Platos Utopia
Throughout history many people have debated on the topic of creating the ultimate Utopia. Socrates is perhaps one of the most detailed in describing how his perfect city would function. The question one must ask though is would these ideas and goals for a perfect city apply to modern day society, or would the conclusions drawn from them show that his ideas are strictly a sign of the time, and would not be able to occur.Throughout Platos' Republic, Socrates is identifying how he envisions the perfect city, a "Utopia". He believes that in order to have this type of city the people within must inherintly have four major virtues; wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. If this is accomplished then the city itself will also retain these virtues. "In establishing our city we aren't aiming to make any one group outstandingly happy but to make the whole city so, as far as possible" (Plato 420b). Socrates is saying that the people of the city can be assests to the city as a whole. By follwing thsese virtues the citizens will contribute to the happiness of the lot. According to Socrates, the first virtue wisdom, comes from the idea that the smallest body of the city (Gaurdians) possess a portion of knowledge that the rest of the city do
Plato and Socrates idea for a perfect city, a "Utopia" if you will, is a theory that would work if people were stale and had no desire to go further in life and our only goals were to please otheres. but the god who made you mixed some gold into those who are adequetly equipped to rule, because they are most valuable" (Plato 415). By hearing certain stories Socrates feels that the youth could interpret them wrong and in turn be corrupted by the myths and falsehoods. In a business moderation is not becoming too greedy with profits, and in government not becoming absorbed in the power of the position held. The sinlge citizen is therefore partially responsible for the just ways of the city itself, and by living in moderation, the leaders through their wisdom, are able to create just laws to govern by. Over here in America today, after years of development we have realized that we want better out of life and cannot stay in the same postion for ever. The idea being that the metal that your class represents should keep within that class, to produce more of that craftmsn. es not have, the ability to have good judgement. Without justice a government and a country cannot exist. Moderation is a virtue which all companies and government offices must have in order to function smoothly. Class structure has always been aparent in todays world, back to Socrates and before.
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