Education: Platonic and Utopian Styles

The dialogue on theological principles picks up where it left off in the previous book, Book II. With Adeimantus and Glaucon as auditors, Plato recommences his attack on libelous poetry and fiction as unsuitable for the early education of the guardians of the State. He examines several poetic descriptions of courage (the overcoming of fear of death) and of the underworld, and the philosopher then demonstrates his willingness to bowdlerize even Homer's inimitable lines when they do not serve his purposes.

In the end, the only acceptable subjects for poetry and literature are strictly didactic‹they teach the guardians four cardinal virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. Neither men nor gods may be depicted acting in an ambiguous, morally undesirable, manner. Having dispensed with subject, Plato moves logically to its complement: style.

After a brief misunderstanding, Plato and Adeimantus deduce three fundamental styles of narration: single voice (or narrative), mimetic, and a mix of the two. From these, Plato chooses an unbalanced mix of narrative and very little imitation, w

Raphael suggests that Britain would do well by eliminating idleness. The Utopians are vigilant against the spread of vice and in their leisure time, they play a game resembling chess in which the "virtues" are lined up in battle against the "vices." The game shows how vices and virtues interact and attack one another, and how one side ultimately overpowers the other. From this game, Utopians learn how to use their virtues to overcome their vices.

The second part of the guardian's education, physical training, is broached when the philosophers have finished their outline of music. Physical education, Plato asserts, should be governed by the same rigorous temperance as music. No exceptions are made for the ill or the valetudinarian; citizens are to survive only with some small amount of attention from a physician or not at all.

They have morning lectures‹mandatory for those selected to pursue intellectual activities as a trade, but regularly attended by a good number of "ordinary" people. The equitable distribution of labor enables Utopia to produce a surplus of goods. There is no leisure class; there are no beggars, swashbuckle

Some topics in this essay:
Soon Plato, Education Utopia, Adeimantus Glaucon, Plato Adeimantus, Dorian Phrygian, Education Republic, view education, View Education,