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The method that Plato used in his writing was known as the dialogue method, here Plato writes a dialogue between Socrates and another person and Socrates solves the problem that Plato proposes. Knowledge plays an important role in Plato’s works and it aids in discussing his view on morality and politics, as ultimately knowledge underpins his view of nature, morality and politics. Knowledge for Plato is not about belief or perception; it’s what we know is true, as Hare writes, ‘he thought that what we know has to be real.’ (Hare: 1996:p.33) Plato uses forms to understand knowledge these are best defined by Reeve, ‘forms are intelligible, unchanging objects, accessible to the mind but not the senses.’ (Reeve: 2009:p.62) The form of the good is the most important, which links knowledge to morality and politics, for those with the highest form of knowledge are therefore the most virtuous and the most moral of people. St. Augustine has a different approach to knowledge, morality and politics and his method of using personal experience and personal conversion was different to that of Plato. Augustine’s theory of knowledge is mainly found in De Trinitate where he describes knowledge as support of faith. Knowledge therefore comes via faith which is important as faith plays a pivotal role in morality, in that belief in god will lead to ultimate happiness and
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Plato explained that ‘philosopher-kings will often find it necessary to lie to the guardians and producers’ (Reeve: 2009:p.70) this immediately raises the question of morality. It is difficult for politics to be focused on morality when Plato is allowing rulers to lie to the ruled; this removes morality from the political process. In addition to this Plato’s disregard of women, invalids and slaves, again makes it difficult to focus politics on morality. Plato writes, ‘it is natural for women to take part in all occupations as well as men, though in all women will be the weaker partners’ (Lee: 1987:p.234) Plato adopted a very sexist view and seen as immoral by many feminists, as it is acknowledged that, ‘in his own contemporary Athens Plato is virulently antifeminist.’ (Tuana: 1994:p.12) It is once again difficult to focus politics on morality when the system that Plato proposes is deeply immoral. Lastly, Plato’s immorality spreads to his description of the treatment of those who didn’t fit into his system, ‘The constitution of a man whose constitution was bad and undermined by loose living was, they thought, of no use to them or to anyone else’ (Lee: 1987:p.171). Here is another example of the lack of morality within the system that Plato proposes. Politics should therefore not be focused on morality as
Plato explained that ‘philosopher-kings will often find it necessary to lie to the guardians and producers’ (Reeve: 2009:p.70) this immediately raises the question of morality. It is difficult for politics to be focused on morality when Plato is allowing rulers to lie to the ruled; this removes morality from the political process. In addition to this Plato’s disregard of women, invalids and slaves, again makes it difficult to focus politics on morality. Plato writes, ‘it is natural for women to take part in all occupations as well as men, though in all women will be the weaker partners’ (Lee: 1987:p.234) Plato adopted a very sexist view and seen as immoral by many feminists, as it is acknowledged that, ‘in his own contemporary Athens Plato is virulently antifeminist.’ (Tuana: 1994:p.12) It is once again difficult to focus politics on morality when the system that Plato proposes is deeply immoral. Lastly, Plato’s immorality spreads to his description of the treatment of those who didn’t fit into his system, ‘The constitution of a man whose constitution was bad and undermined by loose living was, they thought, of no use to them or to anyone else’ (Lee: 1987:p.171). Here is another example of the lack of morality within the system that Plato proposes. Politics should therefore not be focused on morality as