Plato On Education Essay Research Paper Plato

Plato On Education Essay, Research Paper

Plato, an Athenian philosopher, was the first man to present a theory of education. He was a student of Socrates who influenced much of his work. He is best known for his work entitled The Republic. The main question he entertained regarded justice. Within that discussion of justice, he examines his theory of education. His elitist theory is a systematic one, which concludes that education is for the ruling class. He believed that education and justice are connected. Therefore, with out education, there will be no justice.

It is important then to examine what Plato meant by justice. To Plato, justice is the highest social good, an ideal. Plato constructs a perfectly just city. This society , or in Greek, polis is an interconnected, essential community. It is a set of interdependent relationships and activities. Obviously, the basis or foundation of a polis is made up of human beings/human nature. We are by nature, social beings. Plato describes human nature using three statements. “We are not individually independent, but have many wants;” “No two persons are born exactly alike, but each differs from each in natural endowments,” and “Each man (person) works at a single occupation, in accordance with his natural gifts” (RPE, 40-1). These statements give us a vision of what human nature is. Plato is saying that we exist in a state of need and that we are not autonomous, nor self-sufficient; we are not complete in and of ourselves. At the same time he is saying that we are different in terms of our interests, aptitudes, abilities, etc. I may be great at soccer, but my best friend may be artistically endowed. Plato says that we are different by birth. When I was born, I entered into this world, according to Plato, with a predetermined set of abilities, which makes me who I am. Plato concludes by saying that we are each one person, thus we have one best ability, and it is this best ability which is who I am, my self per se. The best ability is identified through psyche profiling, education, experience, and fulfillment, not through trail and error because it is not efficient evidence. A just society is a place where everyone is engaged in his or

her best ability. Plato is arguing that we should be active (work) according to our best ability. If you do not activate this you will not be making a contribution to the polis, this will result in an unjust polis. There are no unworthy people for Plato. It is natural and essential to human nature to find and activate their natural ability. This emphasizes why education is so important, because if someone is unemployed or is not acting according to their best ability then society has failed to give them the proper opportunity, education, and training to discover their natural ability.

Education for Plato is significant. He believes that everyone has the right to education, however, it is not going to be the same type of education. Why should teachers waste time teaching people something that is not of their best ability. Plato projects that the soul is divided into parts. We all have a rational, wise part; a spirited, honor, loving part; and an appetite based part (desiring money, food, sex, etc.) We will call these reason (gold), spiritedness (silver), and desire (copper). Of these three parts one will dominate which will lead to natural endowments. The vast majority of the peaopl are dominated by desire. Due to the divisions of the soul, society will not be functioning at the same level. This means that there will be classes in the polis. Those who are dominated by reason will be the rulers; spiritedness, guardians; and desire, workers. One might argue today that the wealthy or child of a president has the right to be ruler. Plato says no. Classes are based on the nature of the soul. He explains,

you are all related to one another, although your children will generally resemble their parents, yet sometimes a golden parent will produce a silver child, and a silver parent a golden child, and so on, each producing any. if a child be born in their class with any alloy of copper or iron, they are to have no manner of pity upon it, but giving it the value that belongs to its nature, they are to thrust it away into the class or artisans or agriculturists ” (RPE, 61).

It is natural and must be this way, if it were contrary to this there would be no polis, therefore, no justice. Our society today says that classes are oppressive and not natural. Plato would agree with this only if they are based on gender, race, etc. However, his classes are based on the soul/nature thus it s natural. It

would follow then, that different characteristics lead to different classes which leads to different types of education.

What is important for Plato is education of the guardians and rulers. He initially encourages all citizens to receive general education; but says those who are least able or least inclined to profit from the instruction to leave. Those who could profit more from instruction would continue with military and academic training and would become the warriors and guardians of the state. The school he founded was the Academy. The most able, the intellectual elite would go on to further study and become the philosopher kings who would rule. This is why Plato s theory of education is restrictive. Those with reason and spiritedness attend academic educati