Plato and the republic

[Alexis]

Hi, Im new and hope this is the right forum for this matter. If not, forgive me

Anyway, I was reading the republic (by Plato) today and I came across some of the issues that I wanted to discuss.

First of all, Plato talks about the upper class in his city, (1) how does he generally view the way of live and education of the upper class in his city?

He then goes to talk about that his ideal city corresponds to the parts of the soul. (2) How so? I didn't quite get that.

He also says there is a certain type of person or something that he thinks should rule his city. What is this person that he thinks should rule his city (3)?

And I also have trouble understating how he distinguishes between knowledge, opinion, and ignorance?

Hope this will intrigue you to discuss further more

[Theaetetus]

Originally Posted by Alexis

He also says there is a certain type of person or something that he thinks should rule his city. What is this person that he thinks should rule his city (3)?

I will address this because it is easy. Plato says that the philosopher-king should rule the city. The philosopher understand best what makes relations between people to the "best" as possible; therefore they are the natural ruling class. It really has to do with balancing pragmatics and idealism. The true philosopher can find a way to balance that contradiction, thus, are suited to rule over the city.

[Alexis]

Now, should the philosopher-king be aristocratic, democratic, oligarchy, or dictator/tyranny type person?

[Pangloss]

Originally Posted by Alexis

Now, should the philosopher-king be aristocratic, democratic, oligarchy, or dictator/tyranny type person?

Sounds like someone is asking for answers to a homework assignment. What would Plato think of that?

Surely the philosopher-king is aristocratic, for the meaning in greek of what we translate as "aristocracy" is "rule of the best". Surely a philosopher such as Socrates thinks that rule of the best means philosophers run the show. And yes, if you read the republic, he says this explicitly.

The different types of societies or different types of soul are according to what type of love is taking place. The timocracy involves love of honor, the oligarchy love of wealth, etc.

[Alexis]

So to say "rule of the best", wouldn't that also mean totalitarian power?

[Theaetetus]

Depends on how you define "totalitarian power."

[Pangloss]

To Socrates/Plato "rule of the best" would simply mean that those who are the best and most capable rulers would rule...and according to the Republic, the philosopher is best at ruling, because he would have true knowledge of the sort that can be found outside the cave, knowledge of the agathon.

[Alexis]

No Im not trying to have you write my homework assignments.

I dont even have school lol.

I simply read the book and wanted to discuss these issues.

[Alexis]

Any thoughts guys?

[Pangloss]

In response to your second question, Socrates states that "the city is the man writ large". So, the just city in speech corresponds to the just man. Finding justice in the city is in order to find justice in the soul.

Remember, he talks about the tripartite soul. The soul is made up of the philosopher/ruler (philosopher kings or guardians), the auxiliaries (or spirited part), and the appetites (these are the working class people or slaves in the city). The city/soul is just when these three parts are all working in unison, with the philosophical part of the soul as its guide.