Plato Questions with verified answers
The republic Ans✓✓✓-Plato's masterwork of and the earliest major work of
political theory (a genesis text) and, to a lesser degree, political science - likely the
most read Platonic dialogue since the 19th century. Including Plato's complex
definition and defence of the inherent value of justice including: his view of an
ideal, and therefore just, a society based on a harmonious unity; his psychological
justification for the innate value of living justly as it is a necessary condition for
human flourishing (eudaimonia); and his view of the specialisation of peoples
towards one role from birth. His , questionably to what proportion, fictional story
methodologically presented as a dialogue(almost like a play) of a dialectic
between (Plato speaking through) Socrates and his associates presentions of
different perspectives on their definitions of justice and the ideal state(the
"kallipolis") - which Plato envisions as being run by an expert class of rulers. We
don't know exactly when he wrote it.
Philosopher kings Ans✓✓✓-Who would rule in Plato's Kallipolis, said to be those
with "Rational minds" - based on Plato's theory of the mind. Meant to be very
intelligent, mastering abstract intellectual subjects like maths. Don't just know
how to rule, but also must rule justly. Will administer society based on designing a
society which distributes the different classes specialised knowledge to the
benefit of all the citizens. Must be educated from birth to be virtuous, and to take
joy in this virtue, not a hereditary position.
Theory of Forms Ans✓✓✓-An epistemological and metaphysical theory from
Plato. That for each concept of a being, there is an unchanging version of that
being that is the most absolute and ideal of that being - the perfect truth. The
absolute definition of something. Can't be sensed as all we see in this world are
merely rough copies of the perfect forms, only knowable through the faculty of
reason. Provides the key to knowledge and good judgement, the world of abstract
forms is more real than the world we see around us. In many ways derived as a
synthesis of Parmenides unchanging world, Pythagoras world of whole numbers
and Heraclitus idea of the world in flux. The world of being rather than becoming.
,Structure of Plato's ideal republic Ans✓✓✓-Divided into a pyramidal meritocratic
hierarchy of three classes based on his classes of the human mind/soul. The
largest class of those with an appetitive soul make up the producers (Workers
generally, "ordinary people" although they can be richer than any other class),
Spirited minds make up the auxiliaries(soldiers/police), Rational minds make up
the guardians (smallest class of rulers) of the city who would be educated from
birth to rule for its own sake. The three classes cooperate by trading the social
usefulness of their specialisations with each other, harmony between them is
seen as just as to be in harmony promotes the general welfare. Classes are
enabled to travel as far out into their unspecialised desires as their strengths take
them.
Fundamental principle of Plato's Political philosophy Ans✓✓✓-Specialisation that
each should do what they are fit for, this is what all human societies should be
based on. Therefore, ideally, each class would be restricted only to the social
function that it was most fit for. So people can focus on what they are most suited
for, and the running of society can be divided based on the rational place for each
class. The political legitimacy of the regime based on the suitability of each three
minds types for their places in society.
Key philosophical influences on Plato Ans✓✓✓--Pythagoras
-Socrates
-Parmenides (And Zeno with his paradoxes)
-Heraclitus
Plato's family Ans✓✓✓-A line of very politically involved aristocrats, therefore,
would have received an excellent education - would have known the great classics
and contemporary thinkers. His father was said to have descended from the last
king of Athens, his mother was related to Solon (the architect of Athenian
,democracy) who later married a friend of Pericles. He was related to members of
the 30 tyrants, including its leader. Therefore, there was always the expectation
that Plato would enter politics. However, the death of Socrates inspired him to
leave politics and become a philosopher.
How was Plato disillusioned by politics: Ans✓✓✓-Both democracy (loss in
Peloponnesian war due to demagoguery, Socrates execution later on) in which
Athens had shown itself to be cruel and incompetent despite lofty rhetoric and
also for which he first disliked due to class interest and then was perhaps a bit
more hopeful for, and the oligarchy (rule of 30 was bloody and short) which he
favoured due to his families class (his place and society benefited from it) which
then failed him in turn by turning just as cruel.
Why did Plato turn to philosophy? Ans✓✓✓-He was horrified at current events
and the failures of his society, both when democratic and oligarchic, he wished to
defend Athens. Realized no one knows what justice means or what the right
political system is - the apology. He thought he had to go down to foundations of
what it means to be ethical, how we can know this and what things even are.
