Plato s Influence On The Government Of His Time - 1204 Words

Plato is anti-political, in that he removed government from political life. Some would argue that Plato was against the government of his time. That may be true if one takes into account the fact that Plato, who supported the oligarchical Sparta, was growing up in Athens, Greece, who strongly supported a democratic government (Roberts Sutch 2004). Then one could argue that he was against the government because he supported a government (oligarchies) that went against that in which he grew up in (democracies). However, in the overarching concept of being anti-political, then Plato was not anti-political. In fact, Plato was pro-political in that he supported a form of elitism (or oligarchy). To understand how Plato thought of politics, one must understand elitism. Elitism is â€Å"the idea that a minority of human beings are in some way superior, as a group, to the majority† (Roberts Sutch 2004). Plato thought that the government should be split into two classes of people: the artisans (or businessmen) and the guardians. The guardians were then split up into two different subcategories: the auxiliaries (the army) and the guardians proper (the philosopher-kings/rulers) (Roberts Sutch 2004). Plato claimed that â€Å"political justice will be found only when philosophers become rulers or politicians become philosophers† (Roberts Sutch 2004). He believed a just state was to be ruled by the guardians proper. Plato further argues that each of these classes is based on naturalShow MoreRelatedPlatos Influence on the Western Civilization950 Words   |  4 Pages Plato and His Relation to Western Civilization Plato is one of the succinct psychologists, analyst, and scholar the world has ever had. He is a lucrative figure in the birth, generation, and early development of the western civilization. His contributions through ethics, politics, religion, symposiums, and dialogues with Socrates exemplify a myriad of his works since he was a young scholar. He participated in a number of events, theoretical appearances, and analysis, and posting of theoriesRead MoreHistorical Events That Took Place During The Classical Period1458 Words   |  6 PagesSignificant Influences of Aristotle During the Classical Period, 500-232 BCE, Greece was at the peak of its political and cultural achievement. This was also a time of war, most noteworthy being the vast empire created by Alexander the Great. In a period containing such an immense amount of historical significance there is no doubting that it had influenced the people born. Notorious philosopher Aristotle is no exception, contributing a great deal to the fields of mathematics, biology and ethics. His bookRead MorePlato, An Ancient Greek Philosopher1458 Words   |  6 Pages Plato, an Ancient Greek Philosopher by Carly Rittenmeyer Bible and the Ancient World Spring 2015 Plato, a Greek Philosopher, is known for his writings that impacted people in the Ancient Greek society. He was a free thinker and lived in a free city, Athens. He was taught by multiple teachers including Socrates who was frequently mentioned in his writings as the central character. Plato’s novel, The Republic, influenced the idea of government and shows his views onRead MoreAristotle s Contributions Of Aristotle931 Words   |  4 PagesAegean Sea. His father, Nicomachus, was the family physician of King Amyntas of Macedonia. It is believed that Aristotle s ancestors had been the physicians of the Macedonian royal family for several generations. Having come from a long line of physicians, Aristotle received training and education that inclined his mind toward the study of natural phenomena. This education had long-lasting influences, and was probably the root cause of his less idealistic stand on philosophy as opposed to Plato. AristotleRead MorePersonal Philosophy : Al Farabi1684 Words   |  7 Pagesis credited with preserving the original Greek texts during the Middle Ages because of his commentaries and treaties, and influencing many prominent philosophers, like Ibn Sina. Through his works, he became well known in the East as well as the West. Al Farabi’s philosophy was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy just like how western philosophy was influenced by Greek philosophy. Specifically, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates were the main Greek influencers of Al Farabi. Al Farabi as well as Ibn SinaRead MorePlato s Ideas For Making Life977 Words   |  4 Pagesfor more than half the yeah it is the perfect place to be at the time. This is also home to the world s first true and probably greatest philosopher: Plato. He born into a prominent and wealthy family in the city and devoted his life to one goal: helping people to reach the state of Eudimonia (fulfillment). Plato is often confused with Socrates Socrates, he was an older friend whom t aught Plato a lot, but didn t write any books. Plato wrote lots of them, 36 full dialogs beautifully crafted scriptsRead MoreAnalysis Of Aristotle s The Golden Mean 1109 Words   |  5 Pagesborn in 384 BC, and was a student of Plato, as well as founded/ taught at several academies. He wrote on diverse subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, logic, politics, government, and ethics. He contributed to almost every field of human knowledge in existence during his time, and he was the founder of many new fields. Aristotle was one of the most influential of the ancient Greek philosophers. Aristotle s theory of the Golden Mean was found in his work, Nicomachean Ethics. This theoryRead MoreStudent Teacher1669 Words   |  7 PagesThe relationship that a teacher and student share is of trust, respect and devotion. Teachers influence their students by shaping their rational and moral virtues and hence, play an important role in molding the society as a whole. The education system of ancient India and Greece shared some common characteristics. In both cultures, teachers and their disciples conglomerated at specific places earmarked for educational purposes. This is where students gained both spiritual and material educationRead MorePlatos Life Essay747 Words   |  3 PagesPlatos Life Plato was born in Athens, about 427 B.C., and died there about 347 B.C. In early life Plato saw war service and had political ambitions. However, he was never really sympathetic to the Athenian democracy and he could not join wholeheartedly in its government. He was a devoted follower of Socrates, whose disciple he became in 409 B.C., and the execution of that philosopher by the democrats in 399 B.C. was a crushing blow. He left Athens, believing that until â€Å"kings were philosophersRead MoreHow Money Has Become The Enemy Of Our Society Essay1562 Words   |  7 Pagesgrowing divide is because of how the people in government utilize influential groups such as lobbyists, in order to pass legislations that benefit their interests. This way of acting occurs because of the importance of money in today s society. According to Socrates, â€Å"victory -loving and honor- loving men become lovers of making money and money-lovers, and they praise and admire the wealthy man and appoint him as ruler, and dishonor the poor one. ( Plato, 551a). Due to the fact that timocrats, who