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The Republic of Plato

This paper will discuss the relationship between knowledge and politics according to Pluto and thereafter give an argument on his notion of the relationship.

Introduction

It would be argued in this paper that Plato’s view about the relationship between is practically unrealistic and demeaning to the society. It would be structured as follows, the first would comprise of a review of Plato’s views on the relationship between knowledge. Secondly, the thesis will be broadly discussed and finally, it will be shown that Plato’s arguments are unrealistic and unacceptable in the current society (Allan Bloom).

Pluto justified that power is exercised and given to people who are well endowed with skills and expertise to be able to carry out the administrative duties. He argued philosopher kings should be leaders should be the rulers since all the philosophers focused on discovering the ideal polis. By the concept of the kallipolis which is a beautiful city with total dependence on knowledge for political rule by kings and not power. This strongly emphasized on his firm belief in knowledge as a tool fool for leadership rather than power wielded by an individual since the philosopher kings possessed the immense knowledge but not the power.

Pluto also brought forward his other argument that sought to say that the philosophers should be made kings. He argued that making political decisions required judgment which should be left to the experts. (Wolf 2006) he stressed that using the idea of specialization which is seen as the key to running the republic efficiently(Allan Bloom). He continued to elaborate that each member of polis had a skill, and ruling itself is a skill that required some special training that could only be administered to a few. He maintained that the philosophers had to possess the qualities that were vital for their ruling, consequently they had to love wisdom and knowledge since it was through knowledge which was a virtue that they could rule efficiently.

Criticism of Plato’s arguments

Plato argued that a group of people who had the skills and the necessary knowledge and very wise and with the ability to ensure justice on the land and differentiate effectively between the friend and the fore is a good idea but is practically unrealistic since it was inevitable for human beings especially the elites to show their interest in politics since it is always an intrinsic force that formed within us(Allan Bloom). Moreover, its abandonment of our freedoms rights and opinions into the hands of the few skilled which indeed leads to a total state of benevolent dictatorship where a few dictate what happens to the majority without seeking their inclusion or opinion at all. Consequently, it promoted authoritarian rules that were only a recipe for chaos that is characterized by a struggle for democracy. Therefore, his argument on the relationship between knowledge and politics is not only unrealistic but also unacceptable.

In conclusion, Plato had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt of the existence of a strong relationship between knowledge and politics due to his arguments that lacked realistic facts

2. Discuss Plato’s understanding of individualism

This essay seeks to give an insight into Plato’s understanding of individualism concept and an argument about his understanding of individualism.

This essay will discuss in detail the concept of individualism. The first part would give an overview of Pluto’s concept of the same discussion the thesis. Finally, the essay will argue in support of Plato’s understanding of individualism

Plato’s views in his book since to emphasize individualism and promote it but through a series of contradictions(Allan Bloom). Plato says that each human soul contains which make his inward self to trespass on each other’s functions: the reason, spirit, and appetite, spirit consist in acquired desires such as honors and self-respect. Appetite consists in instinctive drives while reason consists in the ability to acquire knowledge. He drew interesting implications from the nature of the soul. First a just man will not allow the three elements that make up his inward to trespass each other’s functions, moreover, the function of the reason is to rule the soul and must have foresight and wisdom.

The sole duty of the spirit is basically to obey and support the reason. Eventually, he made it clear that morally virtuous character and true happiness flow from proper functionality and ordering of the soul that is ruled by reason(Allan Bloom). The way Plato brought out the Socrates in the dialogue clearly showed his undying support and yearning for individual virtue. The Socrates model insisted that virtue is knowledge and rational dialectic brought one to complete knowledge and understanding. this contradicts the ideals that the opponents of Plato bring out to the city discussed in the republic which was a city that gave no value individual even though Plato’s dialogues portray virtue of the individual soul as the to be the highest good.

It is significant to note that Plato’s dialogue that is contradictorily in support of the virtue of individualism which strives to ensure individual satisfaction that will then culminate into the community eventually(Allan Bloom). I believe it’s widely applicable since goals of focusing on making all classes of people happy is largely unrealistic and unlikely to succeed since majority of individuals live with their own range of passions which is extremely difficult to harmonize and secondly rationally developing them needed freedom and responsibility and being rational was concluded beyond the capacity for majority of people

In conclusion, Plato had convincingly elaborated his understanding of the concept of individualism

Work cited

Allan Bloom “Republic of Plato” third edition 2013

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