In the first account of Socrates’ description of education, he mentions that the guardians should not be ruled over “pleasures like drink, sex and food” because “excessive pleasure..drives one no less mad than pain does” (402e). Yet, over the course of the conversation, we see Glaucon becoming absolutely enthralled by “the good” through Socrates’ enticing description of it. Glaucon equates “the good” and the process of obtaining it to pleasure, which is something Socrates previously urged people to enjoy in moderation. As Socrates begins to end his analogy, Glaucon urges him “[not to stop]...and not to omit even the smallest detail” (509c). Although it is clear that the education of the guardians and the philosophers differ in many way, the
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Socrates describes that one would be “happy for the change, but will begin to feel pity for the others.” The philosopher’s job , Socrates concludes, is to go back underground and drag man out of the cave. He states that “an eye cannot be turned around from darkness to light except by turning the whole body,” so therefore, “the whole soul must also be turned around to look at the brightest thing that is-the one we call the good” (518d). This description of education serves as an interesting contrast to the guardian’s education. Before, Socrates believed man to be incapable of differentiating right from wrong, so he was censored from the bad and only allowed to see the good. Ironically, the guardians were supposed to guard against injustice, having not even known what injustice is. In the allegory of the cave, Socrates believes that the goal of education should be to obtain “the good” and in order to do so, one must turn their whole soul to the light. They are to be exposed to the whole truth, as painful as it may be, in order to eventually obtain happiness and encourage others to do the same. The false tales and the noble lies told to the guardians are like the people in the cave, fettered to only look one direction and see one reality, yet the new education Socrates describes intends to free people from the chains in order to see true
Socrates describes that one would be “happy for the change, but will begin to feel pity for the others.” The philosopher’s job , Socrates concludes, is to go back underground and drag man out of the cave. He states that “an eye cannot be turned around from darkness to light except by turning the whole body,” so therefore, “the whole soul must also be turned around to look at the brightest thing that is-the one we call the good” (518d). This description of education serves as an interesting contrast to the guardian’s education. Before, Socrates believed man to be incapable of differentiating right from wrong, so he was censored from the bad and only allowed to see the good. Ironically, the guardians were supposed to guard against injustice, having not even known what injustice is. In the allegory of the cave, Socrates believes that the goal of education should be to obtain “the good” and in order to do so, one must turn their whole soul to the light. They are to be exposed to the whole truth, as painful as it may be, in order to eventually obtain happiness and encourage others to do the same. The false tales and the noble lies told to the guardians are like the people in the cave, fettered to only look one direction and see one reality, yet the new education Socrates describes intends to free people from the chains in order to see true