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Analysis Of Plato's Educational Agenda Of The Republic

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Plato lived around the years 427- 348 BCE. He was born into a wealthy Athens family. He studied under Socrates and was greatly influenced by him. The questions and problems Plato raises are profound. Even though he suggests answers, his identification of the questions and problems are more significant and inspiring. Frank Flanagan’s article: “Education for the State” discusses Plato’s work including his manifesto: “The Republic.”
Plato’s Educational Agenda of the Republic is interesting as it addresses the view of any educational system (Flanagan, 2006). Any educational system has these basic principles: who shall be taught, by whom will they be taught, what they will learn (curriculum), how they will be taught (method) and with whom will they learn (Flanagan, 2006). Plato asked these questions as he determined that the only way society as a whole will gain happiness is by education (Flanagan, 2006).
While Socrates was concerned with the virtue of the individual, Plato was more interested in the happiness of the society (Dublin City University (DCU) Philosophy, 2017). In “The Republic”, Plato outlines his view of an ideal city state (polis) modelled on ancient Athens, Greece. Plato believed that, without a just state, citizens of a society will not find individual happiness (Flanagan, 2006). The whole state must be …show more content…

The educational system will prove to everyone that this way is fair and right. Plato’s solution was to tell the people an indoctrinatory story about how each person’s soul is “infused” (Flanagan, 2006, p. 29) with a metal. A person with a little gold on their soul would eventually become Rulers, silver infused souls would become the Auxiliaries and souls with bronze or iron would be normal citizens (Flanagan,

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