The Republic, Plato, and Star Wars

As I watch the PT and OT over time Platonic references appear to keep popping up. I'll get the obvious ones out of the way and continue from there.

Sidious/ Palpatine- He seems to be the epitome of what Glaucon and Adeimantus had in mind when they illustrated that: 1) It's better to appear just while being unjust than it is to be just and percieved as being unjust. 2) Any rational person who can appear just while acting as unjustly as his heart desires would not choose to act justly.

Philosopher King- In AOTC, Anakin's proposal that the state should be primarily governed by "someone wise" truly smacks of Plato's vision of the Philosopher King.

Sith- They seem to conform to Plato's definition of the unjust person: a person whose ambitions are driven by their appetites rather than reason (he believed that no person willingly chooses to be immoral-immorality, according to Plato, is a symptom of ignorance.)

In order to curb the possibility of this post being indulgently long, I'll stop there. Do you guys agree or disagree with the interpretations offered thus far? What end do you think Lucas has in mind in using them (assuming you agree)?

 

In many ways the people of the Republic, especially the Jedi and Senate become like the prisoners in Plato?s Allegory of the Cave. They can only look forward at the shadows on the cave wall, while another being (Palpatine in the case of Star Wars) manipulates the shadows in front of the fire.

-Seldon

 

Ah, Seldon, Seldon my man, you're always kind enough to charitably contribute to my little threads. What are your interest, my man? What's your story?

 

Another interesting quote from Book X of Plato's Republic is "the maker of the phantom, the imitator, we say, understands nothing of what is but rather of what looks like it is." Kinda makes me think of Palaptine and his intentions with the Republic.

ALso Plato makes it apparent that attraction and love in themselves know no limits of propriety, exigency, law or country. They are the most dangerous to a city because they indicate an element of man which is by nature unpolitical! Sexual passion can be retained and repressed because it is not possible to make it respond to only those objects chosen by the city. This is obviously the same concept that Lucas chose to highlight with the Jedi Council forbiding attachment, Anakin's turn and redemption, and the overall theme of the Saga...i.e. love is not bound by any political or power structure.

Philosophy thrives throughout Star Wars and I wish I could think of some other good examples. Guess I'll get out my Plato's Republic book and notes and review.

 

Ah, we have an embarrassment of riches insofar as students of philosophy are concerned on this board.

 

The Republic also states that in the ideal society, there would be a "warrior class" trained to defend peace and justice within that society, just like the Jedi of the Old Republic. Further, the Jedi Knights could represent the warrior class, and the Jedi Masters could represent the Guardians. Plato also suggests intense physical training, which is not only of the muscles but of the mind. He states that the unless the warriors have strong mental control, they will fail on their path to becoming a Guardian.