Plato Part I: The Republic

Five minute dose of Platonism

Typically, I will dedicate only one post (or occasionally a few in one) to each thinker, but for Plato, I plan to publish three posts (or more, depending on how things play out). This first post serves as an introduction to Plato's philosophical ideas. It is merely a summary of Plato's most influential work, "Republic," from which we will be extracting our ideas in the subsequent posts. Not every part is essential to the overall flow, but it provides helpful background information (and it's quite interesting). For readers who are already familiar with Plato’s work, feel free to skip to the next post, Plato Part II.

In the previous discussion, we talked about how there is a ‘hidden aspect’ to ancient wisdom that isn’t fully comprehensible to those who have not shared their experience. We were a bit unclear as to the nature of this hidden experience, but now, as we start to gather the different sources, we hope to get a better sense of this mysterious reality and learn a new (or rather, old) way of thinking.

Our journey begins with Plato. Plato was arguably the most influential philosopher of all time. Student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, Plato left an indelible mark on the world. Probably his most renowned work is a manifesto called “Republic.” Comprising ten books, Plato sets out to outline his ideal society, his ‘utopia,’ by debating and defining things like justice, philosophy and truth. Particularly in book VII, he introduces what became his most famous idea, the Allegory of the Cave. This allegory illustrates his views on the nature of knowledge and on its education.

The Allegory of the Cave

Plato presents a scenario where prisoners are chained inside a dark cave, facing a blank wall. These prisoners have been there since birth and are unable to turn their heads or look around. Behind them there is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised walkway where people pass by, carrying various objects and casting shadows on the cave wall. To the prisoners, these shadows cast on the wall are the only reality they know. They would talk amongst themselves about the shapes and patterns they see, considering themselves experts in this limited realm of existence.

Plato imagines that if one of the prisoners were to be freed and allowed to turn around and see the actual fire and the objects creating the shadows, after getting over his inner turmoil, he would start to see the true forms of the objects and realize that the shadows he previously perceived were mere illusions. Enlightened by his newfound knowledge, the liberated prisoner yearns to discover more. He decides to venture out of the cave, leaving behind the familiar darkness and stepping into the outside world. The brilliant sunlight overwhelms him at first, but as his vision adjusts, he beholds the true reality before him. He sees the world for what it really is, and recognizes this new experience as the ultimate source of knowledge and truth.

The radiant sun is the source of light which gives all the varying forms meaning (symbolizing the Form of the Good—the highest form of knowledge and enlightenment), and the former prisoner understands that the world inside the cave was a mere shadowy reflection of the real world. Filled with the desire to share this revelation with his fellow prisoners, he returns to the cave.

Excitedly, he tells the others about the wonders he had witnessed, urging them to break free from their chains and explore the world outside. However, the prisoners are skeptical and ridicule his claims. They are comfortable with the familiar shadows on the wall and resist the idea of a reality beyond what they know.

Despite their resistance, the liberated prisoner continues to encourage his fellow captives, hoping they would embrace the pursuit of true knowledge. Yet, most of them reject his message, dismissing him as a rambling madman, preferring the familiarity of the cave and their limited understanding.

In order to understand Plato’s metaphor properly, it is worth becoming somewhat familiar with the "Republic," so we'll summarize some of its core ideas (in my order), allowing us to examine and discuss what we need from them in greater detail in the next posts.

1. Justice

Socrates (the character of the book, paying homage to his teacher of this name by employing his famous ‘Socratic method’ of inquiry and dialogue) first engages in discussions with various interlocutors seeking to define justice and explore its nature.

