scholarly journals Plato's Criticism Against Democracy and His Vision of the Ideal State in the Republic: New Outlook on 'Politics' and 'The Ruler'

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Moon ◽  
강철웅
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Dominic Scott

This chapter presents a reading of Plato’s Republic. The Republic is among Plato’s most complex works. From its title, the first-time reader will expect a dialogue about political theory, yet the work starts from the perspective of the individual, coming to focus on the question of how, if at all, justice contributes to an agent’s happiness. Only after this question has been fully set out does the work evolve into an investigation of politics—of the ideal state and of the institutions that sustain it, especially those having to do with education. But the interest in individual justice and happiness is never left behind. Rather, the work weaves in and out of the two perspectives, individual and political, right through to its conclusion. All this may leave one wondering about the unity of the work. The chapter shows that, despite the enormous range of topics discussed, the Republic fits together as a coherent whole.


ΠΗΓΗ/FONS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Álvaro Pablo Vallejo Campos

Resumen: El objetivo principal de este trabajo consiste en examinar la relación entre la concepción del ser y el proyecto utópico que Platón defiende en la República. Respecto a esto último, no se trata de una mera estrategia literaria o irónica, sino de un proyecto que Platón considera realizable y deseable como el mejor régimen político posible. Ahora bien, esta propuesta se basa en un paradigma cuya validez no está condicionada por la existencia y lo que defendemos es que esto es plenamente congruente con la concepción del ser que Platón sostiene en la obra, la cual no depende del significado existencial del eînai sino de sus valores predicativos o verídicos. Además hay que tener presente que la figura del filósofo gobernante como tal, de quien depende la posibilidad del estado ideal, queda delimitada por su capacidad para contemplar el ser, ya que este conocimiento ontológico es para Platón el más justo título del poder.Palabras clave: Platón, República, utopía, paradigma, filósofo-gobernante, significados del verbo ser Abstract: The main aim of this paper is to examine the relation between Plato’s concept of being and the utopian project that he sustains in the Republic. In relation to the latter, his political proposal is not a mere literary or ironical strategy, but a political system that he considers possible and desirable as the best form of a political constitution. This proposal is based on a paradigm whose validity does not depend on existence and my thesis is that this character is absolutely congruent with Plato’s concept of being as exposed in the Republic, that does not depend on the existential meaning of eînai but on its predicative and veridical values. We must also take into account that the philosopher ruler, on whom the possibility of the ideal state depends, is delimitated as such by his capacity to contemplate being, for this ontological knowledge is in Plato’s view the best basis for the legitimation of power.Keywords: Plato, Republic, utopia, paradigm, philosopher-ruler, meanings of being


Author(s):  
Julia Annas

Contrary to common perception, the Republic is full of references to law, as well as stressing the importance of the rulers’ education. The ideal state is structured by laws, as is the rulers’ education, in which they are brought up to be law-abiding and to get others to obey the laws. It is the laws structuring the rulers’ education which are the most basic to the existence of the ideal state, while legislation that we would consider fundamental, such as courts, is treated as more minor. Plato does not consider the relation of law-abidingness to the rulers’ education, assuming that rulers brought up under good laws will further stabilize and enforce good laws. He does not deal with the problem that this makes the ideal city a necessarily unrealizable ideal: it cannot be reached from actual societies, but only by the actions of people already brought up under the laws.


ΠΗΓΗ/FONS ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Álvaro Pablo Vallejo Campos

Resumen: La tesis principal de este artículo es que la trascendencia política de las pasiones determina en Platón sus planteamientos éticos y políticos. La primera vez que se ocupa de ellas más sistemáticamente, como ocurre en el Gorgias, aparecen directamente involucradas en la crítica del imperialismo y de los procedimientos retóricos propios de la democracia ateniense, y su tratamiento debe ser uno de los ingredientes esenciales de la política concebida como un arte. Pero en la República el estado ideal surge de una reflexión sobre la necesidad de realizar una purgación de las pasiones en la ciudad lujosa y afiebrada que se trata de reformar. La importancia de la cuestión se deriva del hecho de que una teoría de la justicia en el individuo y en el estado consiste, en definitiva, en formular un ideal normativo de las relaciones que deben establecerse entre la razón y las pasiones del alma. A consecuencia de ello, las formas degeneradas del estado ideal pueden interpretarse como una secuencia en sentido creciente de la ilegítima irrupción de las pasiones en la sociedad enferma que se opone a aquel.Palabras clave: Platón, pasiones, política, retórica, estado ideal, justicia, populismo.Abstract: The main thesis of this paper is that the political transcendence of passions determines Plato’s ethical and political points of view. The first time that he deals systematically with passions, as occurs in the Gorgias, they are directly implicated in the critic of imperialism and the rhetorical procedures of Athenian democracy. They are also an essential part of politics conceived as an art. In the Republic , the ideal city emerges as the necessity of practicing a purge of passions in the luxuriant or feverish city that has to be purged. The importance of this issue derives from the fact that the theory of justice in the individual and the city consists of a normative ideal on the relations that have to be established between passions and reason. As a consequence, the sequence of the degenerated forms of the ideal state can be interpreted as an increasing model of the illegitimate irruption of passions in the ill society opposed to it.Keywords: Plato, passions, politics, rhetoric, ideal state, justice, populism.


