Abstract

Michael Wladika:
Non-Arbitrary Normative Pre-Political Knowledge
Plato: The Ideas, the Principles, the Philosopher-King
(FKTh 2025-1, p. 54–64)

Polis, res publica, state, these words stand for forms of communities that are both ordered and good. How are such non-arbitrary things and precepts to be reached? First, it is necessary to start thinking and thus to grasp, with Plato, the highest levels of reality, the ideas and principles. Then there is the necessity to descend again, via the notions of purpose, order, and justice, into the practical sphere. Thirdly, at this point the passages in Plato’s “Republic” directly speaking about the philosopher- king can be fully understood – the philosopher-king is exactly the actualizer of stepping-down and ordering. Fourthly, a few things out of “The Statesman” can be presented, going also into the topic of the relation between king and law. Thus, asking the question as to what happens if someone understands the teaching on the philosopher-king as completely true, but no such person seems to be present. Then, well then it is presumably necessary to compensate via the second-best ride, via nomocracy, strictest legalism. But the best is the philosopher-king. It is certainly well possible to fill this figure theocratically, Plato does speak of priest-kings in „The Statesman“.