Plato The repubic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Plato The repubic - Essay Example Socrates did not leave his teachings in writing but Plato incorporated most of them in his many books. Socrates arguments exemplified and clarified to his listeners the various philosophical concepts. Socrates utilized various intricately woven arguments to illustrate such philosophical constructs. The conception of abstract ideas of beauty and justice are illustrated in the statement "we shall conclude then that those who behold beautiful things but cannot see beauty itself- and will not permit another to guide then to where it is- who observes many just things but do not see justice itself and think this way in all other things, such as men have opinions about everything but know nothing of what they profess to believe" (Republic, Book V, 479). Socrates begins his argument about the abstraction of the idea of beauty by emphasizing the excessive importance normally attached to the perception that philosophers have compared to the other groups. He believes that the rulers of the days, have natures quite distinct of those of philosophers. Rulers like other 'men of pleasure' are clouded and limited in their views of beauty. He cites the examples of the lovers who are so overwhelmed by there emotions of affection, love and attachment that "They love all, and turn blemishes into beauties. The snub-nosed youth is said to have a winning grace; the beak of another has a royal look; the featureless are faultless; the dark are manly, the fair angels; the sickly have a new term of endearment invented expressly for them, which is 'honey-pale.'Similarly lovers of wine and lovers of ambition also desire the objects of their affection in every form"(Republic, Book V) "As you are a man of pleasure, you will not have forgotten how indiscrim inate lovers are in their attachments; they love all, and turn blemishes into beauties. The snub-nosed youth is said to have a winning grace; the beak of another has a royal look; the featureless are faultless; the dark are manly, the fair angels; the sickly have a new term of endearment invented expressly for them, which is 'honey-pale.' Lovers of wine and lovers of ambition also desire the objects of their affection in every form. Now here comes the point:--The philosopher too is a lover of knowledge in every form; he has an insatiable curiosity. 'But will curiosity make a philosopher" (Republic, Book V) However the philosophical crux is missed in the process. For instance the philosophers are also lovers of knowledge in all form and also have a greedy curiosity to extend this knowledge to infinite. However the presence of mere curiosity doesn't imply that a philosophical attitude or approach is present. These philosophers attitude realizes that the brief and finite life the philosopher is more inward oriented to the soul. It is his soul that is hungrier for knowledge. We will never satisfy our real appetites without reason and to get reason ruling, we have to pass through the worldly appetites of wealth, power etc. A philosopher seeks honour and love. He is not frightened of death as he is less driven by the worldly appetite and more by the appetites of the soul like he seeks ho nour. The philosophical soul believes that there is something after death. And that it's a practice of death "Aporia" is state and place of not knowing. Real philosophical education is falling into a kind of death "here is the man