Thursday, November 6, 2014
In Plato's Republic, Socrates discusses who is fit for ruling at the end of Book V and continues it on into Book VI. Tuesday we touched upon whether this society could actually exist or could it only remain abstract. In 458 a and b, Socrates says that he wants to think of it all hypothetically before he can assert whether it all could actually possible. Later, he talks about how philosophers are the only ones fit to rule. Socrates places philosophers in charge for their ability attain knowledge without bias. I also felt as if he placed philosophers as rulers since this is his ideal society and he would like himself to be part of the highest social ranking. I want to know the perspective have on this. Do you think it is "just" for him to assert that those who are not philosophers are not fit to rule? Do you think Socrates would be fit to rule himself?
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I think it would best if Socrates were to rule the city himself as he is the one who makes all these laws for the city. They are his rules so who else would know them better than himself? Also if he were to rule, there would be that extra pressure of sticking to those laws and not changing his mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Qudrat. I don't see why Socrates wouldn't rule the new city because it is his creation. In class we talked about the idea that the slate had to be wiped clean for the new society to work, the people would need to be free of past knowledge and be able to start over. One possibility as to why Socrates might not be able to rule over the new city is because he knows the past and there would be no way for him to erase his memories of it.
ReplyDeleteI do agree it would make the most sense for the individual who founded a society to be its ideal ruler. However, Socrates would need other Elders alongside him. The ability to lead people on a new idea while needing to asses their fulfillment of being 'knowledgeable' seems like a difficult task for Socrates. I agree as well with Emily that his recollection of the past makes it even more of a struggle; however, I believe the complexity of it increases due to his need to find intellectuals as affiliates who will all think along the same lines as each other.
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