Compare And Contrast Plato And The Allegory Of The Cave

In his well-known “Allegory of the Cave”, the Greek philosopher Plato used the analogy of people lost in a cave to explain his belief that only enlightened philosophers should rule, since only they could truly understand the world. When I compared Plato’s ideal government to the workings of a modern democracy, I realized how different these two are. The U.S. government relies on the rule of the people, and does not limit voting rights or the pursuit of public office to any particular class. If Plato’s belief were applied to this democratic system, in which every citizen assists in ruling, then every citizen should be a philosopher or, as the Schedler Honors College website puts it, a “citizen-scholar”. Specifically, citizen-scholars have the
education and integrity to evaluate diverse perspectives and make informed decisions on controversial issues. Ultimately, my life goal is to grow into a citizen-scholar so I can mentor others to become citizen-scholars. The Schedler Honors College can train me to accomplish this. Everything about the honors college, from the layout of the dorms to the seminar-style classes to the emphasis on research, is meant to advance the depth and quality of student thought. Living and working in such an environment is an unparalleled opportunity for my personal education and development. Even more importantly, it can prepare me to prepare others for citizen-scholarship. Eventually, I plan to become a professor. As I see it, no other profession can have such a significant influence on the lives of so many people. With the knowledge I gain, I want to help new generations develop the traits of a citizen-scholar. Though a country of enlightened philosophers may not be realistic, the U.S. is closer to this ideal today than ever before because unprecedented numbers of people are now attending college. This presents an opportunity for educators to generate unparalleled numbers of citizen-scholars. Through my studies at the Schedler Honors College, I will be equipped to play my part in this grand undertaking.