Democracy is better than a Wise Philosopher

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave

1. Do you agree with the claim that everyone can and should seek higher knowledge about reality as Plato proposes? Why or why not?

Yes, we should all seek higher knowledge about reality. Seeking higher knowledge allows us to see things differently and modify our view of reality. To truly understand something, we must first know its explanation and be certain it cannot be otherwise. To deduce whether something is true or false, we must first understand it, which can only happen through seeking higher knowledge. Plato views the lack of knowledge to prisoners in a cave where they cannot turn their heads. All the prisoners see is the cave wall, limiting their understanding of what is happening. The cave wall shows shadows that the prisoners believe are the reality. However, this is further from the truth. Without seeking higher knowledge, we are left to believe what we see and know as the world’s reality. While we might understand and learn about things based on our perceptual experience, we are mistaken if we think the concepts we grasp are on the same level as the things we perceive. Therefore, we should yearn for more knowledge to better understand things and how we perceive them.

2. Do you agree with the claim that the best form of government is rule by a wise philosopher king or group of wise philosophers rather than a democracy? Why or why not?

In the beginning, there might be a wise philosopher king who would use power to improve the security and stability of his people. However, a problem arises when it comes to the succession of the philosopher king. There is a likelihood that the successor could be a tyrant who uses his power to oppress the people. Therefore, I’m afraid I have to disagree with the claim that the best form of government is rule by a wise philosopher king. There are chances that there will be a wise ruler who uses power to benefit his people and will ensure they do not abuse their power. The fatal flow arises in that the king is mortal, and they would have to leave the reins to someone else. The best form of government is a democracy because it allows people to elect a person they deem fit to represent them. Democracy allows eligible persons to equally participate in the development, proposal, and creation of laws.