The Green caldron - University Library

4 The Green Caldron
in one of three groups, the Rulers, the Auxiliaries, or the Tradesmen, according
to his natural talents and inclinations. Each man is educated and conditioned
for his role in the society. Little cause for discontent is possible in this
society where every man has a clearly defined position, and the aptitudes and
inclinations for this position. The Ruler of Plato's ideal society is the
philosopher-king, who has attained man's highest goal, the knowledge of the
Good. He has reached this goal by long years of education and experience.
Those few selected to be trained as Rulers are given the same elementary
education and physical training as all the other members of the state. Then
they continue with a higher education designed to lead them step by step to
a vision of the Good. Mathematics, the only true science in Plato's opinion,
leads them from the changing, sensible world into the real world of thought.
They learn to recognize the unity in things and gain the power to think
abstractly. The next step in their education is the study of dialectic, which
helps them integrate all their knowledge. After this long education a man
is ready to view true from of all objects and to see their essential relation
to each other and to man. The ideal life for such a man would be one of
contemplation, but the philosopher has a duty to his state. He has to spend
much of his time ruling the state, keeping the society well ordered. From time
to time, however, he is able to return to his ideal life of thought and reason.
Dostoevsky's ideal life for man is the life of Christian love. Raskolnikov
isolates himself from other men and sets out on a path of cold reason and pride.
He nearly destroys himself by his actions. He murders an old woman to
prove that he is an "extraordinary" man. After the murder he is not sorry
for the moral wrong of his act but for the fact that he is not extraordinary.
Gradually, through a process of examination of himself and his motives, with
Sonia's help he reaches an attitude of shame and humility. Then, says
Dostoevsky, he is on his way to becoming a new man and finding the ideal
way of life. Humility, communion with and compassion for those around
him—love and service to God and his fellow man—will be his final goal.
He will only reach this goal by many years of internal conflict— pride fighting
against humility, love of power against compassion for others, and selfish reason
against imaginative identification—but eventually he will gain it.
Plato's ideal is reason ; Dostoevsky's is love. Each idea is a true reflection
of the ideals of the society of its author. The Greeks worshiped reason.
They believed that through reason man could achieve an ideal existence,
just as Plato's man is able to find the final good through reason. Christians,
on the other hand, believe that man can attain his ideal existence, eternal life,
through love and service to God, just as Raskolnikov began to build a better
life with his new-found faith and humility. Neither the Greek or Christian
ideal, however, has been embodied in a whole society. Only a relatively small
ntmiber of individuals have been able to reach either of these two high goals.