"The desires of the common majority are controlled by the desires and the intelligence of the minority of better men." ... A Plato further note that democracy leads to a "mob rule", rule by the uneducated masses, and inevitably ends in conflict and disagreement, falling into tyranny. The idea that democracy leads to "mob rule" is indeed, in modern times, valid. ... The "mob rule" of now-a-day governments lacks the negativity Plato portrays it as having. ... The principles of democracy structure it to avoid conflict through discussion and debate with the end result being decided by a vote o...

• Word Count: 1319
• Approx Pages: 5

Without a contracted, written understanding of law and its consequences, there is no reason for people to follow rules or be civil. ... In the state of nature, which is the world without laws, edicts and rules to follow, there is much disorder and disarray. ... But, if there were no rules to follow and no obligations to anyone else as there is in society, as it is in a state of nature, it can be quite easy to understand where Hobbes gets this idea. ... There must be a majority of people following in habit of submission or obedience to this common superior. ... Austin says that in order for...

• Word Count: 1374
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Thus, a 'temperate' man is a master of himself; this means that a man's good part rules over the bad part of his soul. Similarly, in the city, the better rules over the worse, and thus the city must be 'temperate' and 'mistress of herself'. ... Thus, "the desires of the worthless many are controlled by the desires and knowledge of the decent few" (431d), and because this is a temperate city the majority recognize the minority as better. With this in mind, it can be assumed that everybody in this city will have the same opinion of who should rule. ...

• Word Count: 1801
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

The Trial of Socrates is an excellent reminder of the happenings during the period in which Socrates lived and died. Author I.F. Stone provides a historical story of the events leading up to the trial, as well as the trial itself, through the writings of Xenophon and Plato, as well as several other...

• Word Count: 2295
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

He proved this by paralleling a "just man" with that of a "just society"; wisdom, the mind or to rule and make decisions, courage, the heart, enforces the decisions, and temperance, the body, the people who follow the rules. ... When I say that "justice is to the advantage of the stronger", what I mean is that; he ruler of a society makes the rules and standards in which justice is practiced. ... Government or Parents) do not necessarily follow those rules, making them unjust rulers and therefore creating an unjust society. ... Therefore whatever the majority of the people are happy with, w...

• Word Count: 1528
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Crito also comments on how the majority would frown upon both of their actions. Socrates responds by saying that the opinions of the majority are not of any concern to him. ... As ruler of Thebes Kreon must uphold the rules in spite of how it affects his family. ... Kreon becomes defensive to the words of his son and reiterates that he is the King and no one else has the right to rule the land. ...

• Word Count: 1633
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Most politicians are only concerned about satisfying the majority group, or their own group's interests. ... The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast Thoreau's Civil Disobedience to Plato's The Apology in order to show that it is not possible for justice to exist in the political world, due to the majoritarian rule of politics, and the types of individuals leading it. ... Thoreau argues that by answering to the majority, democracies answer the desires of the strongest group, not the most virtuous or thoughtful. ... Politics prioritizes the welfare of the State, an...

• Word Count: 1577
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

There is a just law, one that is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. ... However, while many hold this view, few still side with the unjust law, one that is a numerical code or power majority group compels and minority group to obey but does not make it binding on itself. ... By lifting the restrictions that been imposed on many people of our society, it will become easier for individuals to make choices on their own thus finally ending the ideas of segregation because no longer will rules be imposed on whole minority groups, but on i...

• Word Count: 1278
• Approx Pages: 5

One could relate this statement to the way in which government feeds half truths, lies and propaganda to the masses in order to keep them under their rule and from gaining further knowledge or truths. ... In the back of the cave, where it is dark, the masses of people, the majority of the city are facing the back wall. ... One can see that Plato believed in the process of education, yes on certain points I do not entirely agree with his theory, but I do believe that through his work he encouraged people to look beyond that which was placed before them, and seek further knowledge and understand...

• Word Count: 1717
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The ancient Greeks had a huge impact on western civilization. They have made major contributions to the world. They have done this through politics/democracy, the arts, literature, philosophy, science/math and war/military. To this day we see many of their practices still in us. Many countries ...

• Word Count: 1327
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The majority of other cultures just accepted that the material world was dictated and controlled by supernatural forces. ... Together with observation and logic we could reveal the underlying rules and laws that apply to the terrestrial world. ...

• Word Count: 1423
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

(Crito 50d - 51a) "Consider, then, Socrates ... that if there is any Athenian who reaches the age of majority ... and finds that we are not to his satisfaction he may take what is his, and go wherever he pleases ... ... The idea that generally asserts, a voluntary citizen of a state is implicitly bound to honor its rules and regulations. ... There were no new rules added to single Socrates out. ...

• Word Count: 2254
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School