The Republic
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The Republic is a book by Plato, it was finished in 390 BC. It asks the question 'why should people do good things?' and also the question 'are people rewarded for doing bad things?'. Plato said that people should not do bad things because people who do bad things end up unhappy. However people who do good things end up happy.
He also said that if people who do bad things get power in a society then that society will become an unhappy one. Plato believed that philosophers are best able to do good things and so they should be given power in a society. He thinks that non-philosophers should allow themselves to be ruled by philosophers and that if they do this then they will be happy. However in order not to be tempted to do bad things, the philosophers who have power must not be able to own things or feel love.
Plato also talks about many other things while discussing these questions including metaphysics, psychology, religion and most branches of philosophy. He introduces the philosophy called Platonism.
[edit] Plato's argument (Less Simple)
Plato thinks that people and societies are very much alike.
Plato thinks that people are made of three things:
- A mind that thinks and reasons
- A spirit or a self that looks after the person
- A body that does things, likes things, hates things and wants things (such as food, drink and sex).
He says that a good person will listen to all these things, but will let the mind control the other two.
Somebody who does not listen to all three parts, or who does not let the mind control the other two will be unhappy. They might go mad because they do not let the mind control them. Or they might do things that they later regret. They will also be disliked by other people and will suffer because of that. He says that they will be like a country in anarchy.
Plato also thinks society is made up of three things (types of people)
- Philosophers who think for the society
- Soldiers who look after the society
- Workers who do things in the society, who make food, drink and more workers.
He says that society needs all three things (types of people) but that only the philosophers will be good people. The others will be dominated by their souls or bodies, not their minds. The soldiers will not even listen to their minds, and the workers will not listen to their minds or their souls. This is why the philosophers should rule and the other types of people should be soldiers and workers.
