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Contributions of Plato in modern society
Plato " s society
Contributions of Plato in modern society
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Plato class structure of a perfect society is on the accustomed ideas of equality and social mobility because Plato is not a defender of a strict division of classes that is the rulers (guardians), soldiers (military), and the people (working class). There is less similarity between Plato’s point of view of the society and the traditional American one. Plato uses the myth of gold, silver, iron, and brass in fixing the need of class division in the awareness of the Athens society hence this was a method of social control within the society. Creation of the human race is of God and when he created us, he mixed metals in our souls. As Plato said, “When the god was forming you, he mixed gold into those who are capable of ruling, which is why they are the most honorable; silver into the auxiliaries; and iron and bronze into farmers and other craftsmen.” …show more content…
Being aware of the down and out of the proletariats through experience, Plato was trying to prevent the iron and bronze group from wealth by saying “Do you think that a potter who has become wealthy will still be willing to devote himself to his craft?”… “It seems, then, that we have found other things that our guardians must prevent in every way from slipping into the city undetected.” (Plato, Republic 2011, p131). This means that the working class had to remain poor in order for them to keep providing the necessary work force in the production of goods and services within the society. Plato, therefore, regards the workers as essentially a vision to his ideal state by providing material needs for the higher ranks that are the rulers and the military hence they should be driven by their interests and should never have the capability to rise above the basic labor
In Plato’s reasoning he explains that everyone is born with innate qualifications that make them more fit than others for a certain occupation. He suggests that in this way each person’s function will be completed thoroughly. The same theory applies when deciding how the city with be ruled. Only people who possess superior traits will have the power to rule. These people will pertain to the highest ranking class of the state called the guardian class.
In Plato’s Republic, we receive the sense that Plato was not trying to create a democratic society, but a just and efficient one. In such society, Plato constructed three such ‘classes’ to categorize his citizens. The political elite consisting of the fewest amount individuals would be on top, and would be known as ‘The Guardians’, next, the military forces, or Auxiliaries would be the middle class, and lastly, the largest group in terms of population would be on the bottom, consisting of all other citizens and they would be considered a working class, consisting of workers, merchants and such. The ensure order was kept and that no one would up rise and seek a new class, a sort of ‘myth’ was in instituted, aptly named, “The Myth of the Medals”. The myth suggests that all citizens were born of the earth, bringing a sort of unity element from everyone so there should be minimal conflict between each other. The myth further states that each citizen has a certain metal mixed with his or her soul, thus determining his or her place in society. A gold mixture signifies those who are fit to rule, or The Guardians, The Auxiliaries would have a silver mixture, and the working class would have a mixture of eith...
Plato, having defined his perfect society, now seeks to compare contemporary 'imperfect' societies with his ideal standard. He initially criticises the imperfect society as a whole, before leading onto a criticism of any given individual within that society; the imperfect character. He has already dealt with the Oligarchic society and character and now moves onto Democracy and the democratic character.
Plato's concept of what politics and government should be is a direct result of his belief in the theory of forms. The theory of forms basically states that there is a higher "form" for everything that exists in the world. Each material thing is simply a representation of the real thing which is the form. According to Plato, most people cannot see the forms, they only see their representation or their shadows, as in the simile of the cave.
...blic, Plato goes on to recognize education as one of the most vital features of a well-run state. He understood the importance of having intellectual, sensible beings running a successful state. Our rational is what directs us towards logical decisions in your life, as well as maintaining us a distance away from corruption. Though Plato is completely correct in recognizing the importance of knowledge in state, I can’t fully agree with his belief that only intellectual individuals are ever capable of fully comprehending the Forms of justice and good. What he wanted was an “intellectual oligarchy” and even though oligarchies may prove effective in the transformations of a state, there is also a huge fault within such system. That flaw being that only the privileged few have a say, where more often than not, the needs and wants of the common people are not thought of.
As with all other topics discussed in “The Republic of Plato,” the section in which he discusses the myths of the metals or the “noble lie” is layered with questioning and potential symbolism, possible contradiction, and a significant measure of allusion. In Chapter X of “The Republic,” Plato presents “The Selection of Rulers: The
I do not believe that Plato has created a just state with his method of three distinct social classes. The lengths the guardians of the society must go through to reach the ideal end are drastic immoral. Plato's plan to strictly manipulate children's education and development as well as his plan to hold festivals as a means of reproduction are unethical an improbably successful. By eliminating the free will of people in a society, the citizens become no more than puppets pulled by the ruler's desires. I believe Plato's republic is deeply flawed and would most certainly fail.
