Comparison Between Plato And The Composition Of The Ideal...

Plato and the Composition of the Ideal City-State in Parts I-III of The Republic Wei Ting Lee 500467076 Ryerson University Introduction Appearance versus reality is a pertinent theme in Plato’s dialogues. Yet, the precise nature of truth, the good and the beautiful all rely on contradiction, which the philosopher uses in his discussion of an ideal civil society. To properly understand Plato’s motivation, it is necessary to briefly explain his historical context: Athenian democracy and the Peloponnesian War had wreaked havoc on civil institutions during Plato’s time. Athen’s during the 4th century BCE was on the verge of ruins, as were prevailing systems of governance and ideas of justice. Against this background, Plato†¦show more content†¦The Peloponnesian War lasted from 431-404 BCE, which pitted the Athenians against Sparta to the south, after the latter had attempted repeated invasions into Attica. The war was extremely brutal and lead to a significant loss of life, which lead Plato to the idea that to govern one must be virtuous and ruthless, and that defending the city again st those outside its borders is best left to guardians educated in important ethical and practical matters of governance. Therefore, Plato suggests it is necessary to be courageous and that those given the responsibility to rule in defence of a city must exercise virtue, for only through virtue can one confront the important day to day decisions needed to safeguard the polis from harm. Plato also believed that rulers must reflect the good in their ability to reason. For the good of the city, we must â€Å"seek out craftsmen who are by nature able to pursue what is fine and graceful in their work, so that our young people will live in a healthy place and be benefitted on all sides †¦ [in a way] that brings health from a good place, leading them unwittingly, from childhood on, to resemblance, friendship, and harmony