It is important then to examine what Plato meant by justice. To Plato, justice is the highest social good, an ideal. Plato constructs a perfectly just city. This 'society', or in Greek, 'polis' is an interconnected, essential community. It is a set of interdependent relationships and activities. Obviously, the basis or foundation of a polis is made up of human beings/human nature. We are by nature, social beings. Plato describes human nature using three statements. "We are not individually independent, but have many wants;" "No two persons are born exactly alike, but each differs from each in natural endowments," and "Each man (person) works at a single occupation, in accordance with his nat

would follow then, that different characteristics lead to different classes which leads to different types of education.

psyche through dialogue and questioning. In the dialogue Meno, Socrates leads a slave boy into recalling a geometric proof, rather than teaching it to him. This is the way Plato feels all learning works; a teacher's job is to guide students into remembrance of things known, rather than filling them with knowledge. The teacher for Plato is a facilitator or assistant. Socrates said that the teacher's role is like that of a midwife; they are there to assist to give birth to knowledge. In other words, to help them do what they can do by themselves. The philosopher king is the result of Plato's Academy. The person to become a philosopher king has the virtue of wisdom and that virtue is the only legitimate reason to exercise political power.

ural gifts" (RPE, 40-1). These statements give us a vision of what human nature is. Plato is saying that we exist in a state of need and that we are not autonomous, nor self-sufficient; we are not complete in and of ourselves. At the same time he is saying that we are different in terms of our interests, aptitudes, abilities, etc. I may be great at soccer, but my best friend may be artistically endowed. Plato says that we are different by birth. When I was born, I entered into this world, according to Plato, with a predetermined set of abilities, which makes me who I am. Plato concludes by saying that we are each one person, thus we have one best ability, and it is this best ability which is who I am, my self per se. The best ability is identified through psyche profiling, education, experience, and fulfillment, not through trail and error because it is not efficient evidence. A just society is a place where everyone is engaged in his or

...you are all related to one another, although your children will generally resemble their parents, yet sometimes a golden parent will produce a silver child, and a silver parent a golden child, and so on, each producing any. ... if a child be born in their class with any alloy of copper or iron, they are to have no manner of pity upon it, but giving it the value that belongs to its nature, they are to thrust it away into the class or artisans or agriculturists..." (RPE, 61).

Storehouse." Plato wants them to live in a communal form. No wages are to be received except the necessities. It is forbidden for them to work for money, or participate in manual labor. They cannot "handle or touch gold and silver, or enter under the same room with them, or to wear them on their dresses, or to drink out of the precious metals" (RPE62). Labor is the job of the workers and money corrupts therefore, Plato says if the men and women live by these accommodations they will be on the right tract to reach their potential. He wants to instill morality in the students. Plato's value system is not centered on freedom, but instead, on moderation and discipline. He feels that, by imposing these limitations, he will create a state in which the populace will be happier than if they were allowed access these to things.

Some common words found in the essay are:
RPE62 Labor, Plato Athenian, Plato Classes, Plato's Academy, Education Plato, Meno Socrates, Storehouse Plato, Socratic Method, philosopher king, false poetry, theory education, education plato, human nature, guardian education, plato's theory education, plato's academy, nature plato, plato's theory, natural ability,
Approximate Word count = 2330
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)