Outstanding Weakness of Plato's Education System-1

Outstanding Weakness of Plato's education system.
DDAMBA TONNEY
According to Plato, education is primarily a state function.Therefore, the philosophy of education
forms the heart of any discussion of government. In the republic and the laws, Plato emphasized
that education should be completely under the control of the state. The state provides the teachers,
buildings, and controls the curriculum and methods of teaching.
The failure of the old Athenian education was due to the failure of parents to incalcate the virtues
and training the children. Plato was intolerant towards tender sentiments and individualising
tendencies of family life. His conclusion was that the family training could be trusted , the good of
the state demands public control of breeding , nursing and training of the children.
While we see a sense of nationalism in the way the schools from all over the world shape their
curriculum to be centred to their country , Plato's beliefs beg the question of what would happen if
an unfit ruler used the powers of controlling what their people learned for their own benefit. By
regulating what people should and shouldn't learn, a corrupt ruler can easily sway that people
think to their own advantage because there would be no source of information for their people to
contradict them. And because Plato was on favour of governments controlling what people
learned, it was no surprise that Plato also believed in censorship of literature and art.
Plato did not believe that people could discern right from wrong for themselves and could be
negatively influenced by the wrong type of literature and art. And the only person who had the
right to decide what should and and shouldn't be censored, the ruler .
Naturally the idea of total censorship and giving whoever is in charge of total power over
knowledge and information would never slide in this time. Plato's theory and belief in who gets to
decide on every one's knowledge is based on the assumption that whoever is in charge would do
so for the greater good . But most information is just one Google search away , limiting successful
reign , would (and is in countries where censorship is high) have not sat well with scholars who
believe knowledge should not be controlled . Some parts of his theories on education can be
disagreed upon given the current state of moral values.
Little education for productive classes; In Plato's scheme of education the productive class is
granted only primary education which implies higher education is intended for soldiers and
governing classes and the labour class has no need for such an education.
No individual differences; Plato suggested same kind of education to be given to an entire class of
people, according to uniform curriculum . This will lead to creation of only one kind of citizen
leading to lack of variety and state monotony.
Neglect of literacy education; Plato's curriculum also neglects training in literature by stressing the
importance in Mathematics.
Stress on philosophy; Some people get the impression that Plato's insistence on philosophy is
exaggerated , and that it could lead to an increase in the number of contemplative individuals at
the expense of more practical members.
Inspite of the above defects, Plato's concept of education has influenced educational philosophy in
almost all ages . In particular, his influence can be seen in the idealist philosophy of education.
And many of the finest teachers still consider Plato as the only true guide.
In a nut shell, Plato's polis (state) is essentially an educational community.

It is created by education , it can survive only on condition that all citizens receive an education
that enables them to make rational political decisions.
It is up to education to preserve the state intact and to defend it against all harmful innovations.
The aim of education is not personal growth but service of the state , which is the guarantor of the
hapiness of its citizens for as long as they will allow it to be embodiment of justice . This state is a
strict meritocracy , where the citizen body is divided into functions ( commonly but erroneously
called "classes") of producers , auxiliaries ( in charge of internal and external security), and
philosophers , the last two jointly reffered to as " guardian".
The republic is concerned with the education of the guardians , but in the laws where Plato draws
up an actual system of laws for a state conforming as much as possible to that standard , the state
conforming as much as possible to that standard , the same education is provided to all citizens ,
according to their abilities.
As such he believes that the child belongs to the state and its education is responsibility of the
state (Republic, bk, 2 , 376)
Education must be compulsory for all . state funds should pay for gymnasiums and for instructors,
officials , and superintendents in charge of education, both cultural and physical.
References
Anna's, J. (1981). An introduction to Plato's Republic. Oxford: Clarendon press
.
Alexandre, K (1993). Philosophy and the state : Introduction to Plato's reading. Athens:
Alexandria.
Dissertations (1962- 2010) Access via Proquest. Digital Dissertations. AA19517932.
Lee, Myungjoon, "Plato's philosophy of education: Its implication for current education" (1994).
Plato , 1941 (385 B.C.E). The republic of Plato , Trans Francis Macdonald Cornford. NewYork:
Oxford university Press.
Eby F, Arnowood C.F, 1940 , The History and Philosophy of Education Ancient and Medical
Prentice- Hall, INC. N.J.

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Outstanding Weakness of Plato's education system.

In a nut shell, Plato's polis (state) is essentially an educational community.

Dissertations (1962- 2010) Access via Proquest. Digital Dissertations. AA19517932.

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