The intentionality of Plato’s pedagogy is emphasized in nearly every aspect of The Republic concerning education. Intentionality in the educational approach is the best way to be able to accurately predict the “finished product,” if you will. J. Pfeifer and S. Sarkar define something that has intentionality as something that is about, directed on, or represents something else. Just as the conduction of an experiment governed by the concepts outlined in the scientific method attempts to limit the frequency of random variables and attempts to operate with as much intentionality as possible, the Socratic/Platonic approach to education attempts to limit the amount of random variables to account for and attempts to operate with as much intentionality
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The careful selection of acceptable material and the exclusion of unacceptable material is a recurring element presented by Socrates in The Republic. Books II and III both contain in depth suggestions of what is acceptable for the youth to be exposed to and what is unacceptable for the youth to be exposed to. Book II starts out with how gods should and shouldn’t be portrayed in literature. Greek mythology contained a lot of deception, overindulgence, wickedness, and just general immorality. Socrates and his partners in conversation agree that the gods shouldn’t be portrayed in any way that could have a negative influence on the Republic’s youth. Socrates starts out by saying that the gods are inherently good and something that is good is naturally non harmful, which is how the gods should be depicted in literature; good and not harmful. Since the gods are good and just then it stands to reason that they can’t create anything evil or wicked …show more content…
In The Republic Book 7 Socrates presents a curriculum by which the potential guardians are to be taught, this curriculum puts a strong emphasis on the points in time during which certain lessons shall be taught. It is through this curriculum that Socrates hopes to sort through those fit to rule and those not fit to rule. Through this curriculum, he plans on teaching those with the potential to be great rulers the temperance of a philosopher, which he says is necessary for a ruler to have. Socrates breaks up the curriculum by age into six sections. The first section details the education of the students from birth to age 18 during which time students are to receive training in gymnastic and the arts, such as music. In fact, Edward Droscher illustrates the importance of music in his article Music Education Benefits, “Skills such as working in teams, communication, self-esteem, creative thinking, calmer attitudes, imagination, discipline, study skills and invention are learnt and improved through the study of music and by focusing on the fact that young children are mostly highly receptive to pitch and rhythm - one of the main ways a child learns its language - that we can drive education in music to children to help them with benefits ranging success in society and in life.” They are to be trained in elementary math, but the intellectual pursuits must be lightly enforced.
The careful selection of acceptable material and the exclusion of unacceptable material is a recurring element presented by Socrates in The Republic. Books II and III both contain in depth suggestions of what is acceptable for the youth to be exposed to and what is unacceptable for the youth to be exposed to. Book II starts out with how gods should and shouldn’t be portrayed in literature. Greek mythology contained a lot of deception, overindulgence, wickedness, and just general immorality. Socrates and his partners in conversation agree that the gods shouldn’t be portrayed in any way that could have a negative influence on the Republic’s youth. Socrates starts out by saying that the gods are inherently good and something that is good is naturally non harmful, which is how the gods should be depicted in literature; good and not harmful. Since the gods are good and just then it stands to reason that they can’t create anything evil or wicked …show more content…
In The Republic Book 7 Socrates presents a curriculum by which the potential guardians are to be taught, this curriculum puts a strong emphasis on the points in time during which certain lessons shall be taught. It is through this curriculum that Socrates hopes to sort through those fit to rule and those not fit to rule. Through this curriculum, he plans on teaching those with the potential to be great rulers the temperance of a philosopher, which he says is necessary for a ruler to have. Socrates breaks up the curriculum by age into six sections. The first section details the education of the students from birth to age 18 during which time students are to receive training in gymnastic and the arts, such as music. In fact, Edward Droscher illustrates the importance of music in his article Music Education Benefits, “Skills such as working in teams, communication, self-esteem, creative thinking, calmer attitudes, imagination, discipline, study skills and invention are learnt and improved through the study of music and by focusing on the fact that young children are mostly highly receptive to pitch and rhythm - one of the main ways a child learns its language - that we can drive education in music to children to help them with benefits ranging success in society and in life.” They are to be trained in elementary math, but the intellectual pursuits must be lightly enforced.