Plato’s Periagōgē: Changing Direction as a Central Aspect of Education

Abstract

Plato’s concept of periagōgē, as presented in the Analogy of the Cave, serves as a fundamental component of his philosophy of education, illustrating the process of “changing direction” or “redirecting” one’s mind’s eye from ignorance to the Form of the Good. Plato’s understanding of culture or education, paideia, accentuates the shift from passive observation to active participation in the pursuit of ultimate knowledge and ethical excellence. This educational change of direction, from passive to active, unfolds as our entire soul turns toward the Form of the Good. Maintaining the soul’s proper direction and alignment involves cultivating the lower parts of the soul through the emulation of good habits, good behavior, and proper feelings, while concurrently strengthening the higher reasoning powers through mathematical sciences, culminating in dialectics. Such an educational redirecting of the soul aims at the Form of the Good as its teleologic, practical, and paradigmatic axis around which we are revolving as we go about our daily endeavors. Those who were able to grasp the Form of the Good, not only undergo inevitable personal change but also bear the responsibility of guiding others toward such a transformation, as their teachers and mentors, just like Socrates did. Consequently, periagōgē in the right direction, or aspiration toward the right ideals, promotes personal betterment but also extends its effects towards society, where such enlightened individuals help others to stay on the right path.