Essay about Plato vs. Machiavelli - 1695 Words

Plato vs. Machiavelli A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both†¦show more content†¦The appetite is concerned with the pursuit of bodily pleasure. This aspect of the soul is satisfied only by the creature comforts such as food, sex, and drink (167). These three divisions are found in the individual, but in varying degrees. Som e will lean more towards the appetite, while other are spirit-driven, and still others find greater fulfillment through the intellectual pursuits of reason (168). Plato clearly favors the reason in his three part soul, since it is with reason that one can grasp the Forms, which themselves are the ultimate in beauty and truth. To this end, the State, like the individual, has three parts that correspond to the parts of the individual soul. The lowest of the parts is the appetite, which is comprised of the common people. These would be craftsmen, laborers, and farmers who perform the menial tasks essential to the functioning of the State. Those who make up this part of the State are best left to their own devices, to enjoy and pursue physical and material pleasures, because they are not capable of grasping the Forms. The second tier, the spirit, would be comprised of soldiers. It is the soldiers who have a slight understanding of the Forms, but not enough of one to allow reason to dictate their actions. Soldiers fight to the death to defend the State because of their emotional ties to it. In fact, Plato proposes that the government raise children,Show MoreRelatedMachiavelli Vs Plato1614 Words   |  7 PagesRowan DeGasperis Brandon Ives GVPT241 Due: 10/13/17 Socrates’ View on Machiavelli’s Ideologies Niccolà ² Machiavelli and Socrates are two thinkers who are highly regarded, respected, and renowned by today’s scholars due to their roles in shaping their separate versions of an ideal political system during their respective times of uncertainty, political fragmentation, and violence. Although their opinions vary, the men laid the foundation for present day political establishments and opened up the doorRead MoreEssay about Plato vs Machiavelli1052 Words   |  5 PagesOf the many disparities between Plato and Machiavelli, the distinction of virtue versus virtu sticks out like a sore thumb. Virtue was the political bases for Plato: All men should behave virtuously at all times. Whereas Machiavelli believed virtu was the basis for political prowess. What was best for the state as a whole was the main concern, and the ends always justified the means. Plato’s object was the creation of a utopian society--a civilization that abhorred war and centered itself uponRead MoreCompare And Contrast Socrates And Machiavelli1419 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates vs. Machiavelli: The meaning of truth As philosophers, both Socrates and Niccolo Machiavelli developed theories in response to the warring political environment around them. However, the theories and principles developed by the two philosophers are vastly different in regard to the concept of truth, Socrates would hate Machiavelli’s model prince due to Machiavelli’s manipulative view of truth. While Socrates desired a state that focuses on fundamental truth and ethical decisions, MachiavelliRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates s Concept Of A Prince1811 Words   |  8 PagesLeah Brennan Professor Brandon Ives 13 October 2017 GVPT241 (0105) Soulcraft vs. Statecraft Though Machiavelli and Socrates lived in distinct states, on the heels of the Peloponnesian War in Athens to the height of the Renaissance in Florence, respectively, a few common threads bind them together. They lived in periods of uncertainty, political fragmentation, and violence, and these experiences inform and shape their beliefs about how society and government as a whole should function. Socrates respondsRead More Order vs. Freedom in Political Systems 1963 Words   |  8 PagesOrder vs. Freedom in Political Systems Order and freedom are both necessary and beneficial towards the citizens and society with the aim to promote harmony, yet they both contradict each other. This contradiction has existed throughout many years and it is still hard to decide which one is ideal for the society. This essay will discuss and analyze if order or freedom is more important for political systems. Many believe that order should be applied by the government; though it should be allowedRead MoreLiterary Masterpieces Matrix1186 Words   |  5 Pages|at war with man as he | | | |Illad is mortality. The |parallelism and contrasts.|destroys civilizations | | | |story focuses war and the|Light vs Dark, good and |and cities throughout the| | | |characters within it are |evil, day and night etc†¦ |book. | | | |faced with theirRead MoreA Review of Ethics Concepts Theories2669 Words   |  11 PagesConcepts Theories Educational Objectives: 1. Explain the type of problem that is addressed by philosophers. 2. Explain how ethical norms help address ethical issues that arise in accountancy. 3. Contrast the views of Mills, Machiavelli and Kant. 4. Describe what is meant by a social contract. 5. Analyze a given situation and tell why it would be appropriate or inappropriate to lie. 6. Explain the views of Kierkegaard and contrast him from other existentialistsRead MoreSocrates Vs. The Prince1842 Words   |  8 PagesSocrates vs. The Prince Niccolà ² Machiavelli, a Florentine philosopher and political aficionado from the 16th century and Socrates, a classical Athenian savant who lived during the 5th century B.C., are both judged as being forefathers to modern western political science and thought. The two great men both came from erratic epochs within their respective nations of Italy and Greece: wars, transitions of power, and domestic conflicts left their countries void of sustainable leadership and in desperateRead MoreSocrates Vs Machiavelli2003 Words   |  9 PagesSocrates VS Machiavelli The debate on how people should rule has been going on since the dawn of time. Many agree and many disagree but they all agree that we should have a ruling force of some kind but what and how much has been very controversial. Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates were two very important and revolutionary political philosophers for their time. Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince and the Discourses† outlines Machiavelli’s ideal prince and what a prince should do in power. Plato writesRead MoreMachiavelli vs Islamic Political Thought2559 Words   |  11 PagesMachiavelli vs Islamic Political Thought Niccolo Machiavelli was a political realist. He thought there were certain skills and characteristics needed to become a political ruler. In his work, The Prince, Machiavelli gives advice on how to be a successful prince, or ruler. Successful is partly based on how powerful a ruler was during his lifetime (reign), but largely based on how much the prince affected the lives, through laws or societal norms, of future generations. Machiavelli was mainly interested