The Enduring Legacy of Platos Republic free essay sample

An analysis of Platos philosophical theories in `The Republic` and their relevance today. The paper discusses how Platos The Republic is in many important ways a product of its time and thus not reflective of any sort of universal human morality; the paper also argues, however, that it is equally important to acknowledge the ways in which this work continues to be both relevant and useful to us today. The paper goes on to discuss how Platos theory of forms and his allegory of life for his hypothetical figures in the cave hold especial importance to us in terms of the enduring value of his work. The paper explains how these figures resemble in so many important ways the humans of both ancient and modern societies. The Republic is presented to us as readers (and perhaps in its first generations as listeners) as a discussion between Socrates, whose wisdom Plato is recounting, and a number of different Athenians of the upper classes a fact that has led some later writers to criticize this work as being overly class bound, mired in the unchanging and elitist assumptions of the wealthy Athenians of his generation. We will write a custom essay sample on The Enduring Legacy of Platos Republic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It has especially come under fire for reflecting the approval that wealthy Athenians of Platos day would have felt toward the ownership of slaves. But, while it is certainly important to acknowledge the ways in which The Republic is in many important ways a product of its time (and so most certainly not reflective of any sort of universal human morality), it is equally important to acknowledge the ways in which this work continues to be both relevant and useful to us today. Of especial importance to us in terms of the enduring value of Platos work is his theory of forms and his allegory of life for his hypothetical figures in the cave those figures that resemble in so many important ways the humans of both ancient and modern societies.