The Republic
by Plato
I was a political science major in college, and Plato’s Republic was required reading in my first class. Reading this book opened my eyes and changed my outlook on life—oh, and it permeated all my other political science classes, even when not directly referenced.
Even if you’re not a student, this book could change your life. It’s the greatest philosophical outlook I’ve ever read, and the relevance to today’s world is startling. Plato describes his ideal society and explains how people can be useful and productive, through his famous bronze, silver, and gold levels. Bronzes raise the children, silvers are the caretakers—the firefighters, nurses, scientists, etc—and the golds are Philosopher Kings, who rule society but have no family or personal possessions. This is a gross simplification, but it’s not my intention to write a detailed summary in this review. I’ve written several term papers on Plato’s Republic, and my senior thesis was comparing his political morals to the presidencies of Wilson, Madison, Reagan, and Nixon. I know my Plato backwards and forwards; I could—and have—discuss it for hours. My point, in the above simplification, was to whet your appetite. Are you intrigued, outraged, or inspired? Do you want to know more about the ideal society? If so, go out and buy a copy of The Republic. Don’t bother renting it from the library; you’ll want to keep a copy in your own personal library, trust me.
In addition to the Republic, Plato also discusses his philosophies on the Noble Lie, what “just” and “justice” means, and the allegory of the cave. Once you’ve learned what these terms mean, you’ll never be able to stop talking about it, believe me. In the allegory of the cave, Plato describes the transformation of man’s life view. Men sit in a cave, watching shadows on the wall. One man turns around and looks out of the mouth of the cave; he understands the shadows are made by movements from the outside world. Once given this knowledge, he can no longer return to his comfortable ignorance and enjoy the shadows as he used to. This is profound even now, let alone in 380 BC when Plato wrote it.
Alright, I’ll stop raving about Plato for now. As I said, I could—and have—go on and on and on. Do me, your brain, and your country a favor. Read Plato’s Republic. Step outside the cave. You’ll never be the same.
Even if you’re not a student, this book could change your life. It’s the greatest philosophical outlook I’ve ever read, and the relevance to today’s world is startling. Plato describes his ideal society and explains how people can be useful and productive, through his famous bronze, silver, and gold levels. Bronzes raise the children, silvers are the caretakers—the firefighters, nurses, scientists, etc—and the golds are Philosopher Kings, who rule society but have no family or personal possessions. This is a gross simplification, but it’s not my intention to write a detailed summary in this review. I’ve written several term papers on Plato’s Republic, and my senior thesis was comparing his political morals to the presidencies of Wilson, Madison, Reagan, and Nixon. I know my Plato backwards and forwards; I could—and have—discuss it for hours. My point, in the above simplification, was to whet your appetite. Are you intrigued, outraged, or inspired? Do you want to know more about the ideal society? If so, go out and buy a copy of The Republic. Don’t bother renting it from the library; you’ll want to keep a copy in your own personal library, trust me.
In addition to the Republic, Plato also discusses his philosophies on the Noble Lie, what “just” and “justice” means, and the allegory of the cave. Once you’ve learned what these terms mean, you’ll never be able to stop talking about it, believe me. In the allegory of the cave, Plato describes the transformation of man’s life view. Men sit in a cave, watching shadows on the wall. One man turns around and looks out of the mouth of the cave; he understands the shadows are made by movements from the outside world. Once given this knowledge, he can no longer return to his comfortable ignorance and enjoy the shadows as he used to. This is profound even now, let alone in 380 BC when Plato wrote it.
Alright, I’ll stop raving about Plato for now. As I said, I could—and have—go on and on and on. Do me, your brain, and your country a favor. Read Plato’s Republic. Step outside the cave. You’ll never be the same.