The Importance of Education in The Republic by Plato

The great philosopher Plato, speaking through the character of Socrates in his book The Republic, holds the belief that true and good education is what leads civilizations to prosper. Due to this, he is very concerned with the issue of education and how it will be addressed in the state that he and his fellow companions hope to design and build. He talks about how important education is in achieving this idea of justice and morality. Furthermore, I believe that many of the concepts he brings about relating to this subject are still very valid today and can be applied worldwide. Plato believes that education is necessary for the rulers of cities to be effective and that it is the only way to truly understand and achieve the goal of providing and looking out for the citizens of any state. One of the reasons Plato finds education such a necessity and regards it so highly is that it is required to even understand the concept of true justice and being able to distinguish it from injustice . Now although the major point of this book is to establish a meaning for justice, he believes that education is key and it is clear that all the people he associates with in the story are well-educated high members of society. Having knowledge on this subject and many others will allow those that eventually become guardians to tell when something is not just or is at least not beneficial for the well-being of the citizens. Education is also a major factor in understanding the soul and theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society831 Words   |  4 Pagesrelevance of The Republic to our modern society In Plato’s The Republic, Plato illustrates what his ideal city would look like. 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