Paradox Of The Republic Essay Example For Students

Paradox Of The Republic Essay Paradoxes are ideas that seem to be in opposition to one another but are mutually needed to function. In Platos Republic he discusses several paradoxes. While reading The Republic we can see which side of these paradoxes Plato favors. We find which side he feels should be stressed so that we may live in a reasonable and safe society and be better human beings. There are three categories in which these paradoxes have been divided into: ethical, metaphysical and political. Plato was a legendary Athenian philosopher. His main influence was his teacher, Socrates, whom he thought died unjustly. The Republic was written in dialogues narrated by Socrates. These dialogues were Socrates teachings as best Plato could remember them. His writings left an undeniable mark on the world. The Republic was one of his most famous works. It outlines the core of his beliefs. Politically, Plato explains the paradox of justice and the law. Plato believes that absolute justice is the same for everyone witho ut exception. This justice goes beyond power and or money. He feels justice is not necessarily the law. Law is an imperfect form of justice. What is legal is not necessarily moral. In Book 1 of Platos The Republic, Plato explains that justice is a balance between reason, courage and mans needs or in other words, the head, the heart and the stomach. He goes on to explain that justice or fairness does not always mean equal. The law may change but justice remains constant. A good rule or law however is a just rule. Plato felt that to get people to act justly one must teach them ethics and values. He also believed that along with these ethics and values we must have a reasonable understanding of these rules. An understanding of these rules is needed so people are more apt to comply with them and therefore maintain a just and fair society. Another paradox discussed in Platos The Republic is authority and liberty. Plato strongly favors authority. He has little faith in man. Plato believes that men are more unreasonable than reasonable. He feels that most men and women cannot be objective and make rules that benefit all of society not just themselves or their family. He feels that personal liberty and choice only bring disunity, unhappiness and anxiety. Even today experts agree that children brought up with rules tend to be more secure and happy than children who are not taught acceptable behavior or who dont have authority figures in their lives. In The Republic, Plato explains that the authority will be made up of people who are able to make up reasonable rules. These people, men and or women would be chosen and then educated in ethics, morals and reasoning. He futher explains that if the authorities give people objective rules with reasons then objective behavior should follow. In Platos Republic, by using reasonable authority he is trying to create a reasonable social order. He feels that reasonable rules should come from the outside not from each persons inner feelings. The guardians, or authority are able, by using reasoning and passing just laws to keep the dignity and liberty of the individual and also maintain a just and orderly society. In Platos The Republic men and women would be treated equally. Both genders would be educated until the age of 18. Between the ages of 18 and 22 everyone would go to the army to gain courage. After the army all would go to college until age 26. During college they would be selected for what ever service they are qualified for. Either a man or women could become a guardian, server or helper, and or a producer. The guardians themselves would make equal amounts of money so they could concentrate on a nonmaterial existence. Plato felt an inequality of wealth would cause an ethical breakdown. These three groups, the guardians, servers and the producers, althoug h different in the roles they play and jobs they have would not be considered better or worse, inferior or superior to one another, just different. Each group would fulfill a societal need by bringing goods and services or rules for everyone to benefit by. When Plato was thinking out his Republic he felt society took president over the individual. The whole is greater than its parts, he said. However, Plato also said, you need to balance the order of society with the rights of the individual. Plato felt in a natural state people would war against on another. That is why a civil or social contract is needed to keep man from killing one another. Man would then enter into this social contract for protection, to trade goods and services with others and simply to have their needs taken care of. For this social contract to be successful each individual must have a responsibility and an obligation to his fellow man and follow the rules of the contract. In this way the individual will gain but society will prevail. It is a give and take proposition. People are working for the benefit of society and individuals benefit from working for the society. Plato wanted to set up an interdependent society where we would service one another with competen ce, where each one would better themselves by working for the society and fulfilling different needs. Everyone would be working for the betterment of society and thereby helping themselves. We are stronger together than we are individually. Meaning Of Life EssayPlato wanted a mutual interdependent society where we would service each others needs competently. He felt as a society we are stronger together than we are individually. The whole is more important than its parts was his feeling. Plato did not believe that it is a good thing for each man to run his own life as he seems fit. In the Republic, Plato explains people should not choose the trade they wish to practice rather they are to be given the job for which they are best suited. Although Plato did not place a high valve on freedom of the individual, he did consider happiness to be important. He felt happiness could be achieved if a person would perform as best he could the job for which he was best suited. Plato felt that Greek society gave individuals too much freedom to run their own lives and the results were that they became undisciplined and unhappy. People come together to form a community because they are not self sufficient as individuals. Without coope ration they cannot supply themselves with the things they need. Therefore society must be paramount in order to make the individual happy and well cared for. If the individual were most important it would be every man for himself. No one would care about the big picture, each man would only worry about himself and getting through the day. Each man would have to take care of all his needs instead of everyone helping each other. Society would break down and no one would be safe or cared for. Plato was a reasonable man. He believed that reason is the foundation for a civilized society. However he felt that man was more unreasonable than not. He felt man had to be taught to be reasonable In his republic he was trying to create a reasonable social order. He felt that reason comes from the outside or in other words reasoning needs to be taught it is not an in born trait. If these reasons were to be followed rather than following ones emotions, a reasonable social order with dignity of the individual would thrive. Plato was not in favor of teaching poetry or music to the young. He believed that the arts just stirred up emotions and reasons not emotions are what will give society structure. Plato did feel that in training young people one could use lies, stories or tales to get children emotionally involved with learning morals or values. Plato felt man will be disciplined or self controlled when his reason is in charge and when his emotions and desires do not struggle against his reason. He felt we must all follow reason or we will not have a civilized society. People who rely on their emotions instead of thinking or reasoning out a problem run the risk of not seeing all sides or being fair to everyone involved. Platos Republic presents numerous paradoxes. The biases of Plato are apparent through his writing. It gives us a better understanding of how society should be based and how to better ourselves. Plato discusses three areas of paradox which include the ethical, metaphysical and political. Plato says that there needs to be justice but also laws, authority and but also liberty, and order but also change. Platos ideas help to shape the world that we live in today. We can see that without contradiction our world would be meaningless.