2. The Tripartite Soul

Having concluded that justice is an inherent virtue, and not just a mere construct of social power, Socrates introduces the ‘tripartite soul.’ He proposes that the soul (a.k.a. the mind) can be divided into three distinct parts: reason (logos), spirit (thumos), and desire (epithumia). Reason represents the rational and intellectual aspect of the soul, which guides decision-making based on knowledge and wisdom. Spirit encompasses the emotional and ‘spirited’ element of the soul, which drives courage, determination, and the pursuit of honor. Desire refers to the appetitive and instinctual part of the soul, associated with basic physical needs and desires.¹

Socrates argues that there is justice within an individual when these three parts of the soul are in proper balance and harmony.² Reason should be the ruling faculty, guiding and directing the emotional and appetitive elements of the soul. In the just individual, reason exercises control over desires and emotions, ensuring that they align with virtuous principles and moral values. This internal harmony allows individuals to make just decisions and live a virtuous life.

3. Tripartite Society

Plato then builds upon this understanding of the human condition to explore the structure of an ideal and just society. He argues that individuals who have achieved self-control and are just within themselves should be the rulers of society. This is because their internal harmony and virtue will enable them to guide others towards happiness, fulfillment and ultimately, truth.

Plato examines the notion that those driven primarily by their spirited (thumos) and appetitive (epithumia) aspects are likely to prioritize misguided ideals and spread harmful ideas. He contends that only the "philosophers," those who have complete control over their base desires and emotions and are guided by reason (logos), can discern what is harmful for society at large, and they are the ones who should be the kings, with strong censorship on these bad ideas. The type of music and poetry one is exposed to during their formative years greatly influences their perception of reality, their values, and their understanding of virtue. Therefore, Socrates emphasizes the need for strict censorship and control over the content of artistic expressions.³

4. The Philosopher King

Socrates then expounds on the concept of the philosopher-king, asserting that those who possess philosophical wisdom are best suited to govern the state with justice. Philosophers have developed and refined the unique skill of understanding the true nature of reality. But real philosophers are few and hard to find. Of all of the philosophers, whom would all be the guardians of the city, just one would be fit to be the actual king.

Philosophers, by the very essence of what they work so hard to do, must possess a certain detachment from material possessions and worldly desires (as we’ll discuss soon in number 6). Therefore, unlike rulers driven by personal ambition or the pursuit of wealth and power, philosophers are focused on the pursuit of wisdom and the betterment of society as a whole. Their detachment from material goods enables them to make unbiased and just decisions, free from personal interests and corruption.

By embracing a life devoted to the acquisition of knowledge and acquiring the knowledge of truth, philosophers are able to cultivate a deep understanding of justice and the common good. Their understanding of truth allows them to discern the most just and virtuous course of action for the state, promoting the well-being and harmony of the entire community rather than serving personal or selfish interests.

5. Communism

(This idea is least integral to our discussions, but I couldn’t help myself because it’s so interesting. Socrates's concept of communism, unlike the modern understanding of the idea, is not concerned with rights and equality. Instead, it revolves around the pursuit of the best collective perfection, guided by wise kings. If you don’t care for this sort of stuff, kindly skip to number 6.)

This portion of Republic may be the most interesting from our western perspective, where Socrates introduces the concept of communism (only) within the ruling class of the ideal city-state. He advocates for the abolition of private property and the establishment of communal living among the guardians, the ruling class of philosophers. He takes this idea way further than any of us would imagine, such as having no real family and extreme interference from the rest of the guardian community for small infractions. He also discusses women’s rights; his words somewhat smiled upon today.

Socrates argues that communal ownership of property and resources promotes unity and eliminates conflicts of interest among the guardians. By removing individual possessions and wealth, there is no room for personal gain or rivalry within the ruling class. This ensures that the guardians prioritize the common good and the well-being of the entire society over personal interests.

The idea behind this arrangement is to create a harmonious and just society where everyone works together for the collective benefit. Through communal living, resources are shared equitably, and there is no distinction between rich and poor among the ruling class. The focus shifts from individual accumulation of wealth to the cultivation of virtue and the pursuit of wisdom, and this communist arrangement is crucial for the stability and unity of the state. The guardians, free from the distractions of material possessions, can devote themselves entirely to the governance of the state and the pursuit of knowledge.

