Plato's Philosophy: Ideas, Morality, Society, and Education

The Essence of Ideas

In each general term, "cat" in this case, there is an idea, an essence that defines it as one thing and distinguishes it from others. For Plato, the idea of a cat has content; it is not just a word. We associate that word with an idea, and an idea is a term that exists in our mind, a way to identify cats. For Plato, the cat as an idea is reality; the idea is real because it does not change. If something is real, it must remain constant. For Plato, ideas are universal; we all understand the same meaning for our ideas. All individuals share a common idea. Ideas are paramount because they do not change. He advocates for the immutability of ideas because they are the essences of what we can perceive and learn through the senses. Reality, for him, is the essence. The word we associate with an idea has real substance, so real that what matters is the idea: idea equals reality. "Table," for us, is a word we associate with an idea.

Morality and the Organization of Society

The term "moral" refers to the way people act for good, discerning whether it is right or wrong, within each individual's consciousness. Plato developed the theory of ideas to organize society so that it would act morally, and we might as well use this theory. Ideas, then, are models for our society. For Plato, knowledge is ideas; to impart knowledge, you need something right, so we must arrive at the knowledge of ideas.

Forms of Government

Plato outlines various forms of government and their characteristics:

• Timocracy: Values honor and reputation above all, especially in war and hunting. It rejects reason and the physiological understanding of things. Emotion plays the dominant role in society and among members of the ruling class. What interests them is a military-led government; society matters little. They show their courage and desire that this value be recognized.
• Oligarchy: The old class divisions disappear, making money the dominant activity, and political power resides among the rich.
• Democracy: Can arise if the oppressed majority takes power.
• Tyranny: The tyrant lacks the pull of reason and is completely dominated by his appetites, especially sexual desires.

The perfect state would achieve a balance between the different social classes, and that is justice. Plato would be in favor of aristocracy.

• Rational: Aristocracy
• Irascible: Timocracy
• Oligarchy: Government by those who have become rich by stealing from those who had.
• Democracy: Government by the people; what leads to this point is excessive freedom. (The worst system of government for Plato).
• Tyranny: When democracy does not know who is in charge, it is a mess. Society cries out for a leader to stop people from doing whatever they want, but the leader, once in control, starts doing what he wants and stealing.

However much you know about something does not mean that you can do it, because he may not be able to run a country or state. Command only one? It may start well, but then it takes away everything it can.

• Anarchy: Without government. Before anarchy, Plato prefers democracy.

Objective Standards and the Good

There are objective standards that emerge from ideas; what is good is something objective that does not depend on each individual. In Plato's view, there is such a thing as good because we all understand it equally, but we have not reached the objective essence of ideas.

Types of Education

Education should focus on developing the individual's character. To achieve balance, individuals should practice gymnastics. Education has to be common among men and women from the early years. When they reach around 20 years old, they begin to learn more specific disciplines, such as geometry and mathematics. After a few years, the best are selected. Once selected, they are taught other lessons at a higher level of knowledge, also for a number of years (there are multiple selections). A few years later, another selection is made. These, the very best, will be responsible for leading the company, the rulers. It is an obligation. The rulers cannot decide whether to govern or not.