I just read Plato's Republic for my Colloquium on Classic Civs class. One of the core portions of the book is the discussion of To Agathon- the Good beyond all goods, and the source of all ideas. I believe the Good is Balance. What do you thin the Good is?

My opinion is that Good is Unconditional Love, or as the psychologist Carl Rogers called it, "unconditional positive regard for others."

Hi Smith5000,

Yes, in Plato's Republic the idea of balance is important, just as the idea pf balance is important when it comes to individuals. However, the idea of the Good; even though important, is a little more complicated than just balance.

Perhaps we can deal with the balance issue first.

The ideal political system according to Plato is a society in which every individual pursues their own level of excellence You have probably looked at the major aspects of the individual soul as Plato understands them. When each individual has the correct balance in their soul that we have the opportunity to organize the perfect political system. The idea political system is a political system in which everything is in balance. Balanced individuals will give rise to balanced politics.

This is an important point because it suggest a hierarchy is important. The balanced individual are important for a balanced state. Hierarchies will be important when it comes, to the Good as well.

Ideally you would want an understanding of Plato's theory of Forms before you tacked Plato's other works. An understand of his theory of Forms will probably put everything else into perspective. The reason I am saying this is because Plato's theory of Forms and the idea of universals are essential to his overall theory of knowledge.

Do you have an understanding of his theory of Forms?


Tut

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Originally Posted by TUT317

Hi Smith5000,

Yes, in Plato's Republic the idea of balance is important, just as the idea pf balance is important when it comes to individuals. However, the idea of the Good; even though important, is a little more complicated than just balance.

Perhaps we can deal with the balance issue first.

The ideal political system according to Plato is a society in which every individual pursues their own level of excellence You have probably looked at the major aspects of the individual soul as Plato understands them. When each individual has the correct balance in their soul that we have the opportunity to organize the perfect political system. The idea political system is a political system in which everything is in balance. Balanced individuals will give rise to balanced politics.

This is an important point because it suggest a hierarchy is important. The balanced individual are important for a balanced state. Hierarchies will be important when it comes, to the Good as well.

Ideally you would want an understanding of Plato's theory of Forms before you tacked Plato's other works. An understand of his theory of Forms will probably put everything else into perspective. The reason I am saying this is because Plato's theory of Forms and the idea of universals are essential to his overall theory of knowledge.

Do you have an understanding of his theory of Forms?


Tut

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Yes. I do understand Plato's Theory of Forms.

That's good. So strictly speaking I guess we can say that it is not so much a case of the Good being in balance, rather it is a case of the individual and the state being in balance.

Balanced individuals gives rise to a balanced state and when we come to examine the balanced individual we will see that some of these particular individuals are the best at ruling the state because ( of the balanced nature of their souls) they are in touch- or have knowledge of the Good.Ultimately this will also give rise to the state which also exhibits the highest good.

Tut