6. The Ascent to Philosophy

This next idea is most crucial to our discussion so we will devote ample time to explain it.

Socrates, mainly in book VI, explores the philosopher's ascent to knowledge and the nature of philosophical thinking; the journey of the philosopher in his pursuit of understanding the ultimate reality that exists beyond the physical world. He refers to this reality as the intellectual realm, which cannot be perceived through the five senses; only grasped by the intellect. This is important because not only is the intellectual realm unseen by the physical senses, the senses we hold so dear as our reality actually blind a person from perceiving this truth.

Through philosophical dialectic, the philosopher seeks to transcend the limitations of the physical senses and access the realm of the Forms, which represent the ideal and unchanging essences of things (we will expound upon this idea in the next post).

The philosophers’ journey towards understanding the Forms is a challenging one. They must overcome the illusions and misconceptions of the physical world and pursue a deep intellectual insight into the eternal truths that actually underpin reality. This requires intellectual discipline, self-reflection, and the ability to detach oneself from the distractions and temptations of the material world.

A philosopher is someone who possesses a deep love for wisdom and truth (philo meaning love; sophia meaning wisdom). Through his complete and unbridled love for the search of wisdom and truth, he is able to intellectually discipline himself and detach himself from the distractions and temptations of the material world, the visible realm.

The true philosophers are those who have attained the profound knowledge and comprehension of the Forms, especially the Form of the Good, the ultimate object of knowledge. They have ascended to a higher level of understanding, transcending the realm of appearances and recognizing the ultimate reality.

7. The Allegory

Having laid the foundation for understanding what a philosopher is and his role in society, the stage is now set for the allegory of the cave in Book VII, where Socrates further elucidates the transformative power of philosophy and the philosopher's duty to enlighten others.

Other ideas expressed in this work, especially toward the end, are more about society (especially its relentless decline) and art (especially how it should represent the truth, i.e., the Forms), and while these topics are intriguing, they are not the focus of our discussion. If anyone is interested the translated version of Plato’s work, here is the version I read, or altenatively, you can refer to the SparkNotes version (though I must warn that while they do an excellent job, it doesn’t do justice).

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The Allegory of the Cave has gained popularity for its depiction of the idea that we are all raised with certain ideas, certain ‘truths,’ but the very things we perceive as our reality may actually be very far removed from the actual truth. Ironically, this analogy has been hijacked by modern thinkers as a way to admonish the religious for never leaving their “caves” of religious comfort, which is almost the complete opposite of Plato’s intent, as we will proceed to show.

The purpose of a metaphor is to explain a complex or abstract concept by employing familiar examples from our world to illustrate the higher point. But many of the critics of Plato do not see themselves as the prisoners depicted in the allegory; rather, they consider themselves enlightened individuals who can evaluate Plato's ideas on equal footing. I am referring to modern thinkers like Karl Popper, G.E. Moore (he despised his name, George Edward and refused to be called such; even his wife called him Bill) and Bertrand Russell.

In the next post we will focus on Russell, mainly because he was more well-known in popular culture and more enjoyable to read - at least in my opinion. Nevertheless, the arguments presented are equally applicable to any thinkers of this kind.

Stay tuned!

1. See Rambam in the beginning of שמונה פרקים, his introduction the אבות, for a similar analysis.

2. This is a very keen insight from an etymological standpoint: the term “justice” being derived from the word “just,” implying that justice really is when everything is “just” and “exact,” in its proper order. The would be rulers rule; the wild spirits are tamed; the desires are moderated.

3. According to Plato, certain musical modes and poetic works can have a detrimental effect on the soul, promoting vices such as excessive emotions, immoderation, and irrationality. Conversely, exposure to harmonious and morally uplifting music, as well as literature that portrays virtuous characters and promotes ethical ideals, can have a positive impact on shaping the souls of the guardians (those who are en-route to becoming philosophers). Hence the need for strong censorship.