Plato

Plato

Plato wrote dialogues from which we are given knowledge about Socrates and his ideas. Plato continued what Socrates said and believed too that personal opinion was irrelevant; the one absolute truth is all that counts.

Plato was completely against democracy. To him, democracy was the worst thing that could happen to the society in Athens.

    1. 'Democracy is the dictatorship if the ignorant masses'.

    1. Democracy was such a bad system – that went against all rational thinking – ended up killing the most important person – Socrates – Plato could never accept that Socrates was killed because of the ignorant majority.

    1. In Plato's ideal republic, democracy does not exist. (From his book – 'The Republic'). The philosopher – who is the lover of wisdom – would be the king – who would be in search of the Truth –

        If a leader is wanted, an appropriate one would be one who not only knows the Truth but also practices it.

        According to Socrates, those who know what is good does good.

        Plato arrived at these conclusions because he believed that society is divided into different levels and each person is put in their level. Everyone must accept their situation and that is how they can contribute to society.

        For every person to contribute in the best way to society he has to contribute at the level he is at.

        Three levels of people according to Plato in order to have an ideal society

        1. Labourers -   who work in producing what society needs

        1. Soldiers – who defend the country

        1. Philosophers – who run the country

                He said that philosophers and soldiers shouldn't have a family because then there is a chance that they'll prefer their family over the society.

1. A philosopher – he who loves knowledge

1. Socrates used to search for the universal definition of everything – and that would be the Absolute Truth.

1. Plato continued Socrates'...