How Can A Person Be Himself:Studies On Educational Ideal Of Plato

Plato is not only the first philosopher who states the education thoughtsystematically, but also the first thinker who combines the education thought with theeducation practice. His civil education thought starts and ends with “how a man to behimself” and arguments the relationship between education and people、the equalitybetween man and woman and so on. Beyond this, his education thought shows theconsistency between education and his political purpose.Plato’s education concept is to realize the city-state justice and every citizen ofthe city-state has a duty to strive for it. He argues that many qualities have been givento the soul before the combination between it and the body. Due to the limitation of avariety of conditions, people can’t find them. Education is to “recall”. The role ofeducation is to recall, with the help of it, people can find their qualities、fix theirabilities and distribute the social role. People depend on their abilities to be producer、guardian and governor and when they do their own job, the city-state justice has cometrue. If a person can deal with the relationship between the passion and the intellect、the lust, he realizes justice.The educational idea of Plato is consistent with idea of philosophy. His theory oftalent rank is related to idea ranked. He thinks everything being lies in its own idea.Because of talent, some people can only recognize low idea, and some body can findthe highest idea if they have rational ability. The education that Plato figured isranked.The process when everyone pursues knowledge to recognize idea will beregarded as talent development.Beyond that, although Plato and Marxism hold the same education thought, butthey possess different consequences. Plato believes that human ability is talent, sopeople should find the reason and be himself though education. That is the rationalreason of hierarchy. Contrast with Plato, Marxism believes that reason can’t play a part in something without logic. Realize the free and comprehensive development ofpeople is the only way to be himself, without rank and national boundaries. Achievethe goal that a man to be himself, people should associate the education andproduction practice. Only in this way, can we establish the future society.