Alexis Sou

Block 2

Platos Republic
1. Who are the Guardians and their Auxiliaries, according to Socrates and his students?
The Guardians are the men who are in charge of running the city. They were tested
and watched from childhood and chosen to become Guardians. They are men who as
the text says, Must have the right sort of intelligence and ability; and also they must
look upon the commonwealth as their special concern. This means that they are the
best according to Socrates and his students. They are capable of running a
commonwealth with strength and a commonwealth that will lead it to become great.
Their Auxiliaries are the men who enforce their decisions. From the text that reads
Who will ensure that neither foes without shall have the power, nor friends within
the wish, to do harm it can be concluded that this position was enforced due to fear
of harm to others from the power and poor decisions of potential Guardians.
2. What kind of lives should these Guardians lead, according to Socrates and his
students? What guidelines should they follow?
The Guardians should live a life that will help shape the commonwealth into a greater
one. They should also follow the guidelines where they do their part in the
commonwealth and should not change the process as it will unbalance the
commonwealth. They should also avoid persuasion, and temptation (as this can cause
pain to the commonwealth), while sticking to his beliefs no matter what. They should
live a life with balance and harmony as well. The pieces of evidence used to prove my
answer comes from the text, as it reads, A true guardian of himself, preserving
always that perfect rhythm and harmony of being, and We shall then choose only
those whose memory holds firm and who are proof against delusion. This relates to
my answer as it is saying how they should avoid delusion (caused by persuasion,
temptation, etc.), and that they should live a life full of harmony and balance as well.
3. What special considerations should factor into the selection and education of these
Guardians? (could include consideration of the metals myth)
Some of the considerations of the selection and education of the Guardians consisted
of the metals myth. As in the text it says the god who fashioned you mixed gold in
the composition of those among you who are fit to rule, so that they are of the most
precious quality. This means that they are the best to rule and should rule because
god made them that way. This quotation helps support my answer. Another
consideration that factored into the Guardians education was the importance to
Socrates and his students; preserving perfect rhythm and harmony as it would lead to
a harmonized commonwealth as it states in the text, training in music and poetry.
Such a one will be of the greatest service to the commonwealth as well as himself.
This quote supports my answer as it says that according to Socrates and his students,

Alexis Sou
Block 2

music and poetry, which practice rhythm and harmony, is very important for a true
guardian to practice.
4. What are the potential positive and/or negative aspects of this particular conception of
an ideal government? (consider the authors ultimate aim and his attitude toward
power and leadership)
The text In truth government can be at its best and free from dissension only where
the destined rulers are least desirous of holding office helps proof that this particular
conception of government has positive aspects as in their government; it consists of
rulers who have better knowledge than the rest of the people, making them more
capable to rule and to shape the commonwealth into a strong one. Also, another
positive aspect would be how everyone has their part in their commonwealth that
keeps it running. This is good as it provides for a stronger community and
government. The evidence supporting this is in the text that states, They, and all the
rest with them, must be induced to make themselves perfect masters each of his own
craft. In that way, as the community grows into a well-ordered whole, and this means
that everyone must do their part for the community to grow into a whole.

5. What is the central point/theme of Platos cave analogy? (found in the second
excerpt; you will need to really develop your analysis here)
The central point of Platos analogy is that to be a wise Guardian, you must
experience and observe the unknown to lead the path for the ones who dont know.
The point is to learn to grow and experience in the light in order to figure out how to
make the darkness brighter. Also, they must lead the way (the light) for others and to
expand their knowledge, their point of view on the world, and fill their dreams with
reality. The central point of his analogy was to show why he gave the commonwealth
a ruler they chose and educated. A ruler who sees what Plato wants everyone else to
discover and who takes what he discovered from the light and what saw in the
darkness to shape his city into a powerful commonwealth. The evidence that lead to
this analysis is the text that says You will then see a thousand times better than those
who live there always; you will recognize every image for what it is and know what it
represents, because you have seen justice, beauty, and goodness in their reality; and so
you and we shall find life in our commonwealth no mere dream, as it states how
Plato is saying that if you look at the world the right way, we can turn our
commonwealth into a more powerful, less delusional one.