Plato (— B.C.E.) Plato is one of the world’s best known and most widely read and studied philosophers. He was the student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, and he wrote in the middle of the fourth century B.C.E. in ancient blogger.com influenced primarily by Socrates, to the extent that Socrates is usually the main character in many of Plato’s writings, he was also Jun 02, · 1. Problems in Delineating the Field. The inward/outward looking nature of the field of philosophy of education alluded to above makes the task of delineating the field, of giving an over-all picture of the intellectual landscape, somewhat complicated (for a detailed account of this topography, see Phillips , ) Aug 21, · 1. Introduction Background. Until recently, loyalty did not attract much attention in Western philosophical writing. Most of the detailed engagement with loyalty came from creative writers (Aeschylus, Galsworthy, Conrad), business and marketing scholars (Goman; Jacoby & Chestnut), psychologists (Zdaniuk & Levine), psychiatrists (Böszörményi-Nagy), sociologists (Connor), religion
The Internet Classics Archive | Symposium by Plato
Although Plato's Republic is best known for its definitive defense of justice, it also includes an equally powerful defense of philosophical education. Plato's beliefs on education, however, are difficult to discern because of the intricacies of the dialogue. Not only does Socrates Plato's mouthpiece in the dialogue posit two differing visions of education the first is the education of the warrior guardians and the second is the philosopher-kings' educationbut he also provides a more subtle account of education through the pedagogical method he uses with Glaucon and Adeimantus.
While the dramatic context of the dialogue makes facets of the Republic difficult to grasp, in the case of education, it also provides the key to locating and understanding Socrates' true vision of education, essay on plato.
Socrates' pedagogical approach with the interlocutors corresponds closely with his vision of the education of the philosopher-kings--an overlap which suggests that the allegory of the cave is representative of true Socratic education. The first account of education, however, is essay on plato included in the dialogue without purpose. In accordance with the progressive, essay on plato, playful, philosophical education suggested by the cave analogy and the philosopher-kings' education, Socrates uses numerous varying and often conflicting ideas and images among which is the first account of education to gradually guide his pupils toward a personal realization of knowledge and philosophy.
This paper will first examine the dialogue's two explicit accounts of education, addressing both their similarities and differences. After gaining an understanding of the two accounts, the paper will analyze them in relation to Socrates' own pedagogical method, and thereby unveil the ideals of Socratic education. The most explicit account of education arises after Glaucon questions the moderate and plain lifestyle required in Socrates' just city "of speech" a.
Caught up in the fun of imagining the ideal city, Glaucon cannot fathom that it would be as austere as Socrates suggests and desires essay on plato it be more luxurious. As soon as Socrates allows fineries, however, the city quickly essay on plato rife with potential trouble.
More land is needed to hold the burgeoning population and its possessions and a specialized military is needed to carry out conquests and guard the city from its neighbors. With the ever-present danger of tyranny accompanying military rule, efforts must be made to curb the guardians' natural tendency to lord over the citizens. Socrates suggests that the guardians be controlled through an education designed to make them like "noble puppies" that are fierce with enemies and gentle with familiars a.
Education in music for the essay on plato and gymnastics for the body, Socrates says, is the way to shape the guardians' character correctly and thereby prevent them from terrorizing the citizens. Thus, essay on plato, the guardians' education is primarily moral in nature, emphasizing the blind acceptance of beliefs and behaviors rather than the ability to think critically and independently. Socrates says that those fit for a guardian's education must by nature be "philosophic, spirited, swift, and strong" c.
The guardians must be lovers of learning like "noble puppies" who determine what is familiar and foreign by "knowledge and ignorance" b. Unlike the philosopher-kings appearing later in the book, essay on plato, these philosophically natured essay on plato approve only of that with which they are already familiar and they attack whatever is new.
Although Socrates says potential guardians must have a certain disposition, essay on plato, the impressionability of the ideal nature suggests that they must only be bodily suited to the physical aspects of the job since they will be instilled with the other necessary qualities through education, essay on plato. Education in music which includes speeches begins with the telling of tales in the earliest years of childhood because that is when people are most pliable.
Tales must be strictly censored because young children are malleable and absorb all to which they are exposed. Socrates claims, "A young thing can't judge what is hidden sense and what is not; but what he takes essay on plato his opinions at that age has a tendency to become hard to eradicate and unchangeable" d.
