Page 176 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

political thought 1477

Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them
how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the
sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued, or,
softened or hindered from plunging into evil. • Plato (c. 427–347 bce)

knowledge, tell stories, and muse aloud. In representing hoping to influence Dionysius II and to secure the return
Socrates in this way, Plato, perhaps, sought to be true to of Dion. However, Plato realized that Dionysius II was
the spirit of his teacher, who mistrusted certainties and not terribly interested either in confronting the questions
dogmatism. Socrates’s (and therefore Plato’s) philosophy that Plato led him to or in the welfare of Dion. As a
is represented much more as a process than as a product. result, Plato determined to return home but secured his
Although we do not know with certainty whether the passage only with difficulty.
philosophical voice of the dialogues is more Socrates or Plato’s Sicilian experiences led to the composition of
Plato, we can be certain that the voice is an amalgam of an open letter (Letter Seven),which is the most autobio-
the two. The philosophical style that emerges from the graphical document of his that survives. He remained in
dialogues is, however, styled “Platonism.” Athens for the remainder of his life, and at his death was
The principal feature of Platonism is its idealism. succeeded as head of the Academy by his nephew, the
Plato asserted that perceived reality is merely a shadow philosopher Speusippus.
of truth. Although concepts and objects exist in true and Plato’s achievement set the tone for much ancient and
perfect forms, our perceptions and understandings of modern philosophy.Although he has drawn criticism for
those concepts and objects are limited, and thus any his elitist vision of an ideal society, he advanced proposi-
attempt to apprehend or describe them is a partial con- tions across the entire philosophical spectrum: from aes-
struction, constantly subject to renegotiation, reinterpre- thetics to education, from mathematics to metaphysics.
tation, and reformulation. All subsequent philosophy has, indeed, been likened to a
As such, Plato deeply mistrusted ideology. He explains response to this vast body of work. He has also been
in a letter (Letter Seven) that, as a young man, he had ex- vastly influential in an unexpected way: His dialogues, the
pected to enter politics. He had, however, been disillu- Timaeus and the Critias, are the basic ancient primary
sioned by the narrow regime of the Thirty Tyrants (who sources for the legend of the lost city of Atlantis.
included members of his family) and even more so by the
Bill Leadbetter
restored democracy that had proceeded to execute Soc-
rates. Plato’s Republic, arguably one of the most impor- See also Greece, Ancient; Political Thought
tant philosophical texts ever written, mounts an argument
against societies dominated by political certainty, advo-
cating instead the rule of enlightened and philosophically Further Reading
inclined elites—the so-called philosopher-kings. Annas, J. (1986). Classical Greek philosophy. In J. Boardman, J. Griffin,
& O. Murray (Eds.), The Oxford history of the classical world (pp.
After some years Plato took the opportunity to put this 238–245). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
philosophical approach into practice. He was invited Plato. (1955). The republic (H. D. F. Lee,Trans.). Harmondsworth, UK:
Penguin.
back to Syracuse by a former student, Dion, a philoso-
Plato. (1975). Phaedrus and letters VII and VIII (W. Hamilton, Trans.).
pher and politician. Plato became the informal tutor to Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin.
Dion’s nephew, the young tyrant Dionysius II. Dion and Taplin, O. (1990). Greek fire:The influence of ancient Greece on the mod-
ern world. New York: Athenaeum.
Plato both hoped to establish a rational and philosoph-
ically consistent regime, and Dionysius II himself initially
also seemed enthusiastic. Court intrigue intervened, how-
ever, and Dion was banished. Although Dionysius II Political Thought

courted Plato and sought his approval, Dionysius II did
not receive it. Instead, Plato went home to Athens, olitical thought is reflection and debate about the
returning to Syracuse only in response to Dionysius II’s Pproper way of arranging political life or making
repeated invitations. Plato stayed for some time, initially sense of processes within it.