leader and be so blind to the usefulness of philosophers at the same time. However, a great point is brought up in Republic which is that not all philosophers are as great or knowledgeable as Plato or Socrates. It would appear that not every philosopher in Athens would be fit to rule, and that the case could be made for any conceivable occupation. Also, if one were to try and exploit the usefulness of philosophers in society and ruling, a ruler could have a philosopher as an advisor to help with difficult decisions if needed.

Philosophy is a Greek word meaning "love of wisdom." Throughout Plato's Republic, wisdom plays an important role. According to Plato, education is wisdom. In the passage, 518d, Plato discusses the true meaning of education vicariously through Socrates. Some literary mechanisms can be found in the passage and I will show how they fit in the text and how they contribute to the main themes of Plato's Republic.

Socrates continues the conversation with Glaucon and now focuses on the obligation of the guardians and philosophers to serve the people as a result of their education.

believes that the son will realize to be just is only worth it if you can get a

Greek philosopher, Plato, is considered to be one of the most influential people in Western Philosophy. The fact that he was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle leaves no questions about his competence. One of his fundamental works is the “Republic”. Even though it was written in 380 BC, Plato’s and Socrates’s thoughts are still relevant in twenty first century. This paper will evaluate the quote from the “Republic” and provide a summary of a quote; provide a context from the text for the quote; and finally, it will include my own thoughts on the quote and the Socrates’s argument as a whole.