Blog 6

1. I agree with the quote from Socrates “I know that I’m intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.” If you are intelligent and knowledgeable, there are many questions and doubts that you have. You know information that supports facts and information that proves them false. Therefore, you can conclude that you know nothing (for sure).
This quote, in my opinion, goes together with another one of Socrates quotes, “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.” It’s basically saying that if you are good, it’s because you are knowledgeable and when you are evil, it’s because of your ignorance. For example, Socrates was condemned to death by ignorant people because he showed how easily they could be proved wrong.

2. Plato thought that the social structure of a perfect society had to be created based on the intelligence of the people. The extraordinarily intelligent and brave people should rule the state. Those who aren’t intelligent should be farmers and smiths or do other things of that sort. The ones in between should make up the army and police.

3. In Plato’s ideal republic, the most intelligent get the most power. It might ensure a good government for a few generations but eventually, only the ancestors of previous governors would be called intelligent. The lower classes wouldn’t get enough education to be considered good enough for the government. The kids of the extraordinary will have the privilege of knowing what they need and being able to afford the education.
Also, I can’t think of a way to choose those who are especially talented.
The majority of citizens may not get what they want and need because they will be underrepresented in the government.

4. Obviously, an ideal state or republic would be one in which everyone would be happy. However, no civilization has managed that yet.
I think an ideal society should be democratic because everyone will always be different. I think that emphasis should be put on philosophical education so that everyone could be trusted to participate in a democratic society. I think that there should be a central government but the land should be divided into states, which should consist of cities. The cities should have elected representatives who report to elected state representatives, who, in turn, will report to the also elected president. There should be nothing like the Electoral College. Representatives should be elected by the people directly. Any one who has completed the philosophical education should be able to vote. Issues like abortions should be decided in cities separately.

5. It means that there are random things which we see, hear, or feel, such as school and fashion, that we pay more attention to than others. Those things that we pay attention to are temporary and constantly changing. The unchanging ideas like math and philosophy, which are more educational, we tend to ignore (saying, why does it matter, when there is what I can influence and feel?).

Athens vs Sparta

1. If you were a young teenage girl of the citizen class, in which city-state would you rather live? Why?
I would rather live in Sparta. In Sparta, women were the most independent out of all the Greek city-states. Girls received education in reading and writing, athletics, gymnastics, and survival skills, no matter how much money their parents had.

2. If you were a slave, in which city-state would you rather live? Why?
I’d rather live in Sparta if I were a slave. In Sparta, instead of having slaves, they had serfs (helots). Helots did mostly agricultural work and, while the land belonged to the Spartans, could keep ½ of their produce. In Athens, slaves belonged to a particular owner, who was in almost total control of them. An owner could even kill them.
3. If you were a boy of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
I’d rather live in Athens. In Sparta, boys were taken away from their parents at age 7. They were given only a cloak for clothes, and not enough food, meaning they had to steal (to learn survival skills). The emphasis was put on military training. In Athens however, boys stayed with their parents and had more opportunities for varied education.
4. If you were a young soldier, in which would you rather live? Why?
I’d rather live in Sparta. In Sparta, soldiers had higher status. Every young person was a soldier in Sparta; no one was better than you. In Athens, while you were following orders, other people were out studying, trading, traveling, or making money.
5. If you were a very wealthy person of the citizen class, in which would you rather live? Why?
I’d rather live in Athens. In Athens, you could buy many things with money. With money, you could have more influence and slaves. Also there were more education opportunities and flexibility. In Sparta the influence of wealth was limited; it was literally difficult to carry money.
6. Finally, decide to represent either Athens or Sparta and debate which is the best place to live. Use the chart from class to find criticisms of the other city-state while praising your own.
Sparta is a great place to live. In Sparta, we are all equal (except serfs); everyone receives the same education and opportunities, no matter how much money our parents have. Education and careers aren’t privileges for the wealthy (like they are in Athens). In Sparta our women also get education; they learn writing and reading, survival skills, gymnastics, and athletics. Your Athenian women sit around and learn domestic art. Why do they even need it if you have slaves? Spartans are all raised to be brave, honorable, and patriotic. Each citizen gets what he or she deserves while in Athens, all are corrupt because money can buy everything. We are a more just society even in the way we treat slaves. While Athenian slaves can be killed by owners and have no rights, our helots do necessary agricultural work and can keep ½ of their produce. In your democracy, misinformed, lower class citizens get as much say in decisions as those that have ample and correct information and education.