Similarities Between Socrates And Guardians

Socrates believes education is very important to the moral development and proper education of the Guardians. But he refuses to portray good’s polar opposite, evil; in the stories and education the younger guardians receive. Socrates states that a God is “true in both word and deed. He does not change himself or deceive others by means of images, by words, or sending signs” (Republic, p.64). Gods serve as strong role models for the guardians. Their journeys and myths are embedded with moral teaching similar to Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales for the current generation. Although, Gods commit their share of the sins; they can do no wrong in the eyes of the people. Socrates reasons that if the Gods were presented as killers, ruthless, and wicked then the malleable, young minds of children will believe …show more content…
How will these young guardians be able to fight when these evil Gods attempt to seduce them to join their side when they have no experience fighting these temptations? What about the human enemies that use underhanded tactics to get the edge in battle? Since tales of Gods are filled will moral lessons of good and evil, the guardians need to be exposed to both sides of the moral spectrum to have a better perspective in life. Therefore, these young guardians need to be taught how to strengthen their will against these deceitful gods to prevent them from breaking under pressure and falling to temptation in the heat of battle. With a broad background of knowledge, the guardians’ skills and knowledge are enriched. They are able to better interpret, analyze, evaluate, and solve the problem by assessing the vast information quickly especially in a war. Without understanding the many different perspectives of good and evil, the guardians are no more than robots that kill their enemies and preserve its