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Plato’s Ideal Society (The Republic)

Plato’s Ideal Society (The Republic). Three Classes: Rulers (wisest and best) Auxiliaries (support the people – police and military) Classes 1&2 =Guardians of the State Farmers & Merchants (control the economy – provide food, clothing, and necessities) make up the majority of society.

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Plato’s Ideal Society (The Republic)

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  1. Plato’s Ideal Society(The Republic) Three Classes: • Rulers (wisest and best) • Auxiliaries (support the people – police and military) Classes 1&2 =Guardians of the State • Farmers & Merchants (control the economy – provide food, clothing, and necessities) make up the majority of society

  2. Education of Guardians (Groups 1&2) • Men and women train together (athletics & combat) • Only exposed to stories of goodness, courage, and obedience • Poetry, music, and drama not included

  3. Guardians Test After physical & moral training, students tested and divided into 2 groups: 1. Philosopher-Kings (chosen for their ability to reason) 2. The rest of the Guardians become warriors (assist the rulers)

  4. Everyone else in society (Group 3): • own the land • control the wealth • No role in government Guardians (Groups 1&2): • cannot own property, have money, or have a family • live together and share possessions

  5. Philosopher-King • Advanced training (mathematics & philosophy) • At 35 = trained philosophers • At 50 = ready to rule the ideal state • Rules reluctantly… Why? • does what is best for the common good • Rule with absolute power for life • No need for laws (only get in the way of the philosopher-king’s wisdom) • People will know their place in society and accept this

  6. The Allegory of the Cave • What is an allegory? - A story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning (typically moral or political) • Plato realizes that the average person can think, speak, etc., without having any awareness of reality. The Allegory of the Cave explains this…

  7. The Allegory of the Cave

  8. The Allegory of the Cave • Prisoners believe shadows are reality • One prisoner discovers the world outside and returns to tell others that the shadows are not reality (they’ve been mistaking appearance for reality) • They laugh and do not believe him • The Prisoners know nothing of the real causes of the shadows. • Plato’s point- We must come to grasp the ‘Forms’ with our minds. Plato’s aim in the Republic is to describe what is necessary for us to achieve this reflective understanding. • The job of the philosopher-king is to bring enlightenment to the ignorant (to increase their happiness) • The ignorant sometimes reject and attack the wise(like students reject education)

  9. The Allegory of the Cave

  10. Question… • Judging by the Allegory of the Cave, why do you think many people in the democracy of Athens might have been antagonistic to Plato's ideas? What does the sun symbolize in the allegory?

  11. The Ship of FoolsBosch, Heironymous

  12. Acting unjustly can harm yoursoul – acting justlynourishes itPlato believed that foolish people act out of ignorance

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