Education: Plato's Ideals
Plato believed in educating the upper class, because they are the ones who will be running the country. He also believed in educating women and children. But he did not believe that children should be kept in a family, but should be raised by the community, put in schools together for the good of their education. He did not believe that parents are suitable teachers for children. Plato believed that women were equal to men and that, though some women are smaller, some women are larger than some men and therefore should be allowed to learn the same skills that men do. Plato's Republic describes how male and female "guardians" receive the same education and be given the same duties in society. These guardians are the ones who will be in charge of the city-state which Plato envisioned for everyone, an ideal society, where philosophers are kings. In other words, thoughtful presidents who know how to think in terms of what is the good for all mankind and make their decisions based on that. He believed that politicians could be educated, as well, to think like philosophers. This philosopher-king would be in charge, and it is important that they have a philosophical temperament. Plato believed that a student can be educated to have a
Another way the present-day educational system is like Plato's ideal is that it does test children at a certain point as to how well they are doing in school and allows the best to go on to learn certain more advanced studies. Neither do we start instructing them at an early age in music and speech-making. The children may learn these things later on in life, and they may not. He believed that children should not be exposed to "dangerous" art, but should be able to experience fighting and war first-hand. It might be a good idea to have children know the discipline of playing a musical instrument and it might be good for all children to have gymnastics. The educational system which we have today actually incorporates some of Plato's desires for a perfect educational system. The highest goal in Plato's philosophy of education is to know not only what is beneficial and pleasurable, but to know the Form of Good itself. The rest would work for their living, making things and selling them. Difference between the appearance of objects we see and want in everyday life, which are actually temporary and do not really satisfy our needs and the long-lasting things which we need, which are abstract and unchanging, such as truth, beauty and Good. To have a philosophical temperament means that a person can judge between what seems to be true from what is really true. Also, many parents only care about money or power and these are not proper ideals for children to seek. Therefore, it may be assumed that Plato approved of history, even if it was in poetic form. In other words, these children with "philosophical" minds should go to the best and hardest schools and groomed to become the leaders of society.
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