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Plato's "The Republic"

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NeantHumain
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18 Jan 2010, 9:55 pm

Honestly, I found it kind of boring in parts. It probably was quite revolutionary for its time, but the overall society Plato proposes goes strongly against my democratic sensibilities. The cave allegory is also the basis for Platonism. I can't say I hold it in as high esteem as its reputation makes it out to be, meh.



ruveyn
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18 Jan 2010, 10:02 pm

skysaw wrote:

I'm sure Aristotle was a genius, but I always remember what Bertrand Russell said about him:

"Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives' mouths."


Aristotle often did not check his conclusions. For example he taught that heavier things fall faster than lighter things. Once you get past feathers and such like, this is not the case. Once air resistance is eliminated all objects fall at the same rate. This is very easy to check, but Aristotle did not do so.

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lotuspuppy
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18 Jan 2010, 11:19 pm

anna-banana wrote:
ruveyn wrote:

Having said that, I should point out that Plato's -Republic- is the operating manual for every nasty totalitarian government ideology that has occurred in modern times. All the way from the French Revolution to the Nazis and the Commies.

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exactly, it seemed to me at the time I read it that the guy had no idea of human nature. but then again, he didn't know what we know. it's hard to judge someone's intellect from this perspective.


I think it's important to note that Plato based his society based on what he thought he knew at the time. I agree that his ideas are just plain wrong, but he was the first to ask what a just society was, and use deductive reasoning (however primitive) to reach his conclusions. Of course, Plato knew nothing of the totalitarian horrors that didn't occur until the 20th century.



ruveyn
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19 Jan 2010, 1:43 pm

[quote="lotuspuppy"

I think it's important to note that Plato based his society based on what he thought he knew at the time. I agree that his ideas are just plain wrong, but he was the first to ask what a just society was, and use deductive reasoning (however primitive) to reach his conclusions. Of course, Plato knew nothing of the totalitarian horrors that didn't occur until the 20th century.[/quote]

Plato was pro-Spartan. While Sparta was technologically less advanced than nations are now, relative to its technology, Sparta was much more brutal than Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany. Don't let the move -300- fool you. The Spartans were thoroughly anti-liberty and regularly practice slaughter and genocide upon the helots.

ruveyn