"Society originates because the individual is not self-sufficient and no two of us is born exactly alike." How do those two assumptions/principles lead to Plato's ideal society being ruled by philosophers? Are you convinced by his claim that Philosophers should rule?
A good starting point will be to consider what Plato means by these two assumptions. The first assumption states that the individual not self-sufficient (369b). This is the basis by which cities form; communities of human beings are created because every man has needs that he cannot cater for by his own means, which ensues in the association of the needy. Plato believes that humans are social beings, or natural cooperators.
The second assumption states that "no two are born exactly alike (370a-b)." This explains why the cities formed are heterogeneous rather than homogeneous. Each person has a different aptitude which ascribes each to a different occupation, and as they deploy their natural talents for the good of their society and for themselves, an inegalitarian society forms. From the utilitarian aspect, it is more efficient for the society to employ differentiation of labour through each person's specialisation. Plato claims that this specialisation is justified by one's understanding of oneself. The self is able to only be itself and none other; it is impossible to play multiple roles.
Just as a shoe-maker should only concentrate his efforts in making shoes and a ship-builder in building ships, there has to be a unique and specialised occupation which requires a person or a group of persons to rule the city and concentrate his efforts on nothing else. These two principles together explain the reason this occupation should be created.
However, the...
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...he baggage of worldly desires. However, before we hastily agree with Plato, we must examine the practicality of all his assumptions and proposals which, under scrutiny, seem to be less than feasible.
References
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Coleman, J, 2000. A History of Political Thought From Ancient Greece to Early Christianity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Inc.
Cross, R.C. nd Woozley, A.D., 1964. Plato's Republic: A Philosophical Commentary. New York: St. Martin's Press.
Pappas, Nickolas, 1995. Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Plato and the Republic. London: Routledge
Rowe, Christopher, 1995. `Plato; the search for an ideal form of state', Plato to Nato, studies in Political Thought. London: Penguin Books.
Reeve, C.D.C., 1988. Philosopher-Kings, Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Plato. Republic. Trans. G.M.A. Grube and C.D.C. Reeve. Plato Complete Works. Ed. John M. Cooper. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.
Plato. “Republic VII.” Trans. G.M.A. Grube. Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy From Thales to Aristotle. Comp. and ed. S. Marc cohen, Patricia Curd, and C.D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1995. 370-374
In Plato’s reasoning he explains that everyone is born with innate qualifications that make them more fit than others for a certain occupation. He suggests that in this way each person’s function will be completed thoroughly. The same theory applies when deciding how the city with be ruled. Only people who possess superior traits will have the power to rule. These people will pertain to the highest ranking class of the state called the guardian class.
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In Plato' "ideal" model of a city; he chose an aristocratic form of government, describing it as the rule of the most strong, wise and intelligent. In his system people are robbed of their basic rights to live as a primitive human being. People had no right to choose what they want to be after they are born; their occupation is chosen for them by the "philosopher king." He chooses one's job after assessing one's talent in a variety of areas. ...
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Plato. The Republic. Trans. Sterling, Richard and Scott, William. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1985.
Plato supposed that people exhibit the same features, and perform the same functions that city-states do. Applying the analogy in this way presumes that each of us, like the state, is a complex whole made up of several distinct parts, each of which has its own proper role. But Plato argued that there is evidence of this in our everyday experience. When faced with choices about what to do, we commonly feel the tug of many different impulses drawing us in different directions all at once, and the most natural explanation for this situ...
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