Research Paper on "Plato the Republic"

Research Paper 10 pages (3024 words) Sources: 10

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Plato (the Republic)

There have been numerous theories concerning the best means through which equality, justice, and at the same time power can be achieved and defended by a state. At this moment in time the rule of democracy and that of the democratic principles is considered to be most suitable for the world we live in. However, there are arguments to support the idea that democracy as we know it today is not the best means to govern in a global society especially taking into account the massive negative reactions that are evident in the world against the western democratic system. Democracy is at its foundation a principle that ensures equal treatment of all human beings, yet, for instance, it refuses to ensure equal rights for religious worship. Although such an example would necessitate further debate, it has been provided to argue that, to this day, the best means to govern has not yet been established and depend on the local, regional, national and international context.

The theory of philosophical thought has taken this matter into account since the earliest of times. Plato in this sense is one of the most significant theorists of the ideal state. Although his initial beliefs of the ideal state are no longer applicable to the current day realities, his views on the matter are crucial for understanding certain aspects of the organization of the state from a philosophical perspective. The "polis" or the ideal state as it is presented in the "Republic" is not a political project, but rather an analogy used by Plato to be able to answer a more complex question on the meaning of "justice"

. Therefore, the theory of the soul and the virtues of the so

Continue scrolling to

download full paper ⤓

ul, as well as its projection on the idea of the state, represent a model to better identify the forms of justice as "oikeioragia - justice." Overall, neither the ideal state nor a soul in perfect harmony with the notion of justice, actually exist in the real world. In this world, there are only corrupt forms of these ideas, an aspect that is clearly visible to this day. Yet the perceptions and theories that have tried to answer such questions are important to provide perspective and to eventually justify the development of the state, of justice, and of other terms as they are today.

2. Background

Plato is one of the greatest ancient philosophers that has given birth to an original and profound philosophical thought. He is believed to have been at the foundation of political thought through the impressive work he achieved in the early days of the construction of states in human civilization

. His contributions to the theories of the state are essential to this day and are seen as crucial for the theories developed since ancient Greece onwards.

Plato's philosophy however was based on previous works from philosophers such as Heraclites and Socrates. Despite these influences however, his work far surpasses that of his predecessors through the way in which the ideas were developed. The Dialogue technique was impressive and served the purpose of the dialectical exercise. Initially the technique was taken from Socrates. Plato opted for the form of dialogue to express his views on different philosophical matters for several reasons. One of the main reasons relates to the fact that Plato was an admirer of the dramatic genre and considered the dialogue to be a dramatic and pedagogical form of expressing his philosophy. Another reason relates to the actual structure of the dialogue that he considered useful for reaching the truth through conversation. The technique makes it less artificial the argumentation and counter argumentation that in the end reveals the arguments and the eventual conclusion.

Plato's dialogues are divided into youth, maturity, and old age works. The "Republic" is part of his maturity works. The characters in his dialogues are people and philosophers that either lived at the time of writing the dialogues or before that. However, in almost all of his dialogues Socrates is present as a character. In his philosophical endeavors, Plato follows the Greek life (Heraclites, Pythagoras, Parmenides). At the same time though he uses nature, religion, and ancient myths to argue his own beliefs. Even if in the beginning he uses Socrates' ideas he soon departs from them to consider his own line of judgment.

3. Terminology and content

The "Republic" is one of the most important collections of political ideas that remained since ancient times

. The dialogues revolve around the best way a society must be led and organized. The starting point of the organization is, according to Plato, the nation, based on the principle of justice. Plato considers the forms of state organization present in his days as unfit and unsuited and he therefore proposes the creation of an ideal state. Even a single individual can initiate such a construction. However, this individual must first and foremost consider very thoroughly the guiding principles that must be at the base of this construction. The initiator can only be a philosopher and he can only be a representative of the aristocracy. This differentiation is based on the belief however that people are not equal. Some of them are endowed with certain qualities that make them suitable to uphold certain functions in the republic, while other need to follow the leaders rather than become leaders in their turn.

Plato in his work the "Republic" makes particular assumptions that are relevant to this day. In Book VIII, on the four forms of government, Plato argues that "the States are as the men are; they grow out of human characters"

. This mention comes to point out that in fact the state, regardless of its constitution is as good as its components. Although there are laws that govern the well being of the state, these are created and enacted by individuals and not by a supreme construction independent of the human being

. From this point-of-view, Plato's emphasis on the nature of the human being, and his quality as a just or unjust individual is relevant for the dialogue.

