Plato’s belief of self-mastery is based in one’s ability to
balance out the three pieces of the soul: the Appetitive element, the Rational
calculating element, and the spirited element. To Plato, justice, both within
the individual and within the larger entity of the city is precisely this
balance. “He binds together all of these and, from having been many becomes
entirely one, temperate and harmonious.” (443d9) Within the city, each branch
of the society, the wage-makers, the guardians, and the ruling class, congruent
to the three pieces of the soul, must also play its decided role to allow the
entity to live harmoniously.
Plato tells us that through a balanced education, these
elements of city and soul can be honed and shaped to create the perfect balance.
Naturally however, the appetitive is overwhelming and primally dominant. In an unbalanced individual the spirited
element makes choices for the whole reliant solely on the whims of the
appetitive, repressing the rational element.
When Plato sets up his perfect, just city, he also sets up
his perfect, just man. The philosopher king becomes the rational element of the
soul, able to wisely make decisions based on the needs of the whole, and
overturn in lesser desires of lesser wage-making, appetitive elements.
In many ways, the entities of self and city share not only the
same metaphorical forms, but are related through the actual citizen to society
relationship. Plato establishes that a society reflects the balance of its
citizens, and that citizens reflect the balance created by those around them.
The degradation of the perfect society occurs as the appetitive instincts are
indulged and run out of check. Plato presents the logical direction of decay as
the harmony of the individual and city soul degrades over subsequent
generations. The final step into tyranny is described as, “When the other
appetites come buzzing around…they feed the drone make it grow as large as
possible, and plant the sting of longing in it. Then this popular leader of the
soul adopts madness as a bodyguard and is stung to frenzy. If it finds any
beliefs or appetites in the man that are regarded as good or are still moved by
shame, it destroys them and throws them out, until it has purged him of temperance
and filled him with imported madness.”(573a3)
The only true way to be completely just or to take part in a
perfectly just society is to create balance between the elements of your soul,
one of temperance and harmony.
This is very well-written, especially your use of quotes. While I agree that an individual must balance the three parts of his soul to become just, I wonder if Plato thinks the way to achieve this just persona is through a "balanced education". It seemed to me that in the Republic the rulers of the city ensured that the citizens had censored education. Socrates argued that if the citizens were exposed to stories, poems, or songs that told of gods fighting amongst themselves or displaying negative emotions then the citizens would begin act in a similar manner. Is this kind of censorship and limited education a necessary part of a just society?
ReplyDeleteNice post Crispapotamus! So Plato says that the just individual, and on a larger scale, the just society is one that maintains an even balance of the three elements. The tyrant is bad because he lets his appetitive feelings control the other two, so he lacks balance, and that is unhealthy both for him as an individual and for society, since we know that they are reflections of each other. The philosopher king is also ruled by one element, but it is that of reason. Is it acceptable that the ruler of the whole society does not have a balanced soul? Shouldn't he occasionally give in to his appetitive and spiritual sides?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Nick's question, I agree that society should not put limits or boundaries on what is taught. With this type of education, I don't understand how all of the jobs are filled if members of society are only educated in a few different areas. Also since individuals are supposed to have jobs that they enjoy, doesn't that encourage them to engage their appetitive element? Do jobs that give people pleasure leave enough room for reason and spirit?
What you wrote was very good and showed a fine understanding of Plato. In the only way to have a just society to accept some higher Eidos of justice as Plato does? In Plato's view, doesn't it make sense that education should avoid the things that cause the appetitive?
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