Plato’s Myth of Er for Psychic Education in the Philosophical Way

Abstract

Plato’s <i>Republic</i> is thematically preoccupied with <i>psycho-paideia</i> as psychic education that is to facilitate a philosophical illumination of the human soul or human nature in particular. In the final analysis from a teleological perspective, it is intended to nurture good personality and citizenship alike for the <i>kallipolis </i>as beautiful city-state above all. As revealed in the structure of the whole dialogue, the implementation of the Platonic psychic education is most crucial and difficult owing to human weaknesses and other disturbances. In order to carry it out in praxis, Plato tends to make his philosophical discourse somewhat intuitional and perceptual with the help of retelling a myth, which is then conducive to his creation of philosophical myths in a relevant context each. For instance, the myth of Er presented at the end of the dialogue is considered to be a myth of psychic education in essence, and designed to enhance philosophical learning <i>per se</i>. It involves such three ways as the heavenly, the underground, and the philosophical. Among them the philosophical way entails the becoming of the god-like being as the Platonic philosopher. The becoming as such is corresponding to the development of the perfect citizenship that underlines the fundamental guardianship of the<i> kallipolis</i> concerned.