CRITICISMS
Several criticisms have been leveled against Platonic theory of justice. Platonic doctrine of justice is
based on self - control and self abnegation of the individual in the interest of society. It leads to
functional specialization. It ignores the evils of functional specialization which does not sufficiently realize and properly provide for the whole of human personality.lt stunts the growth of the individual
and there - by impoverished the society.
Platonic theory of justice divides the state into three separate classes and is not applicable to
modern states with large population and numerous interests and sections of society. His division of
society into separate classes would lead to a class state with class consciousness and privileges.
Further, concentration of political power in the hands of philosophers is likely to lead to
totalitarianism.
EDUCATION
Plato's republic is not merely an essay on Justice. It is one of the greatest treatises on education to
be ever written. The main objective of Plato’s philosophy was to bring about reforms in the Greek city
– states. The object of the Republic was to locate and thereafter establish justice in the ideal state
and his scheme of education is the spiritual remedy for the realization of justice. According to Plato,
social education is a means to social justice. It is; therefore, correct to say that education for Plato
has been a solution to all the important questions during his period.
The ideal state ruled by the philosopher king was made possible through an elaborate and
rigorous scheme of education. The state was wholly constructed around the scheme of education, in
the belief that if the state performed its task of conducting and supervising education properly, Plato
looked to education as an instrument of moral reform, for it would mould and transform human souls.
Education inculcated the right values of selfless duty towards all, and was therefore positive. It
helped in the performance of one's functions in society and in attaining fulfillment. Thus, education
was the key to the realisation of the new social order. As Prof.: Ernest Barker has rightly pointed out;
Plato’s scheme of education brings the soul into that environment which in each stage of its growth is best suited for its development.
Plato attached more importance to education that either Aristotle or other Greek thinkers did.
He clearly saw that education was more than acquiring of basic facts and ideas in one's childhood
and adolescence but he was the first to propose an elaborate system of adult training and education.
Following his teacher Socrates, Plato had a belief in the dictum that virtue is knowledge and for
making people virtuous, he made education a very powerful instrument. Plato believed that
education builds man’s character and it is therefore a necessary condition for extracting man's
natural faculties in order to develop his personalities. According to Plato, education promotes justice
and enables a man to fulfill his duties. Education has the twin aim of enabling the individual to realize
himself and of adjusting him harmoniously and usefully to society.
In his masterpiece, The Republic, Plato has recommended a state controlled compulsory and
comprehensive scheme of education meant for both men and women. He wants that deduction must
itself provide the needed means, must see that citizens must actually get the training they require
and rust be sure that the education supplied is consonant with the harmony and well being of the
state. As Prof.: Sabine has rightly pointed out Plato's plan is, therefore, for a state controlled system
of compulsory education. His educational scheme falls naturally into two parts, the elementary
education, which includes the training of the young person's up to the age of 20 and culminating in the beginning of military services and the higher education intended for those selected persons of
both sexes who are to be members of the two ruling classes and extending from the age of 20 to 35.
Plato considered the state as an educational institution capable of providing the benefits of education
to each and every student in his ideal state. Plato's scheme of education had both the Athenian and
the Spartan influence. Impressed by the result of state - controlled education in Sparta, Plato
duplicated the same for Athens. An important draw back in the Athenian curriculum was the lack of
training in martial arts that would prepare the individual from childhood to the service of the interests
of the state. Plato attempted to balance the two contrasting models. The education system drew
from Athens values of creativity, excellence and individual achievement, which it tried to integrate
with that of Sparta, namely civic training. Its content was typically Athenian and its purpose was
dominated by the end of moral and intellectual cultivation. The curriculum of the elementary
education was divided into two parts, gymnastics for training the body and music for training the
mind, The elementary education was to be imparted to all the three classes. But after the age of
twenty, those selected for higher positions in the guardian class between twenty and thirty five. The
guardians were to be constituted of the auxiliary class, and the ruling class. These two classes were
to have a higher doze of gymnasium and music, greater doze of gymnastics or the auxiliaries, and
greater doze of music for the rulers. The higher education of the two classes was, in purpose,
professional and for his curriculum Plato chose the only scientific studies – mathematics, astronomy
and logic. Before the two classes could get on to their jobs, Plato suggested a further education till
the age of about fifty, mostly practical in nature.Platonic scheme of education was progressive and systematic. Its characteristics can be
summarized as follows.
1. His educational scheme was state controlled compulsory and graded one moving from lower
to higher levels of learning process.
2. It aimed at attaining the physical, moral, mental and intellectual development of human
personality.
3. It is a graded process which consisted of different levels and stages starting from 6 to 50
years.
4. His scheme was particularly aimed at producing philosopher kings, the rulers in his ideal
state;
5. His educational plan aimed at preparing the rulers for administrative statesmanship, soldiers
for military skill, and producers for material productivity and finally.
6. His educational plans sought to bring a balance between the individual needs and social
requirements.
For Plato, the educational systems serves both to undergrid and sustain the idea of political order
and to provide a ladder, so to speak up which those who have the capacity can climb to escape the
contingencies and limitations of political life. These two purposes, according to Plato, are not
contradictory. Rather they support and sustain each other.
Plato’s scheme of education was undemocratically devised in so far as it ignored the producing
class completely .It was limited in nature and was restrictive in extent by laying more emphasis on
mathematics and logic than on literature. The whole plan was unexpectedly and unduly expensive
. It is further criticized that Platonic scheme of education will create an ideal philosopher more than
an ideal man of action. Plato does not sufficiently realize that education should be relative to the
character of the individual.
