Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators.
7) Plato’s life and teachings provide us with many valuable lessons for life. Discuss.(250 words)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question was asked to dig deep into the life and teachings of one of the great philosophers of history – Plato. It wants us to write in detail as to what life lessons can be deduced from his life and teachings.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – write a few introductory lines about the Plato. E.g mention his relation with Socrates and his pivotal role in western philosophy.
Body-
Discuss what lessons – moral, ethical and practical, can we learn from the life and teachings of Plato. E.g
- We can easily see the reflections of Plato’s classification of regimes in today’s political climate.
- We may deem democracy to be the best regime for all people, but we must question the character of men that it produces.
- If we are more aware of the link between the character of the city and the character of the soul, we are able to make an immense difference in the world around us.
- Plato’s aristocracy is by far the most influential of these characters. We can learn so much by noticing the relationship between our desires, our logical reasoning and our spirituality.
- Plato believes that, much like a city, the soul is composed of parts, and that a healthy or just soul will maintain a harmonious relationship between its parts, namely, the appetite, spirit, and reason.
- Plato demonstrates that it’s not just the desire for possessions that causes our decay, but also the desire for more recognition (what the Greeks meant by ‘honor’), more success, more status, more power, more comfort and pleasure etc.
Conclusion- based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