The apology Ans✓✓✓-Plato's recounting of the trial of Socrates culminating in
his execution. Shows the ignorance not just of the mob but also the aristocracy. "I
know that I do not know"
Form of the good Ans✓✓✓-The ultimate explanation of everything, the Form in
which everything else, both intelligible and visible, participates. Isn't affected by
the power structure in society; current conceptions of justice and ideology.
The perceptible world Ans✓✓✓-The world around us, Plato sees it as in flux in
the way of Heraclitus. Constantly changing, so no knowledge can truly be had of
, this world. This is why Plato relies on the world of forms instead. The world of
becoming rather than being.
Quote from Heraclitus on the flux of the world: Ans✓✓✓-"You never step in the
same river twice"
Kallipolis Ans✓✓✓-"a beautiful city", Plato's model of the ideal human society
knowledgeable through contemplation on the form of the good. A maximally just
society for a maximally happy populace, so it pays to be just on its own terms.
Why is justice important to Plato in the republic? Ans✓✓✓-Justice is a special
virtue as it is the balance of the other virtues, to be just requires the knowledge of
the good. Therefore he spends a lot of time establishing his theory of what justice
is, and specifically that justice pays in and of itself as to gain its knowledge. We
cannot achieve a happy life if it is not a just life, and to live a just life we must live
in a just city - happiness and justice coincide. If you are just happiness will follow
as if by accident
Plato's theory the human soul/mind: Ans✓✓✓-Three kinds of people and minds:
Appetitive are just focused on the satisfaction of their appetites (Sex, wealth,
food), spirited are focused on how they look in the eyes of other people
(approval, honour), and rational who are focused on the desire for truth and the
good. All people have each three which all play they're role but are ruled by one
which they are focused on - that is what they shall value and find happiness in.
Bodily analogy - the gut, heart and mind all play their roles.
The Noble Lie Ans✓✓✓-Lying is permissible if it serves good ends, Plato's lie gives
all citizens(including the rulers) a belief in common brotherhood and why they
have been assigned to a rigid class system with unequal distribution of power. He
said that all people are born with a metal in their souls. Those born with bronze
The republic Ans✓✓✓-Plato's masterwork of and the earliest major work of
political theory (a genesis text) and, to a lesser degree, political science - likely the
most read Platonic dialogue since the 19th century. Including Plato's complex
definition and defence of the inherent value of justice including: his view of an
ideal, and therefore just, a society based on a harmonious unity; his psychological
justification for the innate value of living justly as it is a necessary condition for
human flourishing (eudaimonia); and his view of the specialisation of peoples
towards one role from birth. His , questionably to what proportion, fictional story
methodologically presented as a dialogue(almost like a play) of a dialectic
between (Plato speaking through) Socrates and his associates presentions of
different perspectives on their definitions of justice and the ideal state(the
"kallipolis") - which Plato envisions as being run by an expert class of rulers. We
don't know exactly when he wrote it.
Philosopher kings Ans✓✓✓-Who would rule in Plato's Kallipolis, said to be those
with "Rational minds" - based on Plato's theory of the mind. Meant to be very
intelligent, mastering abstract intellectual subjects like maths. Don't just know
how to rule, but also must rule justly. Will administer society based on designing a
society which distributes the different classes specialised knowledge to the
benefit of all the citizens. Must be educated from birth to be virtuous, and to take
joy in this virtue, not a hereditary position.
Theory of Forms Ans✓✓✓-An epistemological and metaphysical theory from
Plato. That for each concept of a being, there is an unchanging version of that
being that is the most absolute and ideal of that being - the perfect truth. The
absolute definition of something. Can't be sensed as all we see in this world are
merely rough copies of the perfect forms, only knowable through the faculty of
reason. Provides the key to knowledge and good judgement, the world of abstract
forms is more real than the world we see around us. In many ways derived as a
synthesis of Parmenides unchanging world, Pythagoras world of whole numbers
and Heraclitus idea of the world in flux. The world of being rather than becoming.
