Discussion Forum Plato's Republic

Parshawn Farokhifard

Discussion Forum Plato's Republic

Plato was born in approximately 428 B.C and passed away approximately 347 B.C. Plato was one of the most influential philosophers and mathematicians in Ancient Greece. Nonetheless being the predecessor of Socrates he contributed to many of the vast significances in his Era from the Academy of Athens to that led to be remembered and cherished for over thousands of years.

After the death of Socrates Plato started t write his most famous book “Plato’s Republic”. The purpose of the book was to give a more accurate picture of Socrates than that presented by his detractors and also, as in the case of Plato, to use these re-created conversations as a vehicle for philosophic investigation. Plato

was always worried about morality, “Morality involves interaction with others and therefore the organization of society and the nature of government are also central issues. He had lived under a democratic form of government at Athens and believed that it had failed Athens at a critical moment in the last years of the Peloponnesian War.” Plato saw the Athenian democracy as very weak and amateurish government with people whom instead on pursing their own lively-hoods and participating in political decision-making. The army was a citizen militia, which meant the required the individual citizen serve a double role. “In his mind, another danger in this system was that the economic self-interest of those in power often influenced their political decisions. There was a tendency, not only in Athens, but throughout the Greek world, to view the exercise of political power as benefiting the rulers rather than the ruled.”
Plato believed economic self-interest and political power must be kept separate and not be allowed to work in combination to the disadvantage of the state. Plato believed that not only the democracy, but also the oligarchy of the Thirty had gone awry because of political leaders, blinded by their own self-interests, and neglect the interest of state as a whole. Intelligence is the central view of Platonic leadership. “Qualification for the wielding of political power must be based on the possession of superior intelligence, not superior physical force. From intelligence springs knowledge of moral truths and a correct vision of the function of political power as serving the interests of the governed. The interests of the state must have priority over the interests of any individual.” In this view harmony would be the savior of the state and the individuals. This is the central issue with Plato discusses in “Plato’s Republic” when he deals with the organization of the state.
For me I would love to live in “Plato’s Republic”. To me he has the best vision for his people. Plato followed the work of the best philosopher of all time, which is Socrates. He took Socrates work and expanded on them and made them a little better. To live with democracy is the best way in my opinion because it brings the most balance to this world and that’s what we need in life is balance and I believe “Plato’s Republic” is the best way to grow and build a society. The statement that makes me believe in “Plato’s Republic” is the interests of the state must have priority over the interests of any individual. To me you always have to put your state/country over just one individual. One state/country is always more important than one individual.

Web Site Source
http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots/republic.htm