3.9.08

Plato's espousement of civilization

"Education takes for granted that sight is there but that it isn't turned the right way or looking where it ought to look, and it tries to redirect it appropriately."

This is one example of Plato's embracing of objectives standards of law, order, and conformity brought by civilized society.  Here he acknowledges the validity of individual subjective experience, but lauds the possibilities brought by assimilating a populace into a standardized set of rules regarding the classification and observance of phenomena in a shared reality.  All individuals experience said phenomena and gain a foundation of understanding of it based on previous experience.  Plato posits that by educating individuals to view this phenomena in accordance with a more objective system of classification, i.e. science and mathematics.  Were all individuals within the populace of a civilization able to be properly educated, the frequency of differences of opinion could shrink and pave the way for a newer and more unbridled brand of civilized progress.  He goes on to say that "the other so-called virtues of the soul...aren't really there beforehand but are added later by habit and practice."  In other words, not only does universal education aid the society but also encourages growth in the individual, albeit a growth that chiefly serves the purposes of furthering Plato's civilized society.


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