Unable to distinguish between good and bad and, therefore, essay on plato, garner examples of how not to behave from bad tales, children will only use bad examples to justify their own bad behavior e, essay on plato. Through the telling of carefully crafted tales, mothers and nurses will shape their children's souls c. Moreover, children are expected to accept whatever they are told with little free-thought. Radically, essay on plato, Socrates says that anything in youth "assimilates itself to the model whose stamp anyone wishes to give to it" b.
The implication that children can be shaped completely by education fits with the earlier suggestion that guardians are not meant to have a particular moral nature before their education. The content of tales is meant to instill virtue and a certain theology in the hearers.
Instead of giving examples of appropriate tales, Socrates essay on plato the great poets, Hesiod and Homer, for creating inappropriate tales.
He says that these poets' tales include bad lies, which further unrealistic images of the gods and heroes e. Gods must never be shown as unjust for fear that children will think it acceptable and honorable to do injustice. Tales cannot depict fighting among the gods and, further, children must actively be told that citizens have never been angry with one another c. By hearing such tales, youths will learn the importance of unity and will be disinclined to fight amongst themselves when they are grown.
Children must be told that the gods are not the essay on plato of all things, only those which are good and just c. By making the gods incapable of dishonesty and connected only with what is good, Socrates distances them from the world of men in which lying and deception are ever-present.
Separating gods from men prevents poetic accounts of the gods from being used as a model for human behavior. Instead, essay on plato, children must look solely to human guardians and the law for guidance. Good tales must also foster courage, moderation, essay on plato, and justice.
Hades should be praised so that the warriors will not fear death; children should grow up fearing slavery more than death c. The hero Achilles must be absent from all tales, because children cannot see lamenting or gross displays of immoderate emotion glorified for fear they will adopt the practices as their own Additionally, tales cannot include displays of laughter a.
Like excessive displays of grief, excessive displays of happiness threaten the stoic attitude that is desirable in guardians. Suitable tales must glorify and encourage moderation; they must display obedience to superiors and temperance in drinking, eating, sex eand love of money and possessions e.
Tales must also show bravery in the face of danger d, essay on plato. Most existing stories, Socrates claims, send inappropriate essay on plato and must be outlawed.
They show unjust men as happy, just men as unhappy, injustice as profitable, and justice as being someone else's good and one's own loss. Interestingly, these bad messages are the same as Glaucon's and Adeimantus' arguments against the usefulness of justice. Instead of being told existing tales such as those by Homer and Hesiod, children must be told speeches about real justice, whatever it may be c. Interestingly, although Socrates includes three of the four main virtues courage, moderation, and justice among the important lessons of appropriate tales, wisdom is absent.
The omission of wisdom, along with the implication that the guardians should accept blindly whatever they are told and to be wholly molded by the tales, suggest again that guardians are not essay on plato to be wise and philosophical. After addressing the appropriate content of tales, Socrates discusses whether simple or imitative narrative should be used by poets and guardians. He essay on plato that mimetic poetry is dangerous because it encourages people to imitate bad as well as good behavior and supports the violation of the one man-one job principle c.
But if poets and guardians are to imitate which they doubtlessly will since Socrates' whole discussion of the importance of good tales relies on the idea that children will imitate good examplesessay on plato, they must copy those virtues which they have been taught since childhood courage, moderation, holiness, essay on plato, freedom c.
Socrates says, "Imitations, if they are practiced continually from youth onwards, become established as habits and nature, in body and sounds and in thought" d. Therefore, the correct style of narrative for both guardians and poets is mostly non-imitative, but allows for some imitation of good men d. Socrates then says that the preference for non-imitative poets excludes the most loved and entertaining poets from the city eain favor of more austere and less-pleasing poets.
Whereas Glaucon was unwilling to give up the "relishes" which he loves cAdeimantus, Socrates' partner for this part of the discussion, willingly gives up his favorite poets and agrees that poets must be less pleasing.
Lastly in his discussion of educative music, Socrates addresses the appropriate melody of tales with Glaucon. Similar to the content and style of speeches, Socrates allows only moderate essay on plato austere melodies. Melodies imitating the sounds and accents of men courageous in the face of danger and those suitable to peaceful men are allowed, but modes suiting laments or revelries are forbidden b. Only simple instruments such as the lyre, cither, and pipe are permitted d.
Most importantly, Socrates insists that rhythm must follow speech, not the other way around. Every component of speech must follow the disposition of a good soul; "Good speech, good harmony, good grace, essay on plato, and good rhythm accompany good disposition" e. Socrates says that careful crafting of tales is important because they are the most effective method of educating guardians' souls.
