Plato, the Most Modern of Thinkers

For me, Plato is the philosopher of choice. His writings date back to 500 BC and are modern and penetrating in their thought. In college I read in Greek the Phedo, the Crito, the Apology, and the first and 9th book of the Republic. I have never forgotten reading Plato in the original and I also read much of his Dialogues in English.

I would like to give you some examples of what I regard as the modernity and currency of Plato’s thought. Plato established the group call the Guardians to defend the country. He also stated that the philosophic rulers will be selected from among them. The lower section would be called the Warriors, who will obey the Guardians. As I said, the philosophic rulers would be selected from among them at a later stage and would be subjected to more advanced training. The key to Plato’s thought about the Guardians is that the higher element of the Guardians would be the philosophic rulers. Plato stated that there would be three orders in the state: the rulers, auxiliaries, and craftsmen. This setup was not to be based on birth or wealth but on natural capacities and attainments, and children born in any class are to be moved up or down on their merits. Plato’s thought here is quite original. The Guardians who are the rulers are there by reason of their philosophy. The setup I just described of rulers, auxiliaries and craftsmen is to be based not on birth or wealth but on natural capacities. Plato established a system of philosophic thinking to rule. The orders in the state are not to be based on birth or wealth, but on natural ability and talent and merit.

Plato’s thinking on the role of women in the state was also extremely advanced. Plato took the position that men and women should receive the same education and share equally in all public duties. Women with their natural gifts are not to be debarred by their sex from fulfilling the highest functions. The choice of the best Guardians to be selected as training for rulers can fall upon a woman. In Athens, where women lived in seclusion and took no part in politics, this was a revolutionary development of thought. Once again, Plato was ahead of his time in women’s rights. Perhaps the women of today in the women’s movement might take a look at Plato’s thought on this respect in the Republic as he so aptly stated in 500 BC.

Plato also abolished private homes and families for the Guardians. The idea was to rear children by a proper method, to free the Guardians from the temptation to prefer family interests to those of the whole community and to ensure the greatest possible unity in the state.

Most important, Plato established the good as the highest object of knowledge. Plato defines the ultimate goal of life to be the knowledge of good. Obviously, this is an extreme advance in thinking in establishing the moral good as the end and goal of life as opposed to wealth and power. One might consider Plato to be a beginning Christian since he believed in the immortality of the soul.

This ends my review of the high points of Plato’s thought. From what I have stated here, I do believe and think that he engaged in extremely advanced thinking in every way. What I have said here is contained in the Republic and I urge my readers to read the Republic and learn and know what Plato said.