Researching Socratic Pedagogy and Education in Platos...

Researching Socratic Pedagogy and Education in Platos Republic ABSTRACT: Though Plato never wrote a dialogue that explicitly asks, What is education?, few argue that he is uninterested in the subject; after all, Plato, like Socrates, was a teacher. In his magnum opus, the Republic, Plato deals with education repeatedly. The eduction of the guardian class and the allegory of the cave present two landmark pedagogical passages. Yet to catch a glimpse of Socratic pedagogy, we must first sift through the intricacies of dialogue. In addition to the complexity inherent in dramatic context, it seems clear that Socrates’ remarks are often steeped in irony. Thus, we stumble upon a problem: how should we read these passages on education? Does†¦show more content†¦The first portion of this paper will analyze various dramatic elements that indicate Socrates ironic intent with respect to the education of the guardians. The second portion will focus on the allegory of the cave as Socrates genuine conception of ideal paideia (or education). II. Dramatic Context and the Introduction of Irony A. Conventional Irony Unfortunately perhaps, we cannot look at Platos treatise on education to learn about his educational theory because he does not write analytical treatises. Instead, Plato employs written dialogues to inspire philosophical insight in his students. In light of Platos dialogical style, the dramatic context introduces new complexities to the project of figuring out Socratic pedagogy. While many may find Platos drama a refreshing alternative to the dry argumentation of a treatise, it is likely that Platos purposes are not limited to reading ease. In fact, in many ways the use of drama makes reading Plato a great deal more complex. Plato certainly makes use of arguments, yet frames them in real life contexts. Thus, the reader must consider not only the nuances of argumentation, but also the characters abilities and motives behind presenting the argument in a particular way. So the argument should not necessarily be taken at face value; instead, such