The notion mentioned before is also applicable in today's world. Indeed, there is a different background and cultural consideration to be taken into account than the ones in ancient Greece. However, taking as status quo the existence of a certain form of government, in this case democracy, the results on the short run can be different depending on who in fact is leading this democratic government

. For instance, in the United States, the overall directions of leadership change once the Democratic and the Republican parties change. During a Republican Administration there is more focus on a more liberal doctrine, on a more engaged foreign policy, and bolder economic strives. When the Democratic Administration is heading the White House and the Government, the directions of leadership change in the sense that more emphasis is on social measures, a more pacifist foreign policy. This is not to say that the basis of the form of government changes but rather that the content of such government is influenced by the actual people that develop policies which eventually influence the dwellers of a "polis" or the citizens of a state in today's world. Therefore, one of Plato's assumptions in ancient Greece is valid to this day and applicable in everyday politics.

The four forms of government presented by Plato included the Spartan polity, the oligarchical, democratical, and tyrannical

. His aim in his comparison of these forms of government is to eventually reveal the degree of happiness or unhappiness of those leading a just or unjust life. This exercise is, as mentioned previously, related to Plato's general exercise and debate on justice and happiness rather than on the actual forms of governing a state. Indeed, a side result of the general discussion, the debate on the just or unjust forms of government is further emphasizes; yet this is not a purpose in itself. More precisely, "Plato tries to determine which of the four forms of xaxia produces the least unhappiness and which the greatest wretchedness. Clearly what Plato attempts to establish -- but again in terms of his own conception of justice -- is that any intermediate life, any soul characterized by some degree of injustice is inferior in point of happiness to the perfectly just, despite any other good things in intermediate life might include"

4. Arguments

Plato was considered a fine analysis of the period of his time. As a philosopher he was part of a privileged cast of the society and had the time and ability to provide analysis and arguments of the world around him. However, the "Republic" as it stands today does not take into account the existing political arrangements and social conditions in Greece as an actual subject for analysis. More precisely, "were it not for the title, it might be read for what it is, rather than an essay on utopian political theory. It is a fact that only about a third… READ MORE

Download Full Paper

Write a New Paper for Me

Quoted Instructions for "Plato the Republic" Assignment:

“

Guidelines for a Political Theory Paper

When you are preparing to write a political theory paper (or when you are reading any political theory text in general) consider the following questions:

1. What is the character of the argument? Is the author concerned to describe and analyze existing political arrangements and social conditions or to recommend changing those arrangements? What sorts of evidence does the author appeal to for answers (history, fact, logic/reason, divine will/revelation?)

2. How does the theorist envisage the relationship between the individual and the political community? Is the community merely an association of independent individuals or is it a supra-individual organism? Does the political community provide the necessary conditions for achieving the *****˜good life***** or does it restrain human nature? Is the political community a good in itself or is it merely a necessary evil?

3. What is the nature of political authority? On what basis does the claim to political authority rest: inheritance, superior knowledge/wisdom, divine will, conquest/power, contract, consent? What is the scope of political authority: are there any spheres of human activity excluded from the ruler*****s exercise of authority; are there any other restrains on what a ruler legitimately does?

4. What are the political *****˜values***** implicit or explicit in the text? How does the theorist define and rank concepts like justice, freedom and equality?

On Substance

Make a compelling argument. Your goal is to present an accurate treatment of the basic interpretive facts, but then to conduct a dialogue with the text and to give your opinion on the theoretical problem at hand. For example, political theory essays often deal with a normative issue (known colloquially as the *****"ought to*****" question). In that *****, the political theory paper should advance a clear normative argument (whereby the term *****normative argument***** means *****expressing value judgments or prescriptions as contrasted with stating facts*****).

Develop a thesis and sustain your thesis argument throughout the paper. Each paper should be organized in terms of a thesis that emphasizes a conceptual argument, rather than a mere summary of the texts or a general theme. Take a position, state clearly what your position is, and then mobilize textual references to convince your reader that you have approached the question in a fair-minded and thoughtful manner. Papers that are not built on a thesis tend to summarize the text and to wander aimlessly from point to point.

Engage with the themes of the course and the texts that we are studying. A good paper strikes the reader as a work that could not have been written unless the student had attended the course lectures, taken part in class discussions, and engaged with the assigned readings.

