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Introduction To Philosophy Final Paper

980 Words4 Pages

Final Paper/ Topic #3
Lucas Baker
Ethics as Intro to Philosophy
November 28, 2015

Lucas Baker
Professor Hill
Philosophy
28 November 2015
Final Paper My thesis is that a democracy is the best form of government in contrast to Socrates’ belief that a monarchy is a superior form of government. A democracy is a form of government that includes every individual in the decision making process. Everyone is able to be heard within a democracy compared to monarchy where all the decisions are up to one or several individuals. As where in monarchs there is a sole power that is held by one or a group of individuals that make all the decisions for the government.
The best argument for my thesis is that a democracy gives the freedom for every …show more content…

Socrates argues that in monarchies you must have philosopher kings as they have the ultimate wisdom and know how to keep everyone happy and civilized within a society. “Until philosophers rule as kings in their cities, or those who are nowadays called kings and leading men become genuine and adequate philosophers so that political power and philosophy become thoroughly blended together…cities will have no rest from evils,…nor, I think, will the human race. And until that happens, the same constitution we have now described in our discussion will never be born to the extent that it can, or see the light of the sun.” (C.D.C 166) Socrates also says that the city or nation will only get ultimate happiness when there is a philosopher king. “There can no happiness, either public or private, in any other way.” (C.D.C Reeve 166). Socrates believed that philosophers has the ideal mentality to be successful leaders. He claimed they were well suited for positions of authority because they not motivated to attain the power that accompanies leadership. Also Socrates believes that rulers live with a false ideology which leads to false happiness and since philosophers are wise and know how to obtain true happiness he truly believes that ultimate happiness will only happen when there is a monarch full of …show more content…

Socrates believes that philosophers should be kings because they are wiser and have the true ideology of happiness. Socrates believes that the government that gives the society true happiness is the most efficient society but a monarch is overwhelmingly controlling of the public which can lead to unhappiness. A democracy that promotes freedom and equality allows you to be happy as you can express your true beliefs and have a say in the everyday decisions made by the government. In a democracy happiness can also be found through the great opportunities that the government provides. A middle to lower class individual has the opportunities to become successful as where in monarch people are often faced with limited potential based on their heritage. Monarchs lead to corruption because all the power is held by small group of people. Socrates does not account for individual personal freedoms which can lead to feelings of contentment. Having the abilities and freedoms to receive what you earn in life can bring happiness through the sense of fairness that results from equal

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