Plato's Political Philosophy and the Foundations of Empiricism

Plato's Political Philosophy and the Common Good

Plato's Ideal City and the Philosopher King

In the ideal city (polis), the primary objective is the common good. The goal of justice in society is to safeguard the common good through objective laws. In the philosophy of Plato, the Philosopher King is crucial.

The wise have the task of governing because they are in contact with the World of Ideas (Forms), meeting authentic reality, where the supreme values reside.

5.1. Plato's Five Forms of Government

Plato distinguishes between just and unjust states. We identify five forms of government, listed from the fairest to the worst:

• Aristocracy (Monarchy): The government of the best (the wise). This is the fairest form, whether ruled by one (Monarchy) or many.
• Timocracy: Government dominated by the desire for fame and military honors. This occurs when the warriors take over.
• Oligarchy: Government by the economically powerful. This occurs when rulers prioritize personal wealth over honor. Greedy businessmen govern, resulting in the impoverishment of the people.
• Democracy: The government of the people. It arises when the people rebel after being impoverished by the oligarchy. Freedom prevails, especially freedom of expression. However, there is a risk of perversion of law and order due to a lack of strong governing authority.
• Tyranny: The worst and most unjust form. It arises out of democracy when the populace, unable to handle excessive freedom, requires someone (the tyrant) to take absolute power and dominate.

The Philosophical Shift: Empiricism

Empiricism: Experience as the Source of Knowledge

Empiricism is a philosophical system that gives experience a central role in knowledge acquisition. Empiricists agree with rationalists that what we know are ideas, but rationalists argue for the innate origin of these ideas, while empiricists hold that they come solely from experience.

For empiricists, experience is the source, the criterion of validity, and the limits of all knowledge.

Empiricism vs. Rationalism: Methods

• Rationalists regard mathematics as the model for knowledge, favoring the deductive method.
• Empiricists instead opt for physical science and its inductive method.

David Hume: The Radical British Empiricist

David Hume is considered the most radical of the British empiricists. In his seminal work, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, he states that man can be considered in two ways: as a rational being or as a being of action.

In the first case, the science of man becomes an inquiry into his understanding. In the second case, Hume explores the passions and moral commands, taking the observation of human nature as his starting point.