In the context of political philosophy, Plato remains one of the most prominent and influential authors. His Republic is not just another ancient dialogue that reveals the elements of the current political and ethical systems. This work contains a variety of complex discussions about justice, wisdom, truth, and trust in Kallipolis, an ideal utopian city-state governed by a philosopher-king (Green, 2021). Plato intends to idealize a state and achieve “the excellent” by cultivating virtue (Kotsonis, 2021). The philosopher believed people could obtain a good education, which resulted in the prosperity of civilizations. There are many reasons for proving education an important part of an ideal state. This paper evaluates Plato’s Republic to show how the differentiation between justice and injustice, the worth of a successful beginning, and the exchange of knowledge through education contribute to creating the perfect Kallipolis.
One of the most critical aspects of Plato’s Kallipolis is the promotion of justice through properly developed educational programs. Although a lack of systems was evident in ancient times, it is hard to ignore the desire to create a proper plan to improve people’s knowledge. Education is considered a good way to recognize the difference between justice and injustice. Plato (2013, p. 38) admits that “justice is the interest of the stronger, whereas injustice is a man’s own profit and interest.” Then, new arguments are gathered to prove that “justice is the excellence of the soul” (Plato, 2013, p. 52). There has to be a balance in human thoughts and actions, and education, as well as proper training, is necessary to lead the soul and strengthen perceptions (Kotsonis, 2019). Thus, Kallipolis’s citizens cannot neglect the role of education in their lives because it is the only way to make the right choices and decisions. Just people are happy and self-cultivated, and unjust individuals are usually miserable. Kallipolis is an ideal state where happiness and justice are essential, supporting the idea of education as a means to achieve the desired goal.
Another explanation of education worth in Kallipolis is related to the necessity to introduce a good beginning of human activities to enhance success and glory in the future. In most cases, people define their opportunities and skills as soon as they get a clear idea of what has to be done and within which limits and deadlines. Thus, the initial stages of any process set the tone of the entire project. Plato (2013, p. 77) has a similar position, explaining “the beginning is the most important part of any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing.” Education is the beginning in many directions: people learn how to read, write, cooperate, communicate, and use theoretical knowledge in practice. Kallipolis, as an idealized political arrangement, needs to balance strength and knowledge (Green, 2021). Plato (2013, p. 76) offers an equal combination of studying “music for the soul” and “gymnastic for the body.” The task is to create a professional background for people to develop their skills and apply their knowledge for growth and progress. Education is the best way to train the population and define their moral principles.
Finally, the exchange of experience and knowledge become the two significant parts of any progressive society, and individuals should understand how to take the necessary steps. The essence of political philosophy lies in fulfilling the eternality of wisdom, truth, and knowledge (Peprah, 2021). Without education, it is impossible to maintain the connection between these three virtues, which negatively affects social development. Plato (2013, p. 66) presents Kallipolis as a place where people “exchange with one another, and one gives, and another receives, under the idea that the exchange will be for their good.” Education is no longer a preference or recommendation but a priority determining the quality of life. Intellectual virtues and Plato’s arguments strengthen the political system because people are more confident when they apply their desires to their knowledge and the information obtained from others (Kotsonis, 2021). Plato (2013, p. 143) shares a simple and clear system: desires follow reason, the reason is under the guidance of the mind, and the mind is related to true opinions that are developed in best-educated individuals. Therefore, education cannot be ignored in Kallipolis, with its strong philosophical position and political adherence.
Plato’s Kallipolis may not be a perfect state, but the author does everything possible to enhance improvements and share his vision of an idealized society. Many attempts can be made to help people understand what they can do or what should be avoided for the purpose of creating a politically successful system. Education is an important part of Plato’s state because it allows citizens to differentiate between what is just and unjust, take a right first step, and learn how to use and share their knowledge. If people ignore the worth of musical or gymnastic education, they put their self-development under threat and misuse available resources. Every individual is born with a number of skills and qualities that have to be properly developed and strengthened, and Plato encourages training as a significant element of human success.
Reference List
Green, J. (2021) ‘The first city and first soul in Plato’s Republic’, Rhizomata, 9(1), pp. 50-83. doi: 10.1515/rhiz-2021-0003
Kotsonis, A. (2019) ‘What can we learn from Plato about intellectual character education?’, Educational Philosophy and Theory. doi: 10.1080/00131857.2019.1631157
Kotsonis, A. (2021) ‘The prominent role of education in the Platonic account of imperfect political systems’, Journal of Philosophy of Education, 55(2), pp. 347–357. doi: 10.1111/1467-9752.12556
Peprah, S. O. (2021) ‘Re-examining the ‘compulsion problem’ in Plato’s Republic’, Plato Journal, 22, pp. 177-195. doi: 10.14195/2183-4105_22_12
Plato (2013) The Republic. Translated by B. Jowett. Moscow: Roman Roads Media. Web.