Plato and Aristotle 139farmers, merchants, laborers, and craftsmen, were meant to
develop the virtue of temperance. This pyramidal structure, with
each of the members in each of the three classes carrying out their
respective roles in perfect harmony— this was the ideal state.
This ideal state would come into being by the application of
Plato’s highest good, knowledge. If knowledge, and it’s virtuous
realization, wisdom, were applied in the state as he envisioned
it in the individual, the ideal could be achieved. Thus, the most
important function of the state became the education of its
members. To this end Plato devised a complex and all encom
passing system of education, through which each member would
find his proper place within the state.
All children were to be educated, boys and girls equally, in
music and gymnastics. In ancient Greece, music included poetry
and dance, while gymnastics was meant to produce good health.
Thus the concept of a healthy mind and body was the goal this
education was supposed to achieve. Beyond these basics was an
academic program which would carefully weed out those who
did not have the ability to achieve wisdom. Those who faltered
first became the artisans, those who failed at the next stage
became members of the warrior class, and those who could,
continued on to become the guardians. Of the guardian class, the
outstanding individual would become the philosopher king, or
the few outstanding individuals would rule as an aristocracy of
philosopher kings. The remaining members of the guardian class
would teach and carry out the laws of the nation.
This educational process continued for the guardians through
out their life; those few who were to rule would do so only after
a lifetime of study. Throughout their adult life the guardians
were to live in a communal society, without property, without
wives, without children, without any of the material goods which
would distract them from their high calling. They would live
simply, cultivating their minds, enacting the laws which would
be the basis for the ideal, just state. Plato’s theory that to know
the good is to do it insures that these philosopher kings will rule
in the interests of the community rather than their own. Also, the
more the mind is cultivated, the less concern one has for the
desire of the appetites. Thus the guardians would not desire the
goods which power can obtain.
The communal life of the guardians would be total. Those in