1 - Plato Flashcards
What is the central focus of “The Republic” by Plato?
Focuses on a “Utopia” - the Ideal city.
illustrating what a stable and just city would look like
What are the three themes of “The Republic”
Stability and Order, Justice, The Good Life
What are Plato’s 3 categories of Good?
Intrinsic goods - Desire for their own sake
Instrumental goods - Desire because they are a means to an end (food)
Mixed - Desire for its own sake, and it does something good
What are the main parts of the Ideal City’s Education system?
Music and Gymnastics
What does a Stable/Just/Ideal city look like?
“People gather in a single place to live together as partners and helpers”
Plato’s Definition of Justice
Obeying the rules enables common action and strength
What are the 3 main classes in the Ideal City?
Strict Hierarchy:
Worker (general tasks)
Warriors (Protectors, Spirit)
Guardians (Rulers, Philosophers, Politicians)
Who is Karl Popper?
Political Theorist, focused on Plato’s city from a totalitarian lens
What are Karl Popper’s critiques of Plato?
“Arrest all change and Back to Nature”
Popper believes that Plato’s political programme is identical to totalitarianism
Hates change and has a desire for stability
States become an object of worship
What does Popper like about Plato?
Community-oriented, public education, personal sacrifice
What does Popper believe about perception of a “utopian” city?
Popper says we can never have the utopian sight of a city, so it must be the best that we can see in any one moment
What does Popper believe about Political Theory?
Theory must be open to critique
Natural sciences inspire a public character (Criticism and common language)
What is Totalitarianism rooted in?
European Philosophy (Plato)
What is Popper’s alternative to the Ideal City?
“Open Society” - Liberal Democracy
Minimal Utilitarianism, protecting individual freedoms, critique of nationalism
Who is Susan Moller Okin?
Feminist political theorist, critiqued Plato
True or False: Moller Okin likes Plato’s perspective on Education
True - radical and revolutionary for him to want equal protection and education for women
What work does Plato assign to women?
Household management, upbringing of children, no education or participation in public life.
What does Moller Okin think will happen with family after communalization of property?
Abolition of the family, communal upbringing of children. The city/class becomes your family
True or False: Plato cares about physical characteristics of people more than their soul
False - applies to women especially (less focus on sex)
What is the role of Women in Plato’s public life, according to Moller Okin?
Women can become soldiers and guardians, in the ideal city.
In the second-best city, most offices are reserved for men