Rhythm and harmony touch the soul directly, so if children are surrounded essay on plato tales of goodness and never exposed to bad tales, like "noble puppies" they will learn to love what they know goodness and justice and hate what they do not know injustice d-e. Learning to love fine things and hate ugly things as a child will help them appreciate reasonable speech and find pleasure in living moderately when grown a. By asserting that the highest virtues are acquired through education and are a matter of refined taste, Socrates combats Glaucon's love for base pleasures.
Socrates shows him that with the proper education, a life of noble virtue, including "moderation, courage, liberality, and magnificence" c but excluding sex and excessive pleasure, will be fulfilling. In other words, through learning real virtue, essay on plato, Glaucon will find a satisfaction similar although not identical to that of the eros that he so craves.
Having completed the discussion of music, Socrates moves onto gymnastic education. Socrates does not advocate a complicated gymnastic regimen; instead, he says that a good soul produces a good body, and that a healthy intellect ensures a healthy body d-e, essay on plato. Therefore, by eating and drinking moderately and undertaking a simple physical exercise plan from youth, the body will be as fit as is needed. Gymnastics is mainly responsible for preventing illness and the need for medicine in the city.
Medicine, Socrates says, is only welcome as a means for curing easily-fixed illnesses and should never be used to keep those unable to work alive Following his discussion of medicine, Socrates discusses the appropriate character of judges. Like the well-educated guardian, essay on plato, a good judge will be "a late learner of what injustice is" b.
Although never exposed to injustice personally, he will recognize injustice by its foreignness, essay on plato. This ability to distinguish between good and bad without ever having been directly exposed to the bad is the intended result of the guardians' education. Although music is the most important component in the guardians' education, equilibrium between music and gymnastics is important for the production of moral guardians.
Because a solely gymnastic education causes savagery essay on plato a purely musical education causes softness, the two must be balanced.
Socrates says. The man who makes the finest mixture of gymnastic with music and brings them to his soul in the most proper measure is the one of whom we would most correctly say that he is the most perfectly musical and well harmonized a.
Education in music and gymnastics will be compulsory for youths, and their progress and adaptability will be watched and tested throughout their development, essay on plato.
Those who resolutely hold onto the convictions instilled in them by education will be chosen as guardians and those who rebel against the city's ideology will be rejected da. After being compelled to expound on the details of the city including communism and gender equalityessay on plato, Socrates admits that the city should be ruled by philosopher-kings b and, furthermore, that the previous account of the guardians' essay on plato was incomplete b.
Socrates now acknowledges that the nature necessary in philosopher-kings is rare. Quick, fiery natures suited to music are usually too unstable for courage in the face of war, and trustworthy, brave natures that excel in war are often slow intellectually c-d, essay on plato.
Thus, potential philosopher-kings must receive a new form of education that will identify, essay on plato, test, and refine their philosophical natures. Socrates says, "It must also be given gymnastic in many studies to see whether it will be able to bear the greatest studies, or whether it will turn out to be a coward" e.
From this, it seems that education does not make essay on plato a certain way, as in the first account. Instead, education serves to identify those who are capable of philosophizing and helps to strengthen the characters of those who are capable. Furthermore, the philosopher-kings education will teach true love of learning and philosophy, as opposed to the false love of learning of the "noble puppies" b. The philosopher-kings' education aims beyond the attainment of the four virtues and includes the greatest and most beneficial study: that of "the good" a.
Knowledge of the good is the ultimate virtue; without it the attainment of other virtues is impossible a. Furthermore, it essay on plato insufficient to merely have opinions about the good. Instead, knowledge of "the good" must be absolute; Socrates says, essay on plato it comes to good things, no one is satisfied with what is opined to be so but each seeks the things that are" d.
The importance of knowing what is stands out in sharp contrast to the earlier unfounded opinions of the guardians.
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Jun 02, · 1. Problems in Delineating the Field. The inward/outward looking nature of the field of philosophy of education alluded to above makes the task of delineating the field, of giving an over-all picture of the intellectual landscape, somewhat complicated (for a detailed account of this topography, see Phillips , ) Plato (— B.C.E.) Plato is one of the world’s best known and most widely read and studied philosophers. He was the student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle, and he wrote in the middle of the fourth century B.C.E. in ancient blogger.com influenced primarily by Socrates, to the extent that Socrates is usually the main character in many of Plato’s writings, he was also Sep 02, · Plato’s theory of knowledge is a massive challenge to most students because it involves a lot of introspection. Not many modern students have the time to sit around brooding and meditating, given how fast-paced the academic life is today. We’re here to help with your Plato’s theory of knowledge essay assignment
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