Critism in Plato

What is life? This is the one question that to this day still cannot be answered. Over the years millions of people have had there own interpretation of what is means to live. However the quest to answer this rhetorical question goes back to the golden days of Greek civilization when the worlds greatest philosophers first attempted to find the answers to this question. "As his position takes form in the Republic, Plato claims that only a very few individuals are capable of understanding how human life is to be lived. If it could be done, the rest of us would be best off it we were to let out lives be controlled by such individuals". This position held by Plato has been one of much discussion and disagreement over the years. In this paper I will attempt to give my own insight and stand on Plato's position and will evaluate his position as it emerges throughout the Apology, the Crito and the Republic.

The Republic written by Plato discusses the basic ideas of education, justice and gives us a sample of a ruler that "could cure the world's ills. On the other hand the dialogues of Crito and Apology relate to us the messages of Plato's beloved mentor Socartes. In these dialogues Socartes talks about the respect for law and the authority by the people. Socrates also touches on the ideal of human virtue and the idea of our never dieing soul. Throughout the Republic Socartes along with his buddies Glaucon, Polemarchos, Thrasymachos, Adeimantos and Cephalos sit there and discuss all these subjects of justice, education, literature and the three classes of men where they respectively rule in order to find wisdom, honor and pleasure.

As Plato's position forms throughout the Republic, we learn that because of the imbalance of injustice and justice, along with the very intellectual thoughts and beliefs of Socartes and the others, Plato thinks that there are only a few individuals in this world who actually and truly understand how we as human beings should live our lives. Plato is claiming this because Socartes along with the others breaks down the concept of justice and the rule of men and different classes of life. This idea baffles because I don't understand how somebody could be sitting there telling me that I don't know how to live my own life. He is basically saying that we should allow someone else to govern our lives. Plato is claiming that out of all human beings on the face of this earth there's only that select few that are "living right". Plato is trying to insist that we are all living our lives wrongly. All that Plato is trying to infer that there is a set way to govern human life and there are only those few individuals who know that way. He believes that there is a certain way that we as people should live our lives. I just strongly disagree with the idea that Plato is putting forward the message that there is a set and perfect way to live and the majority of us are oblivious to this. He indicates that there are only those few people who are capable of living mistake free, therefore they are the only ones who could understand how human life should be lived. So basically in a shortage of words Plato is calling all of us incompetent in having the ability to govern our own lives.

Even though I understand Plato is trying to help all of us out he is also trying to tell us to let certain individuals run our lives. I don't know about you but I would hate for someone to tell me how to live my life. All though he is intending to do it out of good will it will still be very disturbing to me if there was someone telling me what I should and should not do. Plato is basically preaching dictatorship. He is telling us that we are incapable of controlling our own destiny and fate. He is saying that as humans would be better of if we allowed someone else to control us and lead us into living a good life. Since most of us aren't capable of understanding how human life should be lived then we should turn to those that do and let them control us.

On the other hand I can't help but sympathize with Plato because all he is trying to do is help all of humans out. Also you can't blame him because as it is visible in the Republic, Thrasymachus says, "I declare justice is nothing but the advantage of the stronger". All that this quote basically incorporates is that justice is nothing to normal people but in essence it's just an advantage to those people who are rulers and are stronger than the ordinary people. He brings up a great point stating that when robbery and violence are practiced by normal people its considered injustice, however when this is practiced by mass or most often by rulers or those in charge its considered justice. Since the rulers themselves do not obey the principles that they impose on the citizens, they are themselves "unjust". Because of this the tyrant himself is happy because he breaks the rules of justice that he imposes on the weak people below him. When you are allowing yourself to be governed and controlled by someone else rather than yourself it is not justice it's basically considered slavery. These are all the ideas brought upon by Thrasymachus in the Republic. However on the other hand in Book I of the Republic Plato's mentor Socrates tries and contests Thrasymachus' ideas. Socartes brings up a great point in saying that if the weak themselves were strong enough to prevent someone from becoming a tyrant then they themselves are strong meaning they don't need help. Socartes basically insists that a lot of the power of the man has to do with his soul. Plato being mentored by Socartes strongly agrees with him. As Plato says we should allow those individuals who understand the form of human life to control our lives he is not saying it in the form of tyrannical control rather in that of those who try and help us. The republic is a collection of books about ethics. In each of the books we learn from Socrates the way we should live life and how to be ethical. It is in this form that Plato believes that there are a lot of unjust people in this world and one of those just people in his eyes is Socartes, he in Plato's eyes should control our lives. The Republic is the dialogue in which we see Socrates real believes and his attempt to show us that justice is the way of life for everybody. I concur that Plato believes Socrates understands human life and we should let him control our lives.

In many of Plato's dialogues usually the first one that is found is the Apology. The Apology is the dialogue which recounts perhaps the most important even in Plato's life. This was the sentencing of Plato's beloved mentor Socrates as he was condemned by the Athenian courts. It begins with Socrates trying to defend himself against the charges of impiety and corruption of the youth