An analysis of Plato’s `The Republic` and ideal society.
This paper reviews Plato’s The Republic and shows how the ideas of Plato and his peers center on the social conditions of an ideal republic, which leads each person to the perfect possible life. It shows how Plato differentiates between three classes of people by their ability to grasp the truth of the forms and their understanding that each class contributing to society by fulfilling its proper function. Plato believed that wisdom, courage, moderation and justice could easily combine together to form the ideal society. The paper concludes with how Plato does not ask his readers to accept his views and how this perhaps makes his argument stronger as he simply asks the readers to question and challenge his theories.
Socrates then explained his theory in a different way, shifting his focus from the individual to the city. According to Socrates, people merged in cities so that each person could perform the task best suited to their individual nature. He described the various classes of people in a city, from the peasant to the highest ruler. He asked the group: Do you not think, that one who is to be guardian-like needs something more besides a spirited temper, and that is to be in his nature a lover of wisdom? He wondered how potential rulers could be trained and educated with these traits.