The Four Steps to the Sky

The first cleavage represents a division between the intellectual and sensory worlds, and the subsequent cleavages represent further divisions within these worlds: the part representing the sensory world is cut into parts representing real things and shadows representing reflections Similarly, the part representing the intelligent world is also cut into a part representing the overall form and a part representing reflection. 【r

Plato's metaphysics, especially his dualism of dividing the world into intellectual and sensory parts, also inspired later neo-Platonist thinkers such as Plotinus and the Gnostics, as well as many other metaphysical realists.

Although this metaphysical interpretation of Plato's writings (especially

As he emphasized: Unless we can be ruled by philosophers as kings, or those who are now called kings really study philosophy properly, so that political power and philosophy can be fully integrated, and those who are now only engaged in politics Those who do not study philosophy, or only study philosophy without engaging in politics, are completely expelled, otherwise, our city-state will never be safe, and mankind will not be free from evil disasters. "Utopia"

Plato defines these philosopher-kings as those who love the truth, "The Republic", and justifies this claim with the fable of the captain and his ship, or the doctor and his medicine, since neither sailing nor healing is for everyone. A profession qualified to practice, and governance should also be conducted by a professional.

A large part of "Utopia" is dedicated to constructing an educational system, hoping to cultivate philosopher kings suitable for ruling through this educational system.

However, it is worth noting that the ideal country constructed in "Utopia", as defined by Socrates, is an "Utopia" that is determined by examining the justice and injustice of a city-state.

According to Socrates, a real and healthy city-state should be described according to the second book of "The Republic", including farmers, artisans, merchants, and wage-earning employees, but without the ruling philosopher-king class, Nor were there other elegant things such as perfume, spices, prostitutes, pastries, etc., nor were there paintings, gold, ivory, couch, and many other trades such as poets, hunters, and warriors.

In addition, the ideal country is used as a symbol to express the synthesis of a person's inner will, reason, and desire.

Socrates was trying to create an image of a legitimate and orderly human being, and used it to describe how different types of people should be viewed, from despots of different city-states to misers.

Socrates did not advocate an ideal city-state, but only used to highlight the differences between different people and their states of mind.

However, the concept of the philosopher-king was used by many post-Plato people to justify their personal political thought.