Student Question
What is the strongest argument for Plato's ideal state?
Quick answer:
The strongest argument for Plato's ideal state is the concept of a philosopher king, who would govern based on wisdom and justice rather than popular opinion. This leader would prioritize the well-being of society without concerns about reelection, potentially leading to more effective governance. However, a major challenge is ensuring the philosopher king's benevolence and preventing tyranny, as there is no guarantee of consistently virtuous rulers.
To get a better answer, it would be good if you could tell us which aspect of the ideal state you want addressed. The part I have the strongest feelings about is the idea that the ideal state would be ruled by a philosopher king.
I really wish that this were possible. The argument in favor of this is that a philosopher king would just do what is best for the society without having to worry about what is popular. We could really use this today at a time when our elected leaders will not do the things that are needed because they are afraid they will not get reelected if they do those things (like cutting back on Medicare and Social Security in some way).
Sadly, there is no way to be sure that we are going to get a good philosopher king instead of a tyrant.
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