Plato s View On Justice And Human Nature - 991 Words

Introduction Plato’s influence on contemporary thinking can be observed in any debate regarding what kind of state we should want to live in. Central to this debate is the difference between realist and normative approaches to the topic. This tension can also be observed within Plato’s own work, for he seemingly contradicts himself manifold within The Republic and Laws on what approach to take. This essay will analyse the possible implications of this on the question of what constitutes an ideal or best state, analyse Plato’s view on justice and human nature, and finally contrast Plato with modern thinkers’ views on the role of conflict within a state. Plato’s Ideal Theory on Conflict To Plato, the soul consists of three parts, of which the rational part is in an eternal struggle to moderate the other two. Likewise, Plato sees the city as the reflection of its citizens’ souls. It follows, that if the individual is in constant conflict with himself, so must the city. Hence, Plato-cannot claim that the best city is the one from which all conflict is banished. However, there exist other forms of conflicts than just the individual’s struggle that deserve attention. Furthermore, it is crucial to evaluate how ‘no conflict’ is achieved. First, we shall analyse and evaluate Plato’s approach. Some understand Plato as proponent of a slave-state closed-society akin to 20th century totalitarianism (Popper,-1966). One can put aside the necessary predisposition of theShow MoreRelatedPlato s Interpretation Of Utopia1630 Words   |  7 PagesPlato and Aristotle shared many differences despite also sharing a teacher student relationship. This essay will strive to establish their understandings of reason and the role reason plays in their comprehensions of politics, differentiating between the kinds of reason and politics produced as a result. Plato is regarded as the first writer of political philosophy while Aristotle is recognised as the first political scientist. 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