Define your terms. Political theorists should aim to define terms with great precision. Political theorists contribute to the study of politics by shedding new light on the conceptual dimensions of key political problems. As soon as you introduce a term into your essay, you should define it very clearly. The reader must know exactly what you mean. For example, when you write *****˜classical realism***** explain this concept by writing two to three explanatory sentences. A sophisticated paper also shows awareness of the denotation of words (their explicit meanings) and their (laudatory or pejorative) connotations.

Avoid the use of clichÃ©s. An essay is an academic mode of discourse. Casual language usage and sloppy argumentation that you would use in other contexts, such as your personal journal or conversations with friends, has no place in a political theory paper. In political theory writing, the more you strike a thoughtful and scholarly tone, the more your reader will trust your judgment.

Use direct quotations sparingly. When you are dealing with a richly textured passage a direct quotation both illustrates and advances your argument. However, quotations must be an aid to an argument, not a substitute for one. You should choose appropriate passages from the text and put them in your own words, taking care throughout the paper to capture the nuances of the text. Following each paraphrase, you should bring your own analytical voice to the forefront by giving your own commentary. In other words, your paper should never strike the reader as a simple set of textual summaries.

You should explore the meaning of each text very carefully. If you are opposed to an argument, you must nevertheless recognize its strengths. By the same token, you must indicate the weaknesses and contradictions in the texts that you happen to favor. Any essay that fails to do this will miss the opportunity to engage in advanced forms of interpretive work. If you agree with the text without carefully reconstructing its position, then your agreement will come too easily and you will fail to note the text*****'s own contradictions and weaknesses. If, by contrast, you criticize the text without considering its strengths, you will be engaging in a dismissive reading where subtle and detailed commentary is required.

Target audience: Use the non-expert scholar figure as your target audience. Write your paper as if you will be submitting it to a professor who studies politics, but who is not an expert on the material you are dealing with. This will remind you to use any complicated terminology sparingly, to define all key terms thoroughly, and to avoid taking for granted the meaning of complicated debates and issues.

Cite only the sources you consult. Citing the source of your source, as if you had consulted it yourself, is misleading and deceptive, unless you explicitly acknowledge it (e.g., source X, as quoted in source Y, p. Z).

Technical requirements: On Organization, Form & Style

Your paper must have organization, clarity, logic and textual evidence. Every paper must begin with a summary introduction that tells the reader briefly what the paper*****'s main points are. Tell your reader the question(s) you are going to address, why they are significant, how you are going to answer them, and what your answer is going to be. Don*****t just raise questions or topics and leave the reader in suspense about your conclusions until the end; this makes it harder for readers to digest and evaluate your arguments. Because you can*****'t write a summary introduction until you know what the paper is going to say, it is better to compose it after the outline (or even after the body of the paper itself has been written).

Papers 10 pages or longer should be divided by section headings to help the reader follow the progression of your argument. Explain to the reader why you are proceeding from one idea to the next. Present major arguments first, followed by supporting or subsidiary ones. One good organizational structure is to lay out and defend your main position, then turn to alternative explanations or counter-arguments and deal with them in turn.

Good diction (i.e. choice of words) consists of the deliberate selection of words that most precisely express your meaning. If you find that you are repeating a few general adjectives, examine each case to see whether you can find words which will make finer distinctions as well as give variety to your writing.

Do not put too much emphasis on a single source. For a 12-15 page paper you much have at least eight sources (not including your primary source), including a minimum of three from academic journals. Avoid using Wikipedia or other non-credible internet websites.

Leave yourself enough time to write a full outline and multiple drafts. The best theoretical papers take a great deal of reflection and critical revision. Aim to finish the final draft several days before the due date, so that you will have enough time to put it away for a couple of days. Re-read your draft in order to detect weak passages and problematic transitions.

*****

How to Reference "Plato the Republic" Research Paper in a Bibliography

“Plato the Republic.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2013, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.

Plato the Republic (2013). Retrieved from https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548

A1-TermPaper.com. (2013). Plato the Republic. [online] Available at: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548 [Accessed 5 Oct, 2024].

”Plato the Republic” 2013. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548.

”Plato the Republic” A1-TermPaper.com, Last modified 2024. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548.

[1] ”Plato the Republic”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2013. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548. [Accessed: 5-Oct-2024].

1. Plato the Republic [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2013 [cited 5 October 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548

1. Plato the Republic. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/plato-republic/8629548. Published 2013. Accessed October 5, 2024.

Related Research Papers: