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?).