Philosophers are Terrible Kings
Plato was wrong, philosophers are terrible kings. Well, Socrates as presented in the Republic that is. For all we know, that could mean this was all or mostly Plato.
You may wonder what specifically he was wrong about. He was wrong that philosophers should be kings but probably not for the reasons you think. Philosophers have always and will continue to be terrible kings. Let’s explore.
Ship of State
In the famous metaphor “the ship of state”, Socrates describes how the state is very much like a ship. It has that captain and all the people on board. The leaders of the state are the captains, and the crewmembers are the people of the state
Back then, they were guided by the stars and the weather to sail round the ocean. He uses this to make an argument as to why the leaders of political entities were so poor.
The problem is that those best fit for leadership are looking up. They are focused on the stars and thinking about long range issues and various probabilities. The problem is that since they are looking up, they do not see the people.
Who are the best navigators?
The best fit person is thinking higher thought and contemplating the stars bring the best knowledge most adequate to determine matters or state. This person has far greater insight and is much better at navigation. They are much better at knowing the ins and outs of the ship and judging those onboard.
What is required, is a clear grasp of navigation, how to guide the ship of state through treacherous waters to have a successful voyage. In politics, it is the people who have a deep understanding of government navigation I.E., philosophy, law, economics etc… who should be in charge.
Why Philosophers are terrible kings
Where he is wrong is not in decrying that lack of knowledge and insight into weighty matters of the most important topics in life and politics but – who is best fit to bring the solutions into existence.
Many philosophers have remarked how politicians and other men of action are so often of a 2nd rate mind. This is the key. What Plato missed is that, by the very act of looking up at the stars and studying the concepts of the navigation of the ship of state, the person loses contact with the people and the practical.
We need practical realistic people at the helm
Do not get me wrong, this is a most necessary function that must be carried out. However, it is a rare person indeed who can thoroughly master these abstract concepts and come up with theories that form the basis for life and politics and be able to bring them into existence.
More often, you must have a person who is not quite as intellectual, not so focused on the stars, who is possessed of a foot firmly planted in the world with the people to bring those ideas into existence.
The reason is that all our activities have an impact on our lives. Deep study of philosophy causes us to think on the abstract which very often, does not have applicability in the practical real world. We need both the navigation expert but also one who is intelligent enough to recognize the merit in those abstract ideas and practical enough to create a realistic program to bring it to the members of the crew.
Plato was wrong
This is why Plato and Socrates were wrong. The world will not be better when philosophers are kings. Each time we have come close to this, those philosophers have shown just how out of touch with the practical and the people they are, leading to terrible consequences.
Implications today
One of the main problems today is there are a lot of people of a philosophical mindset in positions of influence. The practical people are busy – probably making money or simply living their lives but they are not making their voice known.
These all-too-intelligent people come up with grandiose elaborate plans for the nation and world that make sense….to other people of a similar mindset but fail spectacularly when implemented in the real world.
The Solution
Simple: we need good intelligent people with a foot in the real practical world backed up by people of conviction. People who can take those abstract ideas and translate them into practical navigation of our ship.
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