Questions On Plato s Political Philosophy - 1918 Words

Sarah Freihon Professor Richardson Philosophy 151A 17 December 2014 Final: Plato’s Political Philosophy Prompt #1: In The Republic, Plato offers a psychologically and historically informed examination of five types of government -- Aristocracy, Timocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy, and Tyranny -- in an effort to show how the degeneration of the soul directly corresponds to the degeneration of the State. I will begin, by describing each of the five basic types of government and the types of soul to which they correspond. Then, I will briefly explain what characteristics make each kind of city and soul more unjust than its predecessor. The first form of government, Aristocracy, is characterized by the harmonious rule of wisdom and reason. The function of the city is to meet the unmet needs of its citizens. The ideal aristocratic state meets these unmet needs by introducing a tripartite division of labor consisting of rulers, guardians, and merchants. The rulers ensure that each class performs their respective functions well by enforcing a rigorous system of education and habituation aimed at cultivating a love of wisdom and the good. The aristocratic state directly corresponds with the soul of the Philosopher King, who is ruled by the rational attitude. Insofar as the philosopher king is ruled by reason, he understands the good and endeavors to apply this understanding to all aspects of social and political life in the polis. However, the Philosopher King is fallible.Show MoreRelatedThe Great Philosopher728 Words   |  3 Pages2017 The Great Philosopher Plato Plato is known as one of ancient Greece’s greatest philosophers. Plato was born in Athens, Greece during 428 BCE. Some people believe that Plato s real name is Aristocles, if in fact this is true he would have received this name from his grandfather. Historians believed that Plato had two full brother, one sister, and one half brother. They are unsure if Plato was the eldest. 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