1912 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Ridgeway

It is now generally recognized that Plato's whole theory of the Ideal State is based upon the principle that human society is ‘natural’ As against the antisocial doctrines of certain sophists, this proposition means, in the first place, a denial of the view that society originated in a primitive contract. But Plato does not merely reject this false opinion; he also sets up an alternative doctrine that the state is natural, in the sense that a human society constructed on ideal lines1 would be one that should reflect the structure of man's soul, and give full play to the legitimate functions of every part of his nature. Accordingly, it is vital to his purpose in the Republic to show that the division of the Ideal State into three classes—Guardians, Auxiliaries, Producers—corresponds to the division of the soul into three ‘parts’ ‘kinds’ or ‘forms’ —the Reflective, Spirited, and Appetitive.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 283
Author(s):  
Imam Sukardi

The political concept of Alfarabi is derivated from the concept of Platonic, Aristotelian, and Islam. The ideal state is the state which is elaborated the universal values of humanism, not just limited to certain ethnic and nation which is emphasizing its obedience just to God, not the something else. In this paper, the writer tried to interpret the original works of Alfarabi which is directly related to his political thought and the other thinkers who are studying his political thought. In his political thought, Alfarabi emphasized that the main purpose of the state is to make the social-welfare for its citizens. Based on the organic theory, Alfarabi stated that the government of the state is just look-like the human organism system. In which, each of the existing element functioned to strengthen each other to achieve one goal. The ideal state for Alfarabi is the state which is having the goals for its citizen welfare, and who become the prime leader is a philosopher, who is having the prophetic character, having the wider knowledge, and able to communicate with al 'aql al fa’al trough al ‘aql mustafad. 


Slovene ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-226
Author(s):  
Piotr Kuligowski

This article addresses the question of the utopian impulse in Ludwik Królikowski’s work and thought, with particular reference to its transnational dimension. By providing a holistic view of his entire life and sketching his biographical background, this study reveals Królikowski’s principal inspirations and the reasons for his changes of mind, and in so doing, presents him against the background of various intersecting currents of thought. With regard to Królikowski’s utopianism, it is argued that he rejected the canons typical for Renaissance and Enlightenment reflections on the ideal state, in which visions of spotless, well-organized cities dominated. The Polish thinker was instead interested in Christianity and extolled spontaneous human activities, which would be in accordance with the will of God only if they were pursued freely, without any coercion. As analysis of his works reveals, he expounded a vision of utopia (primarily called “the Kingdom of God”) beyond time and space, without any consideration of the material conditions for its existence. In developing his views, Królikowski was inspired by Saint-Simonism, the Icarian movement, and ongoing discussions of the Polish and Slavic questions. These three main dimensions, interwoven with intermittent failures and reflections embarked upon anew, constituted the intellectual space in which his unique propositions were made.


1928 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Tate

It has become a standing reproach upon Plato's treatment of poetry in the Republic that he forgets or misrepresents in the tenth book what he said in the third.According to the earlier discussion, poetry is required to perform important services in the ideal state; its subject-matter will make the young familiar with true doctrines (376 sqq.); its style will reflect the qualities proper to the character of guardian, and therefore—by the principle of imitation—induce and confirm such qualities in the souls of young and old (392c sqq.). Poetry, like all other forms of art, must train the young to love and resemble the beauty of truth (τῷ καλῷ λόγῳ, 401d), so that when reason develops, they will recognize it as an old friend (402).


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 113-144

At the outset of Plato's Timaeus, Socrates briefly recalls the discussion of the ideal state which he had the day before with his companions (Tim. 17c1–19b2). Looking back at it, he experiences what people often experience when they see beautiful creatures in repose: he wants to see them in motion (19b3–c2). This is precisely the goal of the present chapter. The previous one has provided a general overview of several essential themes and characteristics of the Parallel Lives. Now, it is time to see them ‘in motion’.


2021 ◽  
pp. 115-140
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gowans

The chapter argues that ancient Epicureanism (mainly Epicurus, Lucretius, and Philodemus) is plausibly interpreted as a self-cultivation philosophy. The existential starting point is a life of irrational fears and frustrated desires. The ideal state of well-being is a life of pleasure, understood primarily as the absence of physical pain and mental distress (more tranquilism than hedonism). This ideal life is free of fear of death and the gods, and it is devoted to friendship, moral virtue, and the pursuit of desires only if they are natural and necessary. The philosophical foundation is a materialist, atomistic theory of nature and human nature that entails that death is nothing to fear, the gods are unconcerned with us, and only natural and necessary desires are important. We achieve this ideal through spiritual exercises that involve learning Epicurean philosophy, modifying desires, and cultivating virtue in a community of like-minded people.


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