Plato vs. Sophists: Truth, Relativism, and Education

Plato vs. the Sophists: Opposing Views on Education and Evolution

Currently, biological evolution is explained by the theory of evolution, combining the natural selection of Darwin and Wallace with genetic advances, such as Mendel's laws. Although the theory of evolution is the accepted scientific model that explains the process of evolution and its causes, in some U.S. schools this theory is not explained. Instead, students are taught about life and the existence of different species from a creationist position, which argues that species and the Earth were created by a deity.

If the Sophists and Plato were alive and could comment on the situation of education in the U.S., they would have opposing positions. The Sophists, from their relativist position, would say that creationism is equally as true as the theory of evolution. Neither of the two concepts is more valid than the other, and therefore they would welcome American students being taught a doctrine that is considered less true than the theory of evolution.

In contrast, for Plato, there is good and evil; that is, some thoughts are true and others are invalid. On this question, Plato would criticize the U.S. for having in their educational agendas a hypothesis about biological evolution that he considered false, and instead not teaching the theory of evolution.

At present, this situation is confusing because although I think society is contrary to relativism, there are many religious people who oppose the theory of evolution, which is the more valid explanation. In my opinion, they should teach both explanations, showing the student the pros and cons of each and making it clear that the most widely accepted today is the theory of evolution.

Key Differences Between Plato and the Sophists

There are some big differences between Plato and the Sophists. Plato believed in objective truth (Episteme), that there are only universal truths that are more real than what we perceive. The Sophists, on the other hand, were relativists and believed that all ideas have equal value. This is exemplified by Protagoras in Homomensura, stating that "man is the measure of all things," or by Gorgias in nihilism, in which he states that nothing can be known.

These differences extend beyond epistemology and into politics:

• Sophists:
  • Defended individualism, as Antiphon said: "One is only bound by the laws in public."
  • Advocated for cosmopolitanism, considering themselves citizens of the world.
• Plato:
  • Defended a form of statism where the individual is subordinated to the interests of the state.