Essay - A Critical Analysis and Comparison of Plato's Republic and George...

A Critical Analysis and Comparison of Plato's Republic and George Orwell's 1984

Philosophy could be defined as the highest level of true clarity and underst*****ing human thought can aspire to. It would thus seem strange ***** compare the ideal philosophical kingdom of Plato's ***** with ***** Orwell's 1984. Plato's writings form the cornerstone ***** Western philosophy, while Orwell's text tells of a totalitarian society where all free thought is stifled. However, ***** two men's versions of government, one utopian, the other horrific, spanning centuries ***** time, contain certain connections that will be elucidated over the course of this paper. This paper will examine the signifi*****ce and ***** role of ***** in both Plato's version of utopia ***** Orwell's horrific version of the future in 1984. It ***** suggest that ***** societies, ra*****r than ***** **********g characterized as a ***** utopia and the o*****r a pl*****ce where independent though is discouraged, both manifest a form of totalitarian philosophy. The citizens of both societies are encouraged to reject rather than accept doctrine passed down from the ruling class, and that philosophy is used as a means ***** control ra*****r ***** of argument.

Plato views political repression in a positive f*****hion, *****s a ***** to encour*****ge what he deems ***** be the highest form of philosophical *****. Orwell views ***** in a negative fashion, ********** rather than confirm*****g any particular set of philosophical beliefs, he ultimately views a politically and philosophically pluralistic ***** in the most positive light. Plato and Orwell both illustrate a society in which power is held by a few, ***** individuals deemed to be superior, and a pl*****ce where free expression, ra*****r than *****, is ***** for fear of the discord and the danger it will bring ***** *****. The greater good Plato attempts to uphold through this oppression, however, is higher philosophical understanding in ***** m*****d of the human animal. In contrast, the focus of the ***** detailed in ***** society is ***** of protecting ***** secur*****y ***** the nation against others, and philosophical knowledge is not placed at a premium.

***** repressive quality of Plato's society ***** presented in an apparently reasonable fashion ***** the Second Book of the Republic. Plato, through the mouth of Socrates, ********** in an ideal society, all individuals should be relegated to doing what *****y are *****st at doing. For inst*****ce, a shoem*****ker is *****bidden to try h***** *****and ***** farming or weaving or building. (2.2.375.b-c) He uses the example ***** a shoem*****ker ***** suggest that those who are best at a cert*****in occupation ought to be the only ones ***** do that *****. ***** apparently reasonable justification, however, is really being used as a defense that those who are ***** at something, such ***** governing, ***** f***** ***** ***** goes hand-in-hand ***** understanding, ought to be the only ***** who rule. Thus democracy is bad because it allows all to have a voice in the state's future, as opposed to merely ***** who are deemed most f***** to govern. Democracy, in