,Structure of Plato's ideal republic Ans✓✓✓-Divided into a pyramidal meritocratic
hierarchy of three classes based on his classes of the human mind/soul. The
largest class of those with an appetitive soul make up the producers (Workers
generally, "ordinary people" although they can be richer than any other class),
Spirited minds make up the auxiliaries(soldiers/police), Rational minds make up
the guardians (smallest class of rulers) of the city who would be educated from
birth to rule for its own sake. The three classes cooperate by trading the social
usefulness of their specialisations with each other, harmony between them is
seen as just as to be in harmony promotes the general welfare. Classes are
enabled to travel as far out into their unspecialised desires as their strengths take
them.
Fundamental principle of Plato's Political philosophy Ans✓✓✓-Specialisation that
each should do what they are fit for, this is what all human societies should be
based on. Therefore, ideally, each class would be restricted only to the social
function that it was most fit for. So people can focus on what they are most suited
for, and the running of society can be divided based on the rational place for each
class. The political legitimacy of the regime based on the suitability of each three
minds types for their places in society.
Key philosophical influences on Plato Ans✓✓✓--Pythagoras
-Socrates
-Parmenides (And Zeno with his paradoxes)
-Heraclitus
Plato's family Ans✓✓✓-A line of very politically involved aristocrats, therefore,
would have received an excellent education - would have known the great classics
and contemporary thinkers. His father was said to have descended from the last
king of Athens, his mother was related to Solon (the architect of Athenian
,democracy) who later married a friend of Pericles. He was related to members of
the 30 tyrants, including its leader. Therefore, there was always the expectation
that Plato would enter politics. However, the death of Socrates inspired him to
leave politics and become a philosopher.
How was Plato disillusioned by politics: Ans✓✓✓-Both democracy (loss in
Peloponnesian war due to demagoguery, Socrates execution later on) in which
Athens had shown itself to be cruel and incompetent despite lofty rhetoric and
also for which he first disliked due to class interest and then was perhaps a bit
more hopeful for, and the oligarchy (rule of 30 was bloody and short) which he
favoured due to his families class (his place and society benefited from it) which
then failed him in turn by turning just as cruel.
Why did Plato turn to philosophy? Ans✓✓✓-He was horrified at current events
and the failures of his society, both when democratic and oligarchic, he wished to
defend Athens. Realized no one knows what justice means or what the right
political system is - the apology. He thought he had to go down to foundations of
what it means to be ethical, how we can know this and what things even are.
The apology Ans✓✓✓-Plato's recounting of the trial of Socrates culminating in
his execution. Shows the ignorance not just of the mob but also the aristocracy. "I
know that I do not know"
Form of the good Ans✓✓✓-The ultimate explanation of everything, the Form in
which everything else, both intelligible and visible, participates. Isn't affected by
the power structure in society; current conceptions of justice and ideology.
The perceptible world Ans✓✓✓-The world around us, Plato sees it as in flux in
the way of Heraclitus. Constantly changing, so no knowledge can truly be had of
, this world. This is why Plato relies on the world of forms instead. The world of
becoming rather than being.
Quote from Heraclitus on the flux of the world: Ans✓✓✓-"You never step in the
same river twice"
Kallipolis Ans✓✓✓-"a beautiful city", Plato's model of the ideal human society
knowledgeable through contemplation on the form of the good. A maximally just
society for a maximally happy populace, so it pays to be just on its own terms.
Why is justice important to Plato in the republic? Ans✓✓✓-Justice is a special
virtue as it is the balance of the other virtues, to be just requires the knowledge of
the good. Therefore he spends a lot of time establishing his theory of what justice
is, and specifically that justice pays in and of itself as to gain its knowledge. We
cannot achieve a happy life if it is not a just life, and to live a just life we must live
in a just city - happiness and justice coincide. If you are just happiness will follow
as if by accident
Plato's theory the human soul/mind: Ans✓✓✓-Three kinds of people and minds:
Appetitive are just focused on the satisfaction of their appetites (Sex, wealth,
food), spirited are focused on how they look in the eyes of other people
(approval, honour), and rational who are focused on the desire for truth and the
good. All people have each three which all play they're role but are ruled by one
which they are focused on - that is what they shall value and find happiness in.
Bodily analogy - the gut, heart and mind all play their roles.
The Noble Lie Ans✓✓✓-Lying is permissible if it serves good ends, Plato's lie gives
all citizens(including the rulers) a belief in common brotherhood and why they
have been assigned to a rigid class system with unequal distribution of power. He
said that all people are born with a metal in their souls. Those born with bronze