Countless who were weak the strongest would overcome then since they were not up to their standards. In his mind those you were strong would always have the victory and will grasp the power making the weakest not be noticeable at all. It conflicted in every way because Plato not only looked for the good for himself but everyone else and he wanted many to learn to have morals (Kinneging, 2001). Thrasymuchus was selfish anything that gave him more power he wanted to obtain and being the influence to many to be or think just like him. His impression was that men has the right that as long as they can handle or manage the power they can prerogative power and do as they please. As long as they got away with it and there were no consequences or moral punishment. Plato always thought positively thinking and hoping all men will learn to do good and have moral for the sake of all society. Earning power by doing what is right and fair for all preventing for anyone including the tyrants to take over controlling all with their unfairness. Plato not only wanted to give power to men individually to make their soul good but to
The underlying philosophy of the Republic was based on the community and not the individual. There are three classes in The Republic, one no more important than the other. They are the Rulers, Auxiliaries or soldiers, and the rest of the people, such as Merchants, Carpenters, and Laborers. What I especially like, is that the class one belongs to doesn't have to do with the class of your parents, but more with what your aptitudes are. This allows people to do what they are good at which usually translates into people being more productive for the community. To keep this ordered, Plato has set up the Myth of the Metals. The Myth of the Metals states that when people are created they have one of four different types of metals in them. A person who has gold in them is destined to become a Ruler, a person who has silver in them is destined to become an auxiliary, and a person who has iron or bronze in them is destined to become a farmer or another worker. It also adds though that just because one's parents are both made up of iron doesn't mean that their children will be made up of iron, they could turn out to be Rulers with gold in them. This myth is important in keeping the society organized because it gives everyone a role in society, keeps them in place in that role, and lays out the hierarchy of the society. Another way Plato has set up a more productive society, is to get every able bodied person to work, which includes woman. Woman are treated the same as men and go through the same education processes. Plato realizes that men and woman are the same except for a few different organs, so it makes perfectly good sense for them to be working also. Plato's plans for a more productive society go deeper then just getting more people to work, he wants to breed better citizens. To do this, Rulers o...
One of the versions of governing is an oligarchy, a small group of people in control of a country. In book eight of the republic Plato explains the meaning of an oligarchy and when it is very unsuccessful. It doesn't work because whoever has the most wealth can take part in ruling over the city. Plato even explains "when virtue and riches are placed together in the scales of the balance, the one always rises as the other falls...
Confusion plagues everyone in the world. Daily people are subject to struggles that involve them being confused and allow them to not fully take in what the world has to offer. Confusion simply put is the "impaired orientation with respect to time, place, or person; a disturbed mental state." With that said it is evident that many things a susceptible to confusion, and being confused. When reading Plato one cannot
These duties, which vary in accordance with the metal an individual possesses in his soul, are clearly outlined in Plato’s Myth of the Metals. Thus, a just man from the bronze class will possess different characteristics than a just man in the silver or gold classes. Despite these differences, both men may still be considered virtuous human beings. The most virtuous man, however, is an individual who possesses not only the qualities of his own class, but also those of the remaining two classes. For example, an individual from the gold class must certainly have a wise soul. However, if this individual is also appetitive and spirited like the individuals in the bronze and silver classes, then he is a most virtuous and just
In Book one of the Republic of Plato, several definitions of justice versus injustice are explored. Cephalus, Polemarchus, Glaucon and Thracymicus all share their opinions and ideas on what actions they believe to be just, while Socrates questions various aspects of the definitions. In book one, Socrates is challenged by Thracymicus, who believes that injustice is advantageous, but eventually convinces him that his definition is invalid. Cephalus speaks about honesty and issues of legality, Polemarchus explores ideas regarding giving to one what is owed, Glaucon views justice as actions committed for their consequences, and Socrates argues that justice does not involve harming anybody. Through the interrogations and arguments he has with four other men, and the similarity of his ideas of justice to the word God, Socrates proves that a just man commits acts for the benefits of others, and inflicts harm on nobody.
As students file into the auditorium of the Academy the first thing that we all notice is the two professors that were standing at the front of the room. After all the students were seated that is when the first professor stepped forward to address the class. Plato: Good Morning Students! Students: Good Morning Professor! Plato: Many of you may know who I am and then there are those of you that do not. For those of you that do not know who I am, my name is Plato. I founded this Academy in 387 and it is the first of its kind (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_Academy). I have studied under many great philosophers. After Plato got done speaking he stepped back and the professor standing to the left of him stepped forward and addressed the class. Aristotle: Good Morning Student! Students: Good Morning Professor! Aristotle: Like Plato there are many of you that know me and there are those of you that do not. So I will introduce myself to those of you that do not know me. My name is Aristotle. I was a
Plato’s view of division of labour is divided into three types of peoples’ task in life which are workers as farmers, military type and guardians. Actually, the ruling task of Plato’s Republic is the guardian’s responsible who had achieved the greatest wisdom or knowledge of good. Due to that, Plato claims that “philosopher must become kings or those now who called kings must genuinely and adequately philosophise’’ (Nussbaum1998, p.18). However, people argue about the reasons that the philosopher should rule the city, while the philosophers prefer to gain knowledge instead of power, thus they don’t seek this authority. Therefore, the argument should alter to why the philosophers are the best ruler to govern people. Indeed, Plato states much evidence to prove his view. Firstly, these kinds of kings are interested in simple life and helping people for better communication. Secondly, as Plato points out that each type of workers has a deficiency and conflict in his erotic attachments such as a worker is a lover of money, but the philosopher is a devotee of wisdom and knowledge. Thirdly, their disapproving of being a king comes from their fear of being unjust (Nussbaum, 1998).Not only these evidence does Plato claim, but he also adds the characteristics of being a king and the education system of philosophy.