PHIL100 | Introduction to Philosophy | Plato's Political Philosophy

Answer:

The republic has been the most read dialogue of Plato since the mid-nineteenth century. The essence of Plato’s political theory can be stated as straightforward. The just city’s primary purpose is to make its inhabitants virtuous as much as possible. Therefore, everything that is possible to achieve this done. The consequence of it is entirely controlled environment in which every resource is devoted in order to inculcate the virtue. The education system is the city’s primary institution.  The inclusion of Plato's popular system of communism, the other institutions are proposed to provide a setting that would carry the task of education successfully. The city is consists of three classes, farmers, auxiliaries and the rulers. Plato has two basic psychological assumptions regarding the city’s structure and its educational function. According to Plato, people are highly malleable therefore an environment plays a vital role in their bringing up. Also, there are fundamentals that innate differences between people. Thus, even with all the capabilities of the just city that can achieve the highest level of virtue, there will still be differentiation in the level of virtue. The facts reflected his dialogues is an eternal truth and it applicable till today, this is what pulls the attention of many scholars till today. Plato is unusual and incomparable when he is spoken about in the political philosophy. The points presented by him are a matter of concern even today. Education indeed is a tool for achieving the highest virtue that can lead society to significant growth in terms of every aspect. It is the emphasis on the psychological effects of art that is most attractive including the social class and the reality of human behaviour. The essence of Plato's philosophy describes the society with a logic that is underlined with simplicity and truth.

The “allegory of the cave’ is a theory developed by Plato that revolves around human perception. According to Plato knowledge obtained through the senses do not mean more than an opinion. Therefore, in order to gain knowledge one must know do it through philosophical reasoning. Plato presents the differentiation between individuals who tend to believe sensory knowledge as the truth and individuals who actually see the truths. The philosophy has five concepts, the cave, the shadows, the game, the escape and the return. The allegory teaches many things with simple logic. In today’s world, the importance of education can be understood through this particular theory. Two important lessons obtained from the allegory that represents the need for media and education. In order to have a successful democracy, education is essential. Until people get the education, they will fail to get the knowledge and remain in the cave. An educated population is required to understand the right and wrong of the system with rational thinking. The allegory also helps in understanding the media’s role in the voting population. People who were strapped to the side of the cave only saw what the people behind them wanted them to see. In the same way, it is essential for people to understand and think about the things they see through the lens of media. The modern press comes as a filter with political news, law-makers and the general population. Therefore, prior to reaching any opinion or judgment, it is essential to think and analyses about political news.

References:

Herman, Arthur. The cave and the light: Plato versus Aristotle, and the struggle for the soul of western civilization. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2014.

Lilla, Mark. The Reckless Mind: Intellectuals in Politics: Revised Edition. New York Review of Books, 2016.

Malsch, Bertrand. "Politicizing the expertise of the accounting industry in the realm of corporate social responsibility." Accounting, Organizations and Society 38, no. 2 (2013): 149-168.

Russell, Bertrand. History of western philosophy: Collectors edition. Routledge, 2013.