So this is all about it.
Several criticisms have been leveled against Platonic theory of justice. Platonic doctrine of justice is
based on self - control and self abnegation of the individual in the interest of society. It leads to
functional specialization. It ignores the evils of functional specialization which does not sufficiently realize and properly provide for the whole of human personality.lt stunts the growth of the individual
and there - by impoverished the society.
Platonic theory of justice divides the state into three separate classes and is not applicable to
modern states with large population and numerous interests and sections of society. His division of
society into separate classes would lead to a class state with class consciousness and privileges.
Further, concentration of political power in the hands of philosophers is likely to lead to
totalitarianism.
EDUCATION
Plato's republic is not merely an essay on Justice. It is one of the greatest treatises on education to
be ever written. The main objective of Plato’s philosophy was to bring about reforms in the Greek city
– states. The object of the Republic was to locate and thereafter establish justice in the ideal state
and his scheme of education is the spiritual remedy for the realization of justice. According to Plato,
social education is a means to social justice. It is; therefore, correct to say that education for Plato
has been a solution to all the important questions during his period.
The ideal state ruled by the philosopher king was made possible through an elaborate and
rigorous scheme of education. The state was wholly constructed around the scheme of education, in
the belief that if the state performed its task of conducting and supervising education properly, Plato
looked to education as an instrument of moral reform, for it would mould and transform human souls.
Education inculcated the right values of selfless duty towards all, and was therefore positive. It
helped in the performance of one's functions in society and in attaining fulfillment. Thus, education
was the key to the realisation of the new social order. As Prof.: Ernest Barker has rightly pointed out;
Plato’s scheme of education brings the soul into that environment which in each stage of its growth is best suited for its development.
Plato attached more importance to education that either Aristotle or other Greek thinkers did.
He clearly saw that education was more than acquiring of basic facts and ideas in one's childhood
and adolescence but he was the first to propose an elaborate system of adult training and education.
Following his teacher Socrates, Plato had a belief in the dictum that virtue is knowledge and for
making people virtuous, he made education a very powerful instrument. Plato believed that
education builds man’s character and it is therefore a necessary condition for extracting man's
natural faculties in order to develop his personalities. According to Plato, education promotes justice
and enables a man to fulfill his duties. Education has the twin aim of enabling the individual to realize
himself and of adjusting him harmoniously and usefully to society.
In his masterpiece, The Republic, Plato has recommended a state controlled compulsory and
comprehensive scheme of education meant for both men and women. He wants that deduction must
itself provide the needed means, must see that citizens must actually get the training they require
and rust be sure that the education supplied is consonant with the harmony and well being of the
state. As Prof.: Sabine has rightly pointed out Plato's plan is, therefore, for a state controlled system
of compulsory education. His educational scheme falls naturally into two parts, the elementary
education, which includes the training of the young person's up to the age of 20 and culminating in the beginning of military services and the higher education intended for those selected persons of
both sexes who are to be members of the two ruling classes and extending from the age of 20 to 35.
Plato considered the state as an educational institution capable of providing the benefits of education
to each and every student in his ideal state. Plato's scheme of education had both the Athenian and
the Spartan influence. Impressed by the result of state - controlled education in Sparta, Plato
duplicated the same for Athens. An important draw back in the Athenian curriculum was the lack of
training in martial arts that would prepare the individual from childhood to the service of the interests
of the state. Plato attempted to balance the two contrasting models. The education system drew
from Athens values of creativity, excellence and individual achievement, which it tried to integrate
with that of Sparta, namely civic training. Its content was typically Athenian and its purpose was
dominated by the end of moral and intellectual cultivation. The curriculum of the elementary
education was divided into two parts, gymnastics for training the body and music for training the
mind, The elementary education was to be imparted to all the three classes. But after the age of
twenty, those selected for higher positions in the guardian class between twenty and thirty five. The
guardians were to be constituted of the auxiliary class, and the ruling class. These two classes were
to have a higher doze of gymnasium and music, greater doze of gymnastics or the auxiliaries, and
greater doze of music for the rulers. The higher education of the two classes was, in purpose,
professional and for his curriculum Plato chose the only scientific studies – mathematics, astronomy
and logic. Before the two classes could get on to their jobs, Plato suggested a further education till
the age of about fifty, mostly practical in nature.Platonic scheme of education was progressive and systematic. Its characteristics can be
summarized as follows.
1. His educational scheme was state controlled compulsory and graded one moving from lower
to higher levels of learning process.
2. It aimed at attaining the physical, moral, mental and intellectual development of human
personality.
3. It is a graded process which consisted of different levels and stages starting from 6 to 50
years.
4. His scheme was particularly aimed at producing philosopher kings, the rulers in his ideal
state;
5. His educational plan aimed at preparing the rulers for administrative statesmanship, soldiers
for military skill, and producers for material productivity and finally.
6. His educational plans sought to bring a balance between the individual needs and social
requirements.
For Plato, the educational systems serves both to undergrid and sustain the idea of political order
and to provide a ladder, so to speak up which those who have the capacity can climb to escape the
contingencies and limitations of political life. These two purposes, according to Plato, are not
contradictory. Rather they support and sustain each other.
Plato’s scheme of education was undemocratically devised in so far as it ignored the producing
class completely .It was limited in nature and was restrictive in extent by laying more emphasis on
mathematics and logic than on literature. The whole plan was unexpectedly and unduly expensive
. It is further criticized that Platonic scheme of education will create an ideal philosopher more than
an ideal man of action. Plato does not sufficiently realize that education should be relative to the
character of the individual.
So this is all about it.
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