education in the republic of plato
"Allegory of the Cave" sketch by Dr. Tom Stockmann What is education? What is its goal, its primary purpose in our lives? And how should it be accomplished? While the major theme of Plato’s Republic is centered around justice, a powerful underlying current of the importance of a true education weaves in and out of almost every conversation. In the course of the dialogue, Plato defines education, explains its purpose and demonstrates how it can be lived out. Plato describes education as a lifelong quest to seek out and know the truth. It is not a simple process of learning facts for the sake of succeeding in life, but rather a journey that transforms the soul and fills it with an understanding of and desire for knowledge. Its purpose in our life is to bring us to know and love what is just, beautiful and good, and to enable us to live a life guided by devotion to the truth. This form of education requires an eager desire for the truth and an enduring passion fo
