In class this week we discussed Socrates' idea of what an ideal state should be like; it should reflect the soul. The soul has three parts: an appetite, a spirited, and a rational part. In comparison to the soul, a state according to Socrates should have three parts as well: workers, auxiliary, and guardians/rulers. Socrates' idea of a state is a great model but I feel like limiting humans to a category that rulers or guardians deem fit would only cause chaos. As humans I feel like we are always striving to be happy or achieve eudaimonia, like Socrates suggests (page 22). In my opinion, in order to achieve eudaimonia all three parts to the soul need to be in balance and agreement with each other. The appetite needs to be controlled by the spirit and the spirit reasoned with our ability to rationalize. After stating this, I believe in order to have a "eudaimonic" state all three parts, the workers, auxiliary, and guardians, need to be in balance. Humans are always thinking and always have a desire to do what they want. If we limit others to a certain category I feel like their appetites would take over without check; their spirits will be shot down by those who tell them they need to stay in a certain category. With a damaged spirit, appetites could take over and the ability to rationalize could go out the window. So in shorter words, I don't believe it is possible to reach a "eudaimonic" state with Socrates' model of a state.
We see failures in society for people to stay in what they are categorized in films and books such as "The Giver" or "The Hunger Games." People don't like to be told what to do or told what their whole lifestyle should be like. I don't believe anyone should be told what their contribution to society should be because that is the choice of one's own self. In "The Giver" we see that all it takes is one person to rebel against the so called "guardians" of the state for everything to fall apart: Jonas goes against the council of elders. Jonas feels desires to do things differently than what he is told to do. In the Hunger Games we see that Katniss doesn't want to listen to authorities of Panem. Both Jonas and Katniss are fed noble lies and many attempts to persuade them that what the guardians/authorities are doing is "just" are given, but it is unconvincing to the both of them.
What I'm trying to say is that we live in an imperfect world in which we should not try to make things perfect. Socrates' model of a state is a great model but if we try to perfect it or if we try to make our society into something it wasn't meant to be, everything would be chaotic. We would have rebellions and states of emergencies constantly. America is a good example of something opposite to Socrates' idea of a state. In America we can choose what we want to be and what we want to do. We can choose to find our eudaimonia our own way. America does have its imperfections but so does every other country in the world. I believe perfection can be strived for but perfection is never achieved.
I agree to disagree because yes "you should always strive for perfection because we all were born with the same abilities and one ability is to be all you can be whether your living the good life or an not so good life, it is apart of human nature to strive, (in right or wrong) But when you state that Perfection is NEVER ACHIEVED....I can't agree with you because as Socrates was trying to get you to see is that when the 3 parts of the soul align up in its rightfully order then you will produce Perfection its with in not what's on the outside but what's on the inside of you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post completely. In the biblical sense, ever sense Adam and Eve sinned and ate the forbidden fruit, humans became sinful and imperfect. Everyone has their flaws, some being bigger than others but no one in the world is perfect. Humans are unique, rebellious, creative, and passionate. Maybe if humans were more submissive and compliant then the "perfect state" or "eudaimonia" could be achieved, but they aren't. And at no point in the near future will all humans be perfect, or even close to, at once. If we really tried for the "perfect state" right now I think the guardians would become corrupt, the auxilary would become abusive, and the workers would become resentful. Eudiamonia is great in theory, but in the world we live in today, I do not think it is possible to be achieved.
ReplyDeleteMaddie,
ReplyDeleteI love how you used the Adam and Eve example to back up my argument because that is totally true. I've studied the bible and read the book of Genesis a lot, and because I am a Christian this is another reason why I believe perfection could never be achieved in the world today. I feel like all chances of perfection went downhill as soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. If everyone tried to achieve the perfect state you are perfectly correct when you say the guardians would be corrupt, the auxiliary abusive, and the workers resentful. We can see that in modern day societies of other countries like North Korea.