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Plato – Political rule

Democracy is poor – Doctor Laymen analogy.

Philosophers are regarded useless but should be the rulers.
Analogy of the ship – explain the ship.
Criticisms of the ship

-          Problem of analogy

-          Knowledge doesn’t merit leadership; navigator should be advisor to captain, to be a captain requires attributes including confidence, charisma and likeability.

-          Difference between navigators and frauds?

-          ‘word spinner, star gazer’

-          ‘They have no idea that the true navigator must study the seasons of the year, the sky, the stars...’

Philosophers are still born leaders; they have the qualities it takes to be born leaders. Philosopher qualities, discuss the qualities given, no family, lead to rule, love of truth
Criticisms of the philosopher ruler

-          No one can possess such long and extraneous attributes Plato dictates to be a leader

-          Utopian idea

-          Restricts autonomy, people are set on their goal in life and there is little social mobility

-          Paternalistic, suggests people don’t know what is good for themselves

-          Mill’s libertarian state sounds much better than Plato’s paternalistic state

-          Built on a Nobel lie – He claims the lie will be infused in religion to make people happy with their career choices and to restrict social mobility. Wants guardians to believe int he Nobel lie. How can a society be built on a lie? ‘We have natural aptitudes, which fit us for different jobs.’

-          Some people will end up doing unfulfilling jobs for the rest of their lives because the eugenics program dictates it

-          Stifles any technological development because of conservative state

Rulers of state don’t have knowledge of how to rule, but philosophers are portrayed as vicious.
Analogy of the beast, explain analogy
Criticisms of analogy

-          Problem with analogy, state is built up of many, beast is one

-          Good trainer should understand how to make people…