ipl-logo

Kallipolis To The Light Analysis

1440 Words6 Pages

Philosophers Guiding Kallipolis To The Light In Plato’s Republic the leading character, Socrates suggests that philosophers are the most knowledgeable class, which makes them the only class to rule in Kallipolis. For the reason that knowledge is the strongest power of them all according to him (477d). Kallipolis is an ancient Greek word that translates to “beautiful city”. Socrates uses this word when analyzing his idea of the perfect structure of a society. The Republic turns the claim that believes philosophers are perpetual adolescents who rather question the meaning of life all day instead of taking part in society and battling for power and success down. Many claimed this view such as Athenians. Socrates argues that it is exactly the fact …show more content…

For this very reason Socrates believes the philosopher is now ready to rule. He suggests that it is only fair to repay the State by going back down to the cave and grow accustomed to seeing in the dark. He believes once the philosopher is used to the darkness they will see vastly better than the people there. Ultimately, the philosopher will be able to govern the city because they have seen the truth about fine, just and good things (520c). He explains that philosophers are morally suitable to rule since they are the lovers of wisdom and truth, which make them qualified to share their knowledge with the rest of the city. Socrates believes there is no way the citizens will disobey and refuse to share the labors of the city if they are getting education in return and are governed by a class who are not prospective rulers (520d). Since philosophers despise political rule it is only right to let them rule. He suggests that it is those who are not lovers of ruling who must rule, for if they don’t, the lovers of it, who are rivals, will fight over it (521b). Socrates suggests that all non-philosophers in charge are concerned about staying in power, which creates civil and domestic wars that destroy them and the rest of the city as well. Therefore he believes it is only right to put a class in charge that is the least eager to

Show More
Related
650 Words | 3 Pages

Inherently, not all people have the capability to live morally upright lives. Virtues are learned traits, and while a person may have a good disposition, his choices, which he makes based on learned information, affect the kind of life he lives. Therefore, there are just people and unjust people, as there are just actions and unjust actions. The ancient philosopher Aristotle wrote about an ideal city called “The Polis,” in which citizens lived a certain way in order to achieve a common good. Although Aristotle believed that everyone should live the good life (one of happiness), he also believed that in order to achieve the good life, people should get what they deserved, even if it meant injustice was a necessary consequence for some.

Read More
756 Words | 4 Pages

The ideal city requires lying in order to reach the ideal point of a city. The ideal city must keep its people just. It is argued in The Republic that “each one must practice one of the functions in the city, that one for which his nature made him naturally fit.” (4, 433 a).

Read More
802 Words | 4 Pages

Comparing Socrates words in the Republic for the philosopher to rule to the words of the Apology where philosophy is viewed as something that is punishable by death, this is where the defense or importance of philosophy is realized. For if the philosophers were the ones to rule, nobody would question whether or not what they were doing was right or wrong because the philosopher-kings make the rules through wisdom and knowledge. Plato wants to paint a portrait of the philosopher as not only something the city should want to have, but also as someone who would be fit to rule above all others. This contrasts, again, to the points made by the jurors to Socrates in the Apology for they saw Socrates as someone who brings the city

Read More
732 Words | 3 Pages

He uses the example of ruling a city, where a government would change the rules and laws to best suit them, and as the rules are followed by those who act justly, the just would be acting in the favour of the stronger. Socrates objects to this and claims that humans will make mistake, as that is part of being human, and may

Read More
1382 Words | 6 Pages

Socrates believes that justice benefits the just, but also benefits the city (other people) too. He is faced with a seemingly simple choice, escape Athens or remain in prison and be sentenced to death. Socrates’ central argument against escaping his circumstances is twofold. First, Socrates argues that “one must never do wrong.” (49b)

Read More
1169 Words | 5 Pages

The Republic, by Plato provides us with four different definitions of justice which are given by the four characters Cephalus, Polemarchus, Thrasymachus, and Glaucon. According to Cephalus, the definition of justice includes the laws and repaying one’s creditors. Socrates doesnot agree to the idea that of repayment of creditors as always to be a good idea. The second person to define Justice was Polymarchus, the son of Cephalus. In his opinion, justice is defined as helping your friends and harming your rivals.

Read More
429 Words | 2 Pages

Plato claims that in order to maintain a harmonious polis, the people must accept their position as they were born to be by Mother Nature. Only those born with a gold heart will be rulers and they will look over those born craftsmen, farmers who have copper hearts and auxiliaries who have

Read More
999 Words | 4 Pages

Since Socrates does not have any views of his own, how can he impose those on others? Although he annoyed the citizens, he was technically doing no harm to the people. The whole reason Socrates goes around questioning the “wise” is to become wise himself and to discover his own beliefs. A person with no beliefs of his own cannot go and impose them on others, it is simply impossible. You cannot force what is not

Read More
1298 Words | 6 Pages

Our bodies harbor within themselves a city that resembles the just Polis that Socrates creates. Each of the three groups within this polis correlates to one of the three distinct parts of our soul. Our wisdom and logic parallels the guardians, the minority who calculatedly rules over the polis. Our desires compare with the ruled mass of society, being the largest in size but subversive to the wise minority. This leaves only one class of citizens, the auxiliaries.

Read More
1021 Words | 5 Pages

Through becoming a teacher of the young men who followed him in Athens, Socrates effectively began to enter the public life. He was able to influence others through sharing his conclusions of justice, self-examination, and piety, and by asking relentless questions. Socrates effectively showed that an individual can live a private and a public life, even if Socrates was not directly involved in the policy-making in Athens. An individual can combine these two aspects of life in a productive way allowing her/him to live a full existence. These individuals can become teachers, politicians, and activists who use their focus on justice and piety in their private lives to advocate and create laws that promote true justice for the rest of the

Read More
1504 Words | 7 Pages

PHIL 243 First Essay Dogachan Dagi In the Republic, Socrates substantially argues that under right conditions Kallipolis which literally means ‘the ideal political state’ can be created. He presents very reasonable arguments about how to achieve and preserve the Kallipolis throughout Book V. However, this essay will strongly claim that Socrates’s Kallipolis is mostly not achievable, and if somehow achieved simply not sustainable. The main problem about his ideal city is the fact that too many regulations go against individual liberties and human nature.

Read More
984 Words | 4 Pages

It has been evident that Socrates is in favor of the idea of common property and in general of communal benefit. This means that, according to him, the common good of the city is attainable in the case that all

Read More
1324 Words | 6 Pages

Title (Argue against three positions from Plato) The Athenian philosopher Plato is said to be one of the most important figures of the Ancient Greek world. It could also be argued that he is one of the most important figures in the entire history of Western thought. In his many written dialogues, he expands the ideas and different techniques of his teacher, Socrates, of thirty years. Plato’s way of living was to ask ruthless questions that made you think about the reason you are living and why you are the way you are.

Read More
1841 Words | 8 Pages

In Plato’s Republic he offers several critiques of Democracy believing it is inefficient and leads to these known bad forms of government such as tyranny and oligarchy. Plato drives hard on Democracy’s excessive freedom and inherent class tensions, which both lead to issues within the state. These critiques Plato reveals will provide a persuasive case considering the well-known Democracy as an actual inherently bad form of government. Plato had a large problem with the tensions Democracy would bring to the city. Plato believed in a hierarchy principle more so then feeding into our desires.

Read More
969 Words | 4 Pages

Philosophical thinking uses three acts of the mind: understanding, judgement, and reason. In order to have a sound argument all of the concepts must be applied. Socrates didn’t want to please the people by saying or doing what they wanted him to say or do. Socrates thought it was not important to seek wealth or fame; he was concerned with truth and virtue. He wanted to create an impact on humanity by relying on the truth and shining a light in people’s lives, even if they put him on trial.

Read More

More about Kallipolis To The Light Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document