Joe Simmons

Plato's Warriors: Meta-spirit & the Development of a Fighting Class Joe Simmons

Plato is the major founder of western philosophy. Numerous traditions extend from his Socratic dialogues, whether it is Aristotelian or the mystical traditions of Plotinus. Only one aspect is usually left out. It is his emphasis on the warrior ethos. That aspect is either forgotten, ignored or underemphasized. This small monograph is an attempt to refocus on the military aspect of the elite Guardians of philosophy in Plato's ideal republic. The basic emphasis? A class of warriors, his class of silver, the essential basis for the development of a class of philosophers, a class of gold. First comes the warrior, then comes the philosopher, both essential for the development of any utopia, or the development of any soul.