Plato's Republic, Book VI

In class, the question was raised as to what Plato’s Republic has to do with “religion.” I wanted to address this question before I addressed anything else. The thing is: Plato’s Republic has everything to do with “religion;” As does everything else we’ve ever read. Our “religion,” so to speak, serves as a filter to everything we comprehend. Even if you don’t believe in God, you then comprehend everything through a filter that denies His existence. If you do believe if God, everything you read is comprehend through a filter that acknowledges His existence. Thus, all of the ideals in Plato’s Republic must answer to each individual’s view of God, or lack thereof. If you don’t believe that justice is established by means of the supernatural, then you therefore believe that justice is determined by something imperfect (man). The theory of justice not being attributed to the supernatural leads to an immediate end in our quest because perfect justice cannot flow from imperfect beings. We must assume that justice is something outside of ourselves.

In Chapter VI, Plato discusses the need for a philosopher king and the ways to which the perfectly just city will acquire its philosopher king. Though I have not put enough thought into it, I disagree with Plato’s idea of having a philosopher king. The king, who is or once was a guardian, has most likely been exposed to things that alter his perception of good and evil i.e. war. It takes someone who has been set apart from the city, detached to a certain extent, to accurately guide the city towards justice and truth. Otherwise, there’s politics (inevitable in office), biasness, etc. that would conflict